YOU HAVE NOT PASSED THIS WAY BEFORE
By Frances B. Skinner,
Vice President of Ministry Development
Winter Park Aglow Community Lighthouse
Moses had died and now the people of Israel had a new leader, Joshua . God told Joshua, “Arise, go over this Jordan thou and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them…” This people would not be just passing through; they would take the land, divide the land among themselves and occupy it. Even though God promised to drive out the inhabitants before them, this way was something new to them. In Joshua 3: 4 the officers went though the host and told the people, “ye have not passed this way heretofore”.
Are you standing on the banks of Jordan hesitating to put your feet in the water. God wants to bring us victory, and defeat to the enemy. Enquire of the Lord; he is ready to help in time of trouble. Trust God. Are you ready to pass where you have never been before? In 1 Samuel 25:11 -When Abigail arose that morning, she did not know God would use her to save her household from destruction and the course of her life would change forever. Verse 39 -42 states how she became David’s wife. Just think, if she had not sprung into action, or just hesitated, or become too afraid, or asked God to use someone else, or just decided to ignore what she heard, things would have turned out much differently.
We all know the story of Ruth. What if Ruth had decided to return to Moab with Orpah to her people and to her gods, instead of choosing Naomi, her mother-in-law’s people, and the God of Israel? As the story progressed, Ruth met and married Boaz, a mighty man of wealth a kinsman of Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, and gave birth to Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. The story of Ruth does not end there. Her name is written in the book of the generations of Jesus Christ; read Matthew 1:5. We do not know what happened to Orpah, but Ruth chose the way she had not passed before.
God is calling his people into unity and into one accord. It’s time to destroy the enemy’s strongholds in our lives and nation. Remember Eph 6:11 tells us to “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. Verse 12 informs us that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”. This is our window of time. Pray, Pray, Pray. As the Apostle Paul states in Eph 6:10, “Finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might”. Let us unite in our effort to get the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Risen Savior, to the world! Let us do this, by having always the shield of faith and sword in hand, standing united in his love!
Frances Skinner
Frances Skinner
