[1]NASHVILLE (BP) – The Lord always prepares His people for the future He has for them. God sees the end from the beginning. Our God never panics and is always present with us in every moment.
When facing their own crisis moment, Joshua and the people of God had to determine one thing: Will we believe God?
While stories about miracles had been told to them, the stories in their generation were marked with 40 years of doubt and fear. But in this specific moment, something was different and new.
That is why, when Joshua brought the Israelites to the Jordan River to cross over, finally, into the Promised Land, he told them to follow behind the Ark of the Covenant so they would witness the presence of God going before them. Joshua told them God’s presence would make their future clear. In this profound moment Joshua said to them, “You haven’t traveled this way before” (Joshua 3:4).
Our generation today has also never traveled this way before. Over the last few months, we have seen our nation and the world come almost to a complete standstill. This eerie moment has been marked with great doubt and paralyzing fear, while at the same time unleashing demonic forces of hell like we have never witnessed in our lifetime.
Unquestionably, we have never been this way before.
[2]What now? How are we to respond? Pastors, church leaders and churches cannot sit this one out, fearing what others will say or write about us. We are the church of Jesus Christ, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us!
Do we want silence to be our legacy? Do we want compromise to be our legacy? Do we really want to win the popularity polls in our nation today? Are we so insecure that we fear cowardly bullies in the social media world and prefer their applause?
Let me remind you: Since 1973, we as a nation have seen at least 60 million babies killed in the wombs of their mothers. We continue to see our own people killed in our own streets. We see lawlessness exercised in all kinds of ways – and often it is winked at and politicized. We see disrespect for one another on both sides of the aisle – as well as disrespect for our leaders and members of our military, law enforcement and first responders who protect us. We see police officers ambushed while others watch and laugh, shouting for them to die. We see those who act as though gender is fluid and marriage between two women or two men is acceptable in the eyes of God.
Let me remind you again: There are those in this nation who stand and applaud these things.
Pastors and churches in our nation today must rise up with a prophetic voice, calling people back to God and to the truth of the Bible – yet doing so with humility, brokenness and a deep sense of compassion. We must hold the truth of God in one hand and the love of God in the other.
This is a moment when Christians must be fearless. We are not for sale, and our message is not irrelevant.
We have Good News for the whole world.
In this moment, we must follow this valiant mantra: Above all, be strong and courageous!
We have never been this way before in our generation, but will we rise up and believe God right now?
When we do, certainly the Lord our God will be with us. It is time to let go of all your fear and rid your heart of any cowardice. This is our moment to believe God.
“Above all, be strong and courageous!” (Joshua 1:18)
Now is the time to lead.