Stepping Into New Things

When God is at the centre of our lives everything connected to us has a kingdom perspective to it. We are living for His glory and purpose. There is an eternal significance to all that we do. We are part of a bigger picture than just living our individual lives year in year out.  We touch two generations in our lives. There is a God Story that we are living out.  As we step into another ministry year God is inviting us to step into a new season of faith, striding out with confidence in what He is yet unfold. Our faith grows as we are open to new opportunities with its accompanying challenges. We can’t sit back passively and wait for something to happen.  We need to position ourselves to move with a fresh expectation.   Step into new things.

Joshua was one such person.  He stepped into things God called him to with a sense of expectation.

Joshua 1. After the death of Moses the LORD ’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you. No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.  

Three things we can learn from the mandate God gave Joshua. Let these become an encouragement for our own personal journey of faith.

1. Solidity of footing

Joshua every place where you set your foot i.e. stepping toward something, stepping into new expectations God has given you. There will be solidity of footing because God has prepared the atmosphere and the soil.  Ephesians 2:10 says ... for we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared that we should walk in them.  Just as Joshua was moving into a prepared place, God has prepared the soil, set the atmosphere for us to step into new things and new experiences and assures us of solidity of footing. This could be different for everyone.  It could be a physical or geographical move. A positional move at workplace where responsibilities change or increase.  Vocational move.  New job.  Taking on new ventures, acquiring new projects, enterprises. Deploying new gifts or talents for a start-up project. 

Wherever you set your foot, I will give you. Solidity of footing, as you step into new things, a new experience God assures you that you won’t go backwards, you will make progress and keep on make steady gains.   You will secure ground as you go forward. It is not because the anointing is on the place or the given circumstance but it’s on YOU. Therefore be fully confident that when He leads us into it, he will secure our footing.

2. Clarity of mission / purpose for the journey ahead

Joshua, the time has come for you to lead these people.  Moses has brought you this far but now you have a mission.  You have a clear purpose.  Clarity of purpose or mission comes when we know what to let go and what to lay hold of. As Joshua let go of Moses and laid hold of his mission there was clarity of purpose for the journey.  When God wants to move us forward with clarity of mind and purpose, to come into new experiences and divine-set ups, we need to be open to what He wants us to let go and what he wants us to embrace.  We need to make room for the new. In fact, for God to show up in a fresh way we have to create the space for his emergence to be recognised.  He may want to surprise us with new possibilities but we won’t recognise it if we don’t make room for the new experiences. 

• For some of you God wants increase your people capacity. He wants to add new relationships to your life that will not only house the next agenda God has for you, it will also bring the best out of you yet.  As you step out of your comfort zone, build new friendships, join serving teams, get into life groups, you will make room for new experiences that will further advance God’s purpose over your life.  Your gifts, talents which are dormant within you will start to surface.
  
• For some you need to lay hold of God with a fresh passion.  You may have become a little jaded, tired in your spiritual walk and wonder why there is no vision and drive to move forward. Lay hold of his word. God told Joshua in v 8. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. It means you will achieve what you set out to do.
  
• Pull out your prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled.  I sense some of you have put them away due to a weariness and that nothing is shifting or happening. I see this in the spirit that as you take hold of them again and begin to pray over the words you have received and start to bring it before God, there will be movement and shifts.  This is a season of fulfilment of some of those words over your lives.   Remember Joshua had heard of the promises of God to possess land 40 years before and NOW he was going to taste it.  Stir up that faith within.
  
• To let go of hurts, disappointments, feelings of inferiority or inadequacy. We cannot make a lifelong project of getting fixed. At times we may need to move with the imperfections we have got. Paul said God's strength is made perfect in my weaknesses. Clear out the cobwebs of negative thinking instead build an expectation for new experiences.
  
• For others you need to discover your own voice.  Let go this need to be people pleasers. Let go of that constant need for approval from people. You have within you the ability to start up something, a desire to pursue something but you are always concerned with what people will think or what they will say.  You need to step out with fresh confidence and allow those desires to take shape and find your own voice. Clarity of purpose comes when we know what to let go and what to lay hold of.

3. Place of our confidence in the Lord.

Not only God assures Joshua of solidity of footing, He gives him clarity of purpose and now he invites Joshua to place his confidence in Him for all these to unfold in his life. No one will be able to stand against Joshua as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.  3 times God says to him.  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Why does God say this repeatedly and in fact commands him to stay strong even after reassuring him of Presence all the way.  I believe God wanted Joshua to know that a very important element of this journey ahead of him was one of morale.  When you go into battle Joshua & possess new places. Strategy is important. Tactics are important but the thing that will win the battle is morale.  Meaning the emotional or mental condition with respect to confidence, zeal, especially in the face of opposition, hardship.

"I am commanding you to be strong and Courageous.  Don’t wilt in the face of challenges. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t shrink back in doubt. Don’t lose confidence. Don’t let your morale plummet. Your morale will help you forge ahead."

It is said that during World war 2. General Montgomery who led the battle of El Alamain, North Africa, won it as he raised a new voice of morale amongst the Britain’s 8th army in the desert.  The turning point of the battle was largely on morale.<o:p></o:p>

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"Joshua don’t let your morale plummet, keep strong because I am with you. I am committed to you. Just as I was with Moses, so will I be with you." No new ventures or opportunities in our lives will come without some challenges. However, God invites us to put our confidence in Him. V 5.  I will not leave you nor forsake you.

We are on the cusp of greater things.  God desires to lead us on a divinely ordered spiral, an upward spiral. He wants build another tier, layer of his purpose over our lives. He will give us solidity of footing as we follow His leading into new things. He will bring clarity of purpose/ mission as we let go of certain things and lay hold of others.  He invites us to place our confidence in Him and position ourselves in firmness of faith.

Discussion Questions

1. How does this message speak to you in your faith journey now?
2. Is there a new thing or expectation God is inviting you to step into?(i.e. within the church or vocational or family situation)
3. What do you need to let go and lay hold of for greater clarity to move forward?
4. What will undermine your morale and confidence in God as you embrace the next step?