The children of Israel had been delivered from Egyptian slavery and crossed the Red Sea. God had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. Yet after sending spies into the land, the majority responded in unbelief. As a result, that generation wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, a daily reminder of the cost of failing to trust God. Now a new generation stood at the banks of the Jordan River under Joshua’s leadership. The question before them was whether they would step forward in faith or remain in the familiar but unfulfilling wilderness. This account in Joshua chapter 3 offers powerful lessons for believers today about moving into the place of God’s blessing and victory.
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10:11 (KJV), “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” The Old Testament serves as an illustration of New Testament truth. Egypt pictures deliverance from sin through the blood of the Lamb. The wilderness represents the carnal Christian life, where basic needs are met but full victory and fruitfulness are absent. The promised land illustrates the Spirit-filled life of blessing and obedience, though it includes battles. Many believers today settle comfortably in the wilderness. God calls us to press forward.
Sanctify Yourself (verse 5)
Joshua instructed the people in Joshua 3:5 (KJV), “Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” Sanctification involves honesty before God and purifying the heart. No one else can do this work for us. It requires examining our lives in the light of God’s Word and dealing with sin, bitterness, unforgiveness, or compromise.
Leviticus 20:7-8 (KJV) commands, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.” Similarly, 1 Peter 1:16 echoes, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” Ephesians 5:26 speaks of Christ sanctifying and cleansing the church “with the washing of water by the word.”
Believers must come before the Lord and pray as David did in Psalm 139:23-24, asking God to search the heart and reveal any wicked way. When we sanctify ourselves through confession and repentance, we open the way for God to do great and mighty things. Staying in the wilderness often results from unaddressed sin that hinders God’s full blessing. Honest self-examination and humility prepare the way for wonders.
Hear The Word (verse 9)
Joshua called the people in Joshua 3:9 (KJV), “Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.” This hearing implies not merely listening but obeying. Deuteronomy 4:1 (KJV) urges, “Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.”
True hearing leads to action. Many know biblical truth yet fail to apply it. Forgiveness, honouring God with finances, loving relationships in marriage and the church, and daily obedience are areas where knowledge must become practice. This is “shoe leather Christianity,” where belief reaches the feet and shapes daily living. Faithway Baptist Church has a rich history of strong Bible preaching, yet the challenge remains to live what we know. God calls us to heed His Word and align our lives with it.
Go Forward By Faith (verses 10-17)
The climax came when the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the overflowing Jordan. Joshua 3:13 (KJV) declares, “And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.”
The waters parted only as the priests’ feet touched the river in obedience. Faith is not a feeling but acting on God’s Word despite circumstances or logic. The people crossed on dry ground while the priests stood firm in the midst of the river until all had passed. This step required total commitment with no turning back.
God magnifies His leaders and His people when they trust and obey. The same God who parted the Red Sea and the Jordan can work powerfully in our lives today. Faith is visible through obedient steps, whether in personal surrender, missions, or daily decisions. God desires us in the land of spiritual victory, fruitfulness, and blessing.
Conclusion
The message from Joshua 3 rings clear: do not stay in the wilderness. Sanctify yourselves through honest repentance. Hear and obey the Word of God. Step forward by faith into the fullness of what God has for you. The Spirit of God is speaking. Will you respond? Draw near to Him, deal with what He reveals, and experience the wonders He longs to do in and through your life. May we all move from wandering to possessing the promises of God.
