Handling the Unexpected, by Matthew Smith III
The crossing of the Jordan marked the moment when God's people, under the capable leadership of Joshua, whose name means God is Salvation, would break through the last barrier that stood between them and the Promised Land. Let me encourage you by saying, do not give up and do not give in, because you are one step away from your blessing. In fact, according to our text, there was only one thing that really stood between God's people and the Promised Land, and that was Jordan.
The people of God had escaped Egyptian bondage and the dangers of the desert; they had endured the bitter waters of Marah; they had been fed with quails and manna; they had been successful in their battle with Amalek; and now, the Word of the Lord came to Joshua while they were camped in Shittim. The Lord commanded Joshua to get ready to go over Jordan. The text indicates that it was in the spring time, which is important, because at any other time of the year it would have been easier to cross this river. God selected the spring, when the river would be at its overflowing state, making it more difficult to cross. Any other time, God's people could have, with limited resistance, forged their way across the river. But God, in His great wisdom, had waited until the river was flooding over its banks, because their getting across the river would be a demonstration of God's power and not their own. Isn't it interesting that sometimes God will wait until things get at their worst before He decides to move? Sometimes God will send you and me through difficulties that pose a threat to us physically, emotionally, and mentally in order to release something in us spiritually. It is essential to understand that it is the power of God that allows us to be preserved in tough times. It is the surpassing, supreme power of God that is seen through our human frailties and insufficiencies.
The great Apostle Paul noted the significance of suffering in the flesh when he remarked in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10: "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." There are times when God will allow you to suffer in your flesh to release you from the propensity to sin. There are times when the plan of God will take you right into an unexpected season.
The Jordan River was known as the "place of swelling". The Jordan represented a season of swellings; a season of human impossibilities; a season where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary; a season where the usual becomes the unusual; a season where the natural is replaced by the unnatural; a season where the normal is over-run by the abnormal. I call these places the "in betweens". These are places where we can experience our greatest discouragement or our greatest deliverance, but it all depends on our faith perspective, that is, our capacity to see beyond the current situation.
A large part of handling the unexpected begins with your faith perspective. You can approach your difficulties with fear and frustration, or you can choose to approach them with faith. Believing allows you the capacity to see beyond your circumstances. Faith allows you to stand in one dimension, while seeing in another. I have heard many people say, "Seeing is believing," but I say, "Believing is seeing," which means that my faith allows me to visualize what my eyes cannot see. Faith allows your mind and your heart to travel where your eyes have not been. I don't believe because of what I see, rather I see because of what I believe. I believe, and therefore I see.
The Bible says: "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). As believers, we live by a code of convictions, and by a code of conditions. We do not need visual aids to motivate us to live by faith, because we have a divine conviction about the truth of God's Word. When we operate within the faith dimension, we live by faith and not by our senses. When it comes to following God, and moving by faith, we are not encouraged to follow our noses. Following our senses can lead to senseless decisions that contradict God's purpose for our lives.
Many theologians and lay people would look at this Jordan crossing as an obstacle to test the faith of the people of God, but I believe that the Jordan River was not simply an obstacle to test their faith, but rather an opportunity for them to exercise their faith that had already been tested. Prior to the people of God's arrival at the Jordan, their faith had been tested several times while in the wilderness. When they needed bread to eat, their faith was tested; when they needed water to drink, their faith was tested; when they needed a place to live, their faith was tested, therefore, their tested faith needed an opportunity to shine, and the Jordan River was that opportunity. It was not a time for the people to play it safe. It was time for them to take a risk.
I discovered that if a man or woman is going to achieve their goals, their dreams, and fulfill God's purpose in their lives, they must be willing to risk some things. There are so many believers who dream big dreams, but are not willing to take any risks to see those dreams come true. In fact, every time a woman is with child, she is taking a risk. While doctors implement every medical procedure as precautions to protect both mother and child, there are no guarantees that the mother or the child will be safe. And yet, the mother will have several children knowing the risk. Why? Because the mother is absolutely convinced of at least
two things: First, she is convinced that the joy of giving birth to a child is worth the risk, and second, she understands that she was created to produce and bring forth life. In fact, it is noted in some very difficult pregnancies, the mother has actually died giving birth while the child lived. The mother knew the risk and was willing to risk her own life in order to see her dream fulfilled.
Now, when you really consider your faith, faith is about taking risks. If a man or woman is to achieve their goals and dreams, as I wrote earlier they must be willing to take some risks.
In Joshua 1:2, God commands Joshua to arise and cross over Jordan. "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites." And in chapter 3:1 we see Joshua's response after receiving specific instructions concerning the process of crossing Jordan. "Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over." This immediate response was ignited by his faith.
Understand this: if we are going to cross the Jordan Rivers of our lives, it will require a unique faith, a faith that does not play it safe, a reckless, radical, restless, ridiculous, reclaiming, redemptive, and righteous faith that refuses to be broken or disengaged from its objective. Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, Job, Samuel, Paul and many other Bible saints demonstrated this type of faith that refused to shrink in the face of danger. In fact, in Joshua 1:6-8, God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
It is interesting to me that the word courageous in this context literally means to be steady, firm, constant, and to resist the urge to admit defeat in the face of danger. In order for Joshua to perform this great task, he would have to divorce his feelings. This abandonment of emotions and logic is very difficult to accomplish because we are constantly taught to use our emotions and logical thinking as the modus operandi for decision making. I can appreciate emotions as well as logic, but when it comes to handling difficult periods in our lives, God calls for us to use our faith, not our logic, and certainly not our emotions.
In the case of Joshua and the Children of Israel, it would have been very easy to logically assert the suggestion to wait until another season to cross the Jordan River. However, Joshua, sensing the urgency of God's command moved without hesitation. Why? Because Joshua understood that the favor of God to cross over the Jordan was for a limited time.
How do you handle the unexpected method that God chooses in order to bring you into what He has prepared for you? Do you shrink because of the swelling, or do you refocus your faith and prepare to move out? Your faith/obedience in the midst of the affords you God's favor. Favor is getting the advantage in disadvantaging situations. By this, I mean, there are times in your life when you feel at a disadvantage because the circumstances seem so insurmountable, but favor with God allows you to overcome the unexpected. It does not matter how disadvantageous a situation may appear, you are the favorite. You are poised for victory in any situation. You are not a victim, but a victor; you're not a wimp, but a worshipper of God, and what your credit, your credentials or your collegiate affiliation can't get you, your Covenant with God will. You are poised for prosperity and destined for deliverance, and God has personally made provision for you to make it to your destination.
The Bible states in Isaiah 54:17: "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you." You are winning no matter what it looks like. There are times when God has to take you through seasons of swellings, seasons of sufferings, and even seasons of shame, to bring you to your destiny. Please understand that God knows what is best for you, and He is literally preparing you for even greater things. Even as you are reading this book, you are being empowered and inspired by what you are reading. However, somewhere in the back of your mind, you may be saying to yourself, I believe this, but I'm in between. Yes, I know--you're in between jobs; you're in between relationships; you're in between friendships; you're in between transportation, but before you start doubting the plan of God, consider Noah, Daniel, Moses, Jehoshaphat and David, who were all at some point in their spiritual development in between. Don't get discouraged about being in between, because it is in the in between places that your fears are transformed into faith, unexpected is paramount, because your faith/obedience and your pain exposes your purpose. It is very important for you and I to understand that many times God's purpose for our lives is discovered while on the move. If we, indeed, "walk by faith and not by sight," then our faith is not only belief that precedes our actions, but our faith is the action. Faith is the action before the act. As you are moving by faith, things will begin to happen that you will not expect.
Consecrating yourself in the midst of a crisis is the key to handling the unexpected. Many times when we have to face the unexpected, we spend too much time complaining, and not enough time consecrating ourselves before God. Transitioning through trials is never easy, and marching through muddy waters can be very miserable, but, if you are willing to trust in God completely, He will be responsible for navigating you through those tough times. Life is full of unexpected circumstances, but the key to overcoming these times, is anticipating them.
When a woman discovers that she is pregnant, immediately her body begins to undergo a series of changes. There are hormonal, emotional, mental, and physical changes that take place, primarily because the woman's body is preparing to engage in the oxymoronic act of delivering a baby. Oxymoronic, in that, the woman will be engaged in both a traumatic and triumphant event. Oxymoronic, in that, the woman will, at times, experience both sorrow and joy, pain and pleasure in the bringing forth of the child that has been planted within her womb.
When a woman makes her first prenatal visit to the doctor, he will give her some reassurances concerning her pregnancy by first telling her that what she is and will experience is natural and normal. The doctor will reveal to his patient that it is not unnatural to experience such things as: morning sickness, fatigue and sleepiness, frequent urination, heartburn, indigestion, food aversions, cravings, breast size changes, irritability, and mood shifts. The physician will advise the woman that her physical appearance will change--skin tone may change, and length of hair may increase. The body will go through these alterations as it is preparing itself for the birthing of the new baby. All of these changes are a natural part of the process of being pregnant. It's not unnatural for the baby to kick. In fact, if the baby kicks, which can cause pain or discomfort in some cases, it is a sign that what is inside is alive.
After the doctor's assessment of the mother's health through a series of test, he will then prescribe Prenatal pills and a specific diet for the expecting mother. These Prenatal pills and specific diet will assist in counteracting the imbalances that are taking place in the woman's body. The tablets are supplemental aids to help increase the woman's energy and endurance in the overall experience of delivering the child. The woman must attempt to stay healthy during this period, because what affects the woman will affect the child. It has been widely noted that the way in which a mother handles her pregnancy can have profound effects on the child. That is why it is extremely important that during this period, in particular, the expecting mother does not engage in certain activities such as: smoking, drinking, etc., because it puts at risk both mother and child.
Understand that whatever enters that mother's body will enter the baby's body. Therefore, the doctor may even put the mother on a restricted diet, because what is inside of the mother is too important to jeopardize by not taking the necessary precautions. According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, a pregnant mother can experience certain conditions that originate in the Prenatal Period, that can result in fetus dysfunction. These complications of pregnancy can jeopardize a safe labor and delivery. In some cases, the expecting mother becomes extremely emotional to the point where she may seek to harm herself and the baby.
Many Christians have felt this way due to the enormity of what God has placed inside of them concerning their purpose and destiny. And the truth of the matter is, there are times when both you and I feel like giving up because we begin to give more attention to how we feel rather than to the facts.
In a very real sense, in John 16, Jesus reminds His disciples not to give up and not to give in to their feelings. In fact, Jesus reminds His disciples that what they will have to endure is not unnatural, but very natural. He tells them in the first few verses of this wonderful chapter and verses 1-4 in particular: "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue, in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God; They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me; I have told you this, so that when the time comes, you will remember that I warned you."
Notice the entire context of Jesus' discussion with His disciples beginning in John 13, 14, and 15. Jesus is literally preparing His disciples for His departure, and yet, He encourages them throughout the course of these discussions that if He leaves, He would send the Comforter, The Parakletos, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, that would empower and impregnate them with the vastness of God's power, that they might give birth to greater things. In fact, Jesus said throughout his entire discourse with His disciples, if I don't go to the Father, you won't be impregnated by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is that part of the Godhead that implants, impregnates, and infuses eternity into the heart of man. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end." God has placed in the heart of every believer that which the universe itself cannot contain. So, in essence, in chapters thirteen through sixteen, Jesus is saying, that He must leave so that the Holy Spirit could come and make a divine deposit into the disciples' lives and through trials, suffering, and sorrow they would still give birth to the prevailing promises of God.
Notice, the first six verses of John chapter sixteen set the stage for our understanding of the rest of the passage. This would prove to be vitally important to the disciples because Jesus knew what they were thinking in reference to what was previously spoken, and what they would have to face, and therefore, Jesus wanted them to be prepared. John 16: 1-6: "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief."
Thus, Jesus says: "These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be offended." In other words, Jesus, like an obstetrician telling an expecting mother what to expect while she is expecting, tells His disciples exactly what to expect. Jesus wanted them to know that they would have to endure some tough times, but that they could face these tough times with an absolute assurance and resolve that they would have the Power, The Holy Spirit, to make it through these trials and tribulations. Keep in mind that Jesus is getting ready to go to Calvary, to go to the grave, to be resurrected, and then He would go back to the Father.
Questions to Consider:
♦ Are you willing to risk some things to fulfill God's purpose in your life?
♦ How do you handle the unexpected method that God chooses in order to bring you into what He has prepared for you?
♦ How can you consecrate yourself in the midst of crisis?
Helpful Hints to Activate your Faith:
♦ Remember, God calls for us to use our faith, not our logic and certainly not our emotions.
♦ Relax--God has personally made provision for you to make it to your destination.
♦ Rejoice because many times God's purposes for our lives are discovered while on the move.
We have shared the first five chapters of Crossing Jordan, by Matthew Smith with you. If you are interested in reading the rest of this book, please purchase it from one of the retailers listed below.
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