Inhabit the Land Life Principles From the Book of Joshua

Joshua 3: Joshua started early the next morning and left Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. 2.After three days the officers went through the camp 3.and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. 4.But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before. Page 180, Holman Christian Standard Bible

5.Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.” 6.Then he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them. 7.The Lord spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses. 8.Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’ ” 9.Then Joshua told the Israelites, “Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God.”

10.He said, “You will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites 11.when the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth goes ahead of you into the Jordan. 12.Now choose 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13.When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the Jordan’s waters, its waters will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand up in a mass.” 14.When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.

15.Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge 16.and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17.The priests carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

Inhabit the Land You’ve Never Traveled This Way Before

God is Right On Time 1:11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’” 3:1-2 “Joshua started early the next morning and left Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. After three days the officers went through the camp” 1.

Break Camp & Follow 1:2-3 “…the officers went through the camp and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it.” “When you see the ark of the covenant” –The Tablets of the Law – The Word of God –The Jar of Manna – The Provision by God –The Rod of Aaron – The Leaders from God “You must break camp” “And follow it” –This is not the self-will of those who will go where they will and do what they want, but of dependent servants who follow the Lord. 2.

Dan Reiland After the building is complete… A common comment from a member would be something like, “Now that the building is built, I'm not sure where we're headed.” As if the new building were supposed to be an indication of where you are headed! The reason… is because the physical building makes the vision tangible. When the vision is not tangible, it becomes unclear. Things to Know Before You Build by Dan Reiland. Used by permission from Dr. Dan Reiland's free monthly e-newsletter 'The Pastor's Coach' available at

Stand Back in Reverence 3:4 “But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go…” Give God the space His power deserves. Without this reverence, we can’t see His guidance 3.

God Leads Us Into The Unknown 3:4 “…for you haven’t traveled this way before.” Isaiah 43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” Jeremiah 31:22 “For the Lord creates something new in the land” God is not committed to our comfort zone God stretches us – that’s where the growth is The place you haven’t been before is where the blessings are 4.

Dan Reiland The environmental changes your building will undergo will cause your church to seem different It's like moving into a new home. It's a new environment and things have changed. You may think: "But the church is the same! The leaders are the same, the doctrine is the same, and the values are the same." The truth is… It has changed. You can't change the environment without changing the experience. When you change the experience, a little bit of disorientation is to be expected. Things to Know Before You Build by Dan Reiland. Used by permission from Dr. Dan Reiland's free monthly e-newsletter 'The Pastor's Coach' available at

A Consecrated Life is Required To See God’s Power 3.5 “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.’” A great building without committed Christians in it would be an empty shell A holy place for unholy people? 5.

Take a Step of Faith 3:8 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’” 3:13 “When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the Jordan’s waters, its waters will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand up in a mass.” 3:15-16 “Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass…” 6.

God’s Promises Overcome All Obstacles 3:10 “He said, ‘You will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites’” –Their obstacles were human enemies –God tells us we will have obstacles, too –Our obstacles may be financial, spiritual, etc. –We’re moving to a new building, not heaven 7.

Some Must Stand Firmly That All May Enter The Blessing 3:17 “The priests carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.” 8.

Inhabit the Land You’ve Never Traveled This Way Before