Never Been this Way Before...

It's the start of the New Year - new beginnings, new opportunities, new possibilities - so much to look forward to and expect! However, it is a year we have not walked before and if we are honest, we possibly have questions of how the year will turn out, some of us may have fear, trepidation, anxiety of how to conquer the challenges ahead of us and wonder how the road not traveled before is going to turn out.

Joshua was in a similar position - He had to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. 
Joshua 3:1-4 
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittimand went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

So how did Joshua go about going through a road he had never been before? The Bible records three things that Joshua specifically did and these can serve as guideposts in our own journey as we traverse through unknown territories and conquer new challenges and live victoriously this year!
Joshua 3: 5-8
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing thongs among you."
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the Lord said to Joahua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: When you read the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' "

The first thing that Joshua told his people to do was to sanctify themselves. To sanctify means to dedicate oneself to a higher purpose, to be set apart. We can live for a lower purpose of grasping at everything that comes our way in terms of entertaining and gratifying ourselves and living for the moment versus making a conscious decision that our lives this year will be consecrated to Him. How can we sanctify ourselves this year to be used by God in the way we think and act, what we do with our time, resources and the way we honor God and people? We can consecrate ourselves by choosing to walk by the Spirit and not giving in and gratifying the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)

The second thing that Joshua did was to take up the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the covenant was special to the Israelites as it signified God's presence with them. In it were the Ten Commandments, a golden pot of manna and Aaron's staff that sprouted buds, blossoms and ripe almonds supernaturally. Each of these objects have a spiritual significance that we can apply in our own lives.
The Ten Commandments serve as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. For us, we have a covenant relationship with Christ - He has redeemed us and written his truth in our hearts and sealed us with His Holy Spirit! How should we then live in a way that gives preeminence to Christ in all that we do?
The pot of manna serves as a reminder that ultimately God alone is our provider and supplier of our needs. Christ is the Bread of Life. Do we recognise that our source is God and that we will never run out of His provision for us and He will supply all our needs? So we can put our trust in Him and we don't need to put our trust on a job or business or a person or even our own feelings and perceptions. We can stand on the promises of our God and depend on Him alone!
Aaron's staff supernaturally produced buds, blossoms and ripened almonds overnight! This was given as a sign to the Israelites after they rebelled and grumbled against Aaron and Moses' authority. Do we grumble about our circumstances when things don't go the way we envision? Let's take encouragement that we serve a God who is far bigger and stronger than any circumstance that we will face this year.

The third thing that Joshua did was to go to the waters of Jordan and take a step and stand in the river! When Joshua did that, the waters parted!
Joshua 3: 15-16
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 
Sometimes, we just sit back and expect God to part the waters and do a miracle for us! He will but often we have to take a step of faith and get our feet wet! What are the steps of faith that God is asking you to take this year?

Joshua followed the above principles and he helped the Israelites cross over into the Promised Land and overcome even more challenges to possess the land! He had never been this way before but giving preeminence to God through sanctification, depending on God as his source and not grumbling or complaining along the way and by actually outworking his faith, Joshua was successful in traversing and conquering the lands he had never been before. And just like Joshua, you too can this year!