Insights on Professors or Possessors

As I was going through the Digging Deeper handout from the Professors or Possessors teaching, I came across this passage in Joshua 3:1-5, where we were asked how we might apply the passage to our own lives:

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before." And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you." Joshua 3:1-5

One of my favorite people mentioned in the Bible is Joshua. There are many noteworthy things that I could say about him, but for now I’ll only highlight two: he was one who loved to linger in the presence of God and he was strong and courageous in battle. He was a lover and a fighter. Wow! Now Joshua wasn’t of the bloodline of the Levites and he was born well before the anointing of God’s first King, so he never qualified nor held the titles for the office of a Priest or a King. But in examining his life, I believe he demonstrated the leadership qualities of both. He ministered personally to the Lord and led others to Him. He also pointed the way to others to live victoriously in the land of their promise.

We too have been given such an awesome responsibility! Through the blood of Christ, he has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:10

Several years ago, I worked at Winn Dixie. For the eight months that I was employed there I performed many different jobs within the store. One day, I had heard that they were about to promote someone to manager from my shift and that I was one of three that they were considering. I watched my two co-workers, first one, then the other being called into the office and each came to me to say that they had been offered the job, turned it down and asked why I wasn’t offered the job first, since I was already doing the work without the official title or pay. By the end of the day, we had a new manager. They never did offer the position to me. And I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was just a little hurt and angry at being passed over for the job. I was grumbling and complaining to the Lord about it when He interrupted me and said, “Chelle, why would you want to be a Manager, when I’ve given you the whole store?” And before the shock of that even sunk in He added, “Whatever you allow here, I will allow. "Whatever you don’t allow, I will not allow.” There was such a weighty presence of the Lord that came over me when He spoke and I could feel the responsibility that went with it. I only worked at the store for a few more months, but I tell you that it definitely changed the way that I viewed my time on and off of the job. I prayed more. I worked harder. My witness increased in word and actions. I physically stood taller. I asserted myself more. During that period of time, I approached two different managers concerning, what I believed, to be wrong decisions toward a couple of employees and by the favor of God, those decisions were overturned. I would have never have had the courage to do that before.

We are coming into some hard times. Not for us, specifically, but for the world. Yes, we might not always be comfortable and we might not exactly prefer the things that we have to endure, but we as the Body of Christ are not without God or hope in this life. He promises us that He will be with us no matter what and He promises us that He will provide for our needs – every one of them. In Romans 8:18, 19 Paul says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God."

It’s those without Christ that need hope in these difficult times. The world is pressing in on us with expectation. To rise up and stand strong in our position in Christ as Priests and Kings - no longer merely Professing that we have the glory but actually Possessing the glory of our God that they may see the way to go. It seems as though the world has put all of their eggs in our basket. Their hope - is Christ in us. We must begin to see ourselves as God sees us.

So here is my question for you? When you read through Joshua 3:1-5, did you see yourself from the place of the crowd standing behind the ark, as I did when I first read it, or did you identify yourself standing in the position as the priest leading the people, holding the ark of the Lord? Selah.

I believe that once we really begin to see ourselves as the Priests and Kings that we are and begin to take responsibility for the people and regions that we have been assigned to - we just may begin to see that the LORD will do wonders among us! Joshua 3:1-5

Chelle Tapper