The blessings of the fear of God
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
SUMMARY: The book of Joshua symbolizes the conquest and advancement of God's people towards his promises. A new generation of Christians must rise up and be consecrated to fulfill what the previous generation failed to do. Sin is like Jericho blocking the way, but when the church walks in the fear of God, he conquers for us. We need to renew our minds, spirits, and bodies and consecrate ourselves to God's will. In the fear of God, we will be blessed and achieve victory.
We are at the gates of a Jericho that prevents us from going to the place where God wants us to arrive. But we are already at the gates of the promised land. We only need an act of faith and spiritual consecration to advance and begin the conquest. A new generation of men and women willing to erase the infidelity of the previous generation who died in the desert and would not see the land of promise. Nomadic life in the desert ended, manna ceased. We get home, we can settle down and eat now from the fruits of the land that flows "milk and honey", but it still requires commitment. God's blessings will come with consecration and your reverent fear. The conquest will be real, if we trust that it is their battle, not ours. His will, not ours, his weapons, not ours.
The symbolism of the book of Joshua is amazing to God's people. God wants to move us forward. He has given us the most valuable resources for all types of conquest: his Spirit, his Word ... his Son. We forget it often. We must renew what corresponds to us in God's covenant, be faithful because he has promised not to abandon us under any circumstances. We have to circumcise the heart as many times as necessary, throw into the fire what makes us inconsistent, fluctuating, lukewarm, carnal and celebrate from time to time the Easter that reminds us that we were once slaves of sin and that he took us out of the garbage of human miseries. Let's honor the Lamb. Sin is like Jericho. It stands in the way of the Lord of the church. When the church walks in the fear of God, he conquers for us.
A new generation of Christians is rising up today in all parts of the world and wants to assume the role that a good part of the previous generation could not fulfill. Many were left on the road. For his lack of faith, for his infidelities, for his reluctance, for the scant fear of the Lord of history. God commands the circumcision of our inner man as a sign of consecration for his eternal purposes. Consecration that ratifies who we are by his grace, consecration to live according to his will and subjected to obedience.
Gone was the Jordan, the marvelous fact of the waters divided by God, but the victory will be certain if the covenant interrupted by sin is resumed and the people are consecrated circumcising in the flesh, as a symbol of spiritual healing, everything that does not glorify to God, everything that hinders his purposes. It is our own story. We need renewal: of the mind, of the spirit, of the body, so that we can see the Angel of the Lord as the leader of the army of the Most High, remove the dirty sandals from our feet and worship him (Joshua 5: 13–15). In the fear of God we will be blessed because he is the author of all our victories.
God bless your Word!
Suggested Reading: Joshua 5
The symbolism of the book of Joshua is amazing to God's people. God wants to move us forward. He has given us the most valuable resources for all types of conquest: his Spirit, his Word ... his Son. We forget it often. We must renew what corresponds to us in God's covenant, be faithful because he has promised not to abandon us under any circumstances. We have to circumcise the heart as many times as necessary, throw into the fire what makes us inconsistent, fluctuating, lukewarm, carnal and celebrate from time to time the Easter that reminds us that we were once slaves of sin and that he took us out of the garbage of human miseries. Let's honor the Lamb. Sin is like Jericho. It stands in the way of the Lord of the church. When the church walks in the fear of God, he conquers for us.
A new generation of Christians is rising up today in all parts of the world and wants to assume the role that a good part of the previous generation could not fulfill. Many were left on the road. For his lack of faith, for his infidelities, for his reluctance, for the scant fear of the Lord of history. God commands the circumcision of our inner man as a sign of consecration for his eternal purposes. Consecration that ratifies who we are by his grace, consecration to live according to his will and subjected to obedience.
Gone was the Jordan, the marvelous fact of the waters divided by God, but the victory will be certain if the covenant interrupted by sin is resumed and the people are consecrated circumcising in the flesh, as a symbol of spiritual healing, everything that does not glorify to God, everything that hinders his purposes. It is our own story. We need renewal: of the mind, of the spirit, of the body, so that we can see the Angel of the Lord as the leader of the army of the Most High, remove the dirty sandals from our feet and worship him (Joshua 5: 13–15). In the fear of God we will be blessed because he is the author of all our victories.
God bless your Word!
Suggested Reading: Joshua 5
