The Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them. Every place on which the sole of your foot tread…will be your territory. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
For Joshua, it was Canaan, the land of promise. For the believer it’s the kingdom of God. To us both, God says, “With your minds saturated with My words and your wills committed to them, go. Possess the land and establish My dominion. Your enemies will flee before you. Put them to flight. I will be your constant companion so do not fear your opponents. Go. Be strong and courageous. Validate my promises. Vindicate my words.” To us both, He says, “You are great. Go and be great.”
I wonder if God isn’t also saying, “Moses’ and Billy Graham’s time has past. It is time for you to arise and recognize your destiny. Christ in you equips you with the promises I made to these men and more. Envision the earth responding to my words, seeing Me as Lord. Lock arms with your tribe—those I am connecting you to—and help each other to recognize and represent My kingdom. Moses and Joshua longed to see the new covenant I have given you—this door into My kingdom. You are the Church. Everywhere you go you shall be My Church. Through you, light and truth will put fear into the enemy’s heart. Keep thinking and praying, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
I could not help but think of the lyrics to Josh Garrels’ song “White Owl.”
When the night comes
And you don’t know which way to go
Through the shadow lands and forgotten paths,
You will find a road
Like an owl you must fly by moonlight with an open eye
And use your instinct as a guide, to navigate the ways that lay before you,
You were born to
take the greatest flight
Like a serpent and a dove, you will have wisdom born of love
To carry visions from above into the places no man dares to follow
Every hollow in the dark of night
Waiting for the light
Take the flame tonight
Child, the time has come for you to go
You will never be alone
Every dream that you have been shown
Will be like living stone
Building you into a home
A shelter from the storm
Like a messenger of peace, the beauty waits to be released
Upon the sacred path you keep,
leading deeper into the unveiling
As your sailing, across the great divide
Like a wolf at midnight howls,
You use your voice in darkest hours
To break the silence and the power,
Holding back the others from their glory
Every story will be written soon
The blood is on the moon
Morning will come soon
Child the time has come for you to go
You will never be alone
Every dream that you have been shown
Will be like living stone
Building you into a home
A shelter from the storm
From where we are to where we are going, there will be a divide of darkness we must navigate that will require the Word and the Spirit. We will find the way. Our destiny is to take this greatest of all paths. The kingdom dreams that have been planted in our hearts will find expression, connecting us to each other as a shelter of safety for whatever is to come. As messengers of peace with our love-born wisdom, we shall call each other out into our appointed glory.
Father, reveal this part of our stories to the world, demonstrating the incomparable superiority of Your kingdom to any competing principality or power. Awaken us to the glory within. Help us to see ourselves as You see us. Amen.