You Can Come Out Now!

^“10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, ¹¹ and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. ¹² The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. ¹³ About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war. ¹⁴ That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. ¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Joshua, ¹⁶ “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.” ¹⁷ So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” Joshua 4:10-17

I remember when God first revealed this passage to me in 2004. My family was homeless in 2004. We had lost almost everything. We stayed on Christian campground in Maryland. My husband was waiting for a job to open. He was working temporary job in Arlington, Va. My son and daughter were both struggling also during this time. My son stayed in Baltimore with friends. Our daughter was with us on the campground. We were all eating about one meal a day to survive. I had prayed for God to help us get through these time. My hope and spirit were broken. I was sitting at the lake on the ground and I was reading the journey Joshua had taken with the children of Israelites. Many years before he was commission by God through Moses to lead them through the wilderness. Following Moses death Joshua had to get them through the final stretch to the promise land. It had been 40 years. It took 40 years to make an 11-day journey to the promise land. The 40 years were their time of testing, knowing God and God raised up an army of a new generation to take the promise land. Sometimes when you get to the promise of God, you still have a battled ahead. The battle may be hard, but you have been promise the victory in Jesus Christ! You have been prepared for war with the promise of victory.

As I sat there reading, I thought about the fact that it was second time God had parted the water for them. The first time it was at the Red Sea with Moses. The new generation in the wilderness had not experience for themselves the power of God at the Red Sea. The first time God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape the Pharaoh. The second time on their journey, he parted the river with the power of his word in the water – The Ark of the Covenant! The water and the word made a path for them to cross the Jordan. The Jordan River is one of most vibrant quick moving rivers on the earth. The water has strong turbulence and moves very swift. God holds back the stormy water in our lives with his word! The priest walked into the water holding the Ark. The Ark’s gracious power held back the water on both sides. The water stays up stream as they crossed. It is amazing to see the symbolism that God can hold back the trouble ups stream as we cross to do his will. Our family crosses over as we hold up the word of God in prayer!

Every one crossed the Jordan and God told Joshua to get 12 twelve’s stone to mark what he had done for them. God had led them safely to the promise land. There are places in our live when we have to build altars or stones. The healing he has done that did not take us out is a stone. There are times he spared us from accident and death, that is a stone. The many times he had provided when we have nothing less, and that is a stone! In our lives, we have many stones that marked God that has been virtuous on our behalf. Sometime it is good with great thanks in your heart, to recall the stones in your life and just say “Thank you!” Those are really moments of “BUT God!” we can reflect on!

God told Joshua to tell the Priest that they can come out. Joshua commanded the priest to come out of the Jordan. These are day coming in June when God is saying to many “You can come out now!”.

That day when I was sitting at the lake as I read this. The Lord told me to wait until I heard him say in the days and weeks to come, that I could come out now. A few days later as I sat back on the rock at the lake, I was watching a fish jump quickly out of the still water. The Lord spoke to my spirit audible and said “You can come out now”. I began to weep with joy! During our stay at the campground we taught bible study and prayed for several people that got filled with the Holy Spirit. We were still preaching the gospel in the midst of trial. We had very little money and I was not sure how we would come out. In faith, I stared looking for a house in Arlington, Virginia near Ramon's new Job. Arlington is one of the most expensive place to live near DC. Nevertheless, I had heard from God. He would provide. I found a house to rent. We had bad credit, but we found favor. We moved in the following week into our rental house. A friend with a trucking business brought our thing in storage from Ohio. God kept blessing is with favor and restoring us. It took several month and more battles, but we had the victory. I ended up exhibiting art at the National Women Congress a few month later where I met Rosa Parks. My husband was hired a great salary at his company. My daughter Jasmine attended one of the best school and excelled. And our son Jamile(whom was cripples at 9 and healed of Arthritis miraculous a few in 1991) at 19 years old made it to the finals in third place on the first season of “ So You Think You Can Dance”.

In June, I really believe that for many they are season of struggles that is ending. I know our family has been through 6 months of battles this year that has been hard. I can sense we are not the only ones that have come through some recent storms. You are coming close to the day for God to bring you out. As they came out of the Jordan River on the east side, they faced many more battles. However, the Lord hands gave them victory in every battle they faced. We are tested by God, but not tempted. We are tired, but not destroyed. God has a way through Jesus of bring us through the storm and journey we all face in this life. I listen for the lord to let me know when I could come out. Sometimes we want to pray our way out or fast our way out. Sometimes we want to beg our way or cry our way out. However, there is a day of restoring coming as God say in your spirit with bold love and grace, “You can come out now.” It is important, as you come forth that, you do not land where you started. The Israelites landed on the other side of the Jordan. Where were you land? In the same relationship? In the same house? In the same depression? In the same temptation? In the same prayer life? In the same bitterness or regrets? Or in the same trials that you started with in your wilderness. Come out in a new land! Come out with new worship. Come out with new hope. Come out with new strength. Come out with joy. But whatever you do… come out and come forth!

Let God arise on the other side. What God has for you is greater than the trials you have faced. What Jesus want to share with you is greater than the voice of despair in you trials. Take some time to day to listen to him and let him reveal to you why you went through in the first place. What was God plan for you? Listen for him to tell in the days and week to come, that you can come out now. Watch him restore you and build you up in a new hope. Your trial was not in vain. God know what he is doing. He never said we would not go through things, but he promise to be there for us! He is here. Jesus is alive and well! Jesus is Lord over all you have been through. I hope the next few days and week you seek his face and listen. Let the tears dry up and the sorrow turn to praise. He has a plan for you. It was hard but you survive. You are greater than your trials. It is not about getting money or giving seed offering to get blessing by God, it is about your relationship with Jesus. It is about you being his child and him loving you to work his will in your life for your good. He is building character in you. He is letting you see how great his love for you is. How? He brought you through! June is a time of coming out of the Jordan in your life and seeing God walk you to your promise land. You can come out…… now!