HOW TO GET TO CANAAN

Joshua 3:5-17

March 19, 2006

Pastor William Underwood

God's will for all of His people is for them to enter into the land that He has promised them. That land is NOT Heaven, but it is a life of victory over sin in this life. It is called the "Deeper Life" of "Sanctification". It is a life of conflicts and conquests. God has promised it to us but we must possess it for ourselves. The Book of Joshua gives us this experience in type or picture form and Ephesians gives it to us in theological form. There are THREE things that Israel had to do to enter the Land of Promise----- 1-Prepare; 2-Pass Through; and 3-Be Purified. Now let us see how these three things apply to our Christian experience today.

I - THE PREPARATION - getting TO the River (chs. 1-2)
A -Inward preparation - Faith in principle - (ch. 1)
1-Divine blessings are promised
a-The Land is a sphere of life - God's gift to His people vv, 2-4
b-VICTORY over all enemies - vv. 5, 8
c-FELLOWSHIP with God - vs. 9 All the way!.
B -Outward preparation - Faith in practice - ch. 2
1-THREE things are necessary
a-Knowledge - spies sent out to learn
b-Obedience - vs. 23
c-Courage - vs. 24

II - THE PASSAGE - going THROUGH the River chs 3-4
A -The MEANING of the River - present experience.
B -The DISTINCTION between Red Sea and Jordan
1-The ORDER - First the SEA, then the RIVER - the order remains the same in the Christian life.
2-The MEANING---
a-The SEA was a separation from the life of bondage.
b-The RIVER was dedication to a life of blessing
c-The first was FROM something; the second was TO something.
d-The Sea was an Exit; The River an Entrance
C -THE TEACHING
1-We must have a Red Sea experience BEFORE we can have a Jordan experience.
2-Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."
3-Romans 6:11 "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus"
4-The Ark (Christ) was to go FIRST and the LAST to come out of the River 3:17 and 4:11
5-12 stone were placed IN the River and 12 on the west bank as memorials (death and resurrection).
6-Colossians 3:3 "You died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God"
7- The Sea is God's judgment on SIN; the River is God's judgment on SELF.

III -THE PURIFICATION - after the River 5:1-12
A -The CIRCUMCISION of the new generation 5:1-5
1-Gilgal means, "The rolling away of reproach"
2-Read - Colossians 3:5-10 - "render impotent".
B -The OLD FEAST and NEW FOOD - 5:10-12
1-They kept the Passover after 38 years (spiritual renewal)
2-The Manna ceased and they ate the corn of the land
a-Manna came DOWN; corn came UP
b-Christ in TWO aspects: incarnation and resurrection
c- Read Galatians 2:20 Christ is now our life!

Jesus made this promise in John 10:10 , "I have come that they may have life and have it to; the full." Do you have this abundant life? If you want this life, just follow the order that Israel followed to reach God's promise to them.