A NEW YEAR

After forty years of wandering Israel was about to receive all that they had been prophetically promised. Nearly an entire generation had passed away; perhaps millions of people died never being able to see or experience what their hearts had longed for. If you are hoping and praying to enter into 'a promised land' experience in 2011, the following words may be of help to you.

In Joshua 3 Israel is given two instructions before moving ahead with the vision God had given to them for their future. One instruction came from their earthly leaders and included a prophetic promise. The other instruction came from God and included a heavenly confirmation from God. Wherever there is an authentic prophetic promise given my men, there will always be a confirming substantiation of that same promise given by God. The first instruction to Israel(Josh. 3.5) from their leaders was to 'consecrate' themselves. The word consecrate means to vow or to set aside. But more so, to consecrate oneself is to understand that the new undertaking has a special purpose to it. The instruction to "consecrate yourselves" was given because the place to where the people would be going was a place that they had never been before. The second instruction, from God, was 'to stand still...and listen to the word of the Lord'(Josh 3.7-9). Again, there is no better time of the year for "standing still and listening", than the beginning of a new year.

Following Moses and leading the people into the Promised Land would be no small task for anyone. Joshua, Moses' successor, had seen and heard all that Moses had been through. Because Joshua had seen and heard so much for these many years he must of asked himself, "Do I trust God to help me?” Joshua perhaps also asked, "Will God shield me any better from the stiff-necked attitudes of this pilgrim people than He did Moses? Will the people treat me any better than they did Moses?" These would all be natural and logical questions to ask. Even on our best days, it is easy for anyone to ask such questions.

Final thoughts for your new year. First, whatever is before you, ask God to show you how He wants to use you in moving forward in 2011. Two, get past your past (Joshua had to get past the huge shadow of Moses)--in some very real ways, let 2010 go! Three, believe what God has said about you and your future role and act as though you believe it! And four, live with the expectation that all that God has promised will come to pass.