Read Part 1 first
I’ve had numerous requests to review my teaching on “Crossing Over,” that was given at the VFM Conference during Word Explosion. Below is an article that reflects that message.
Crossing Over (Part 2)
6. Sanctification – Joshua 3: 5- “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things.” This is the Principle of Sanctification. Holiness has been made into a complicated issue. It simply means “set apart.” Set apart to God (and His system) and set apart from the world (the world’s system).
- How does that happen? 1 Cor. 1:30 says, “It is because of Him (God) that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, —that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. We are holy in Him. It’s not just a changed life, but an exchanged life.
- 10:10, 14 records, “And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all…because He has been made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” So which is it? We are holy in Him once and for all, or are we being made holy? We’re holy in Him and the more we understand it, the more we act like it.
- The key application here is not to be distracted by foolish sin issues that leave us insensitive and impotent to what God is saying and doing. Sometime later in another posting I will release some disturbing facts of issues that have left us on the brink of being near-sighted, blind and having amnesia toward God’s will (2 Pet. 1:9).
7. Revolution – Joshua 3:8, “When you reach the edge of Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.” This is the Principle of Revolution (of faith).
- God is authorizing a new installment of faith. This is not faith in your faith, but faith in his grace. The former focuses on you and the latter focuses on Him (and what He has done).
- Look at Eph. 1:3, “Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” This verse is all written in the past tense. This is already what has been done through the finished work of Jesus Christ, by grace (see Eph. 1:2). This verse answers 4 critical questions:
- When? It is past tense. One Greek scholar calls it the eternal past.
- Where? In the heavenly realms. It’s just Paul speaking for the Kingdom of God.
- With What? Every spiritual blessing! The word “spiritual” here is the Greek word for supernatural.
- How? In Christ! Through his finished work at Calvary (John 19:30).
- Now I must access what He did by grace through faith.
- 10:17 says it like this: “…faith comes by hearing (The Message) and hearing through the Word of Christ.” The word “hear(ing)” doesn’t simply mean listening, but understanding or revelation.
- As I understand what He has done by grace, I act accordingly in faith and manifest His kingdom.
8. Revelation – Joshua 3:9, “Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Come here and listen to the words of the Lord our God.’” This is the Principle of Revelation. The word revelation means to disclose what already exists.
- 1:17 tells us, “I Jesus Christ…give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so you may know Him better. I pray…that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order that you may know…the riches of His glory.” We receive revelation (of what He has already done) and wisdom to know how to apply it.
- This is how David operated against Goliath, He declared, “…who is this uncircumcised Philistine…” He wasn’t saying, I’m going to kill this guy because he hasn’t seen his urologist, but circumcision was a sign of covenant. He was saying, I have a covenant and he doesn’t. If God be for me, who can be against me (Rom. 8:10)? I have a revelation of who I am and I can’t be defeated.
- Our biggest issue in the world is Rom. 4:21, “Being fully persuaded that God has the power to do what He promised.” It is a revelation issue.
9. Opposition – Joshua 3:10, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites…Jebusites,” the uptight, out of sight and mosquito bites. This is the Principle of Opposition. God has commissioned us, but don’t mistake that for not having opposition that has to be resisted. The devil will always oppose God’s plan. Some Christian leaders have mistakenly felt that if God is in it, it would be clear sailing.
- So the priests (leaders) obey God, follow the Ark of the Covenant and put their foot in the Jordan in faith. The Bible says the Jordan was at flood stage. Most scholars feel that added about 14 feet of new dimension. As they put their foot in the Jordan it says, God cut off the Jordan River from Adam to Zaretan. Most scholars feel these cities were about 12 to 19 miles apart. This was no small miracle. God parted the Jordan River upwards to 19 miles apart. Thus, Israel stepped into the Promised Land.
10. Celebration – Joshua 4:1—3, Israel built a memorial to commemorate and thank God.
- Thanking God guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:6, 7) to God’s miraculous provision.
- It’s time to cross over and solidify God’s kingdom in this hour.
