Israel’s Promised Land speaks to us of our Kingdom inheritance. The journey they travelled was like ours, from slavery to sonship.
Coming out of Egypt’s bondage is a picture of our salvation.
Crossing the Red Sea is a picture of our baptism in water.
The pillar of cloud and fire is a picture of the baptism in the Holy Spirit (most of us have received that baptism in cloud: perhaps not so much in fire – though that is coming, if you have not encountered it already).
The wilderness: testing, preparation, transformation.
Finally, in crossing the Jordan they were embracing their destiny. But they could have done so a generation earlier:
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us” (Num 13:30-31).
Because of a spirit of slavery, an orphan spirit, a whole generation did not believe and so failed to inherit – except for two: Joshua and Caleb. God calls us to be like those two. The Joshua generation were forerunners who had spied out the land – experienced it for themselves – and who were ready to lead and equip the next generation to possess [to inherit by seizing, dispossessing and becoming heirs of] the land of promise.
We have the capacity to live and operate in dual realms, and our inheritance is both spiritual (supernatural, heavenly) and physical (natural, earthly). Our inheritance is to bring God’s kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. It is to fulfil Adam’s mandate to rule in the spirit realm and so exercise influence in the natural realm. It is to see God’s glory fill the earth.
Characteristics of the Joshua generation
A generation ago, Bob Jones prophesied a billionfold harvest. I believe those billion are the labourers who will bring in an even greater harvest in the supernatural dimensions of the kingdom. Some time ago we looked at the characteristics of the Joshua Generation, who received their own inheritance and enabled others to do the same. In coming posts I want to revisit and expand upon some of those characteristics, and see how we can learn from them in our day.
1. The Joshua generation will be victorious warriors, dependent on God for supernatural victory
The very first mention of Joshua is as a warrior.
Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill (Exodus 17:8-10).
We understand that mountains and hills represent places of authority. This was where Moses went to stand, with the staff of God in his hand.
The staff of God
When he met God at the burning bush, Moses had a staff which God commanded him to throw down onto the ground. As you will remember, it became a serpent and then, when Moses picked it up by the tail, became a staff again. And God told him,
You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs (Exodus 4:17).
Moses’ staff represented his natural earthly identity as a shepherd. It represented his own natural abilities (the phrase ‘by hook or by crook’ refers to the use of a shepherd’s staff). It represented his natural source of financial provision. All this he laid down.
When he picked it back up, it had become the staff of God. In taking it up, Moses took up his supernatural identity and abilities in God. And we can do the same.
So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11).
It was God’s supernatural authority that was being lifted up, bringing heaven to earth and causing God’s people to be victorious.
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; and he said, “The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:13-16).
Inheritance robbers
Amalek were descended from Esau. They had lost their inheritance, and were trying to take it back. They represent those who would seek to rob us of our birthright and inheritance. In that sense, God still wants us to war against Amalek today.
This battle for inheritance will be in every generation, in each of our lives. Will we be robbed of our inheritance? Or will we fight and overcome in the power of God to receive it? We need to know (that is, to know by personal encounter and experience) the Name of God, Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our banner or victory. It is only in Him, in His power, in His authority, that victory comes.
What is robbing you of your inheritance today?
Is it your past – memories of sin, guilt, shame or condemnation?
Are there whispers in your head saying you are unworthy, or not good enough?
Maybe you don’t feel forgiven.
You may retain memories of past failure, disappointments, and disillusionment.
If you are haunted by your past, then God wants to meet with you to deal it today.
Are you holding on to a slavery mentality, feeling that you do not deserve an inheritance, perhaps because you have not earned it?
Do you know your new identity, or are you still acting out of what the world and your past say you are?
An orphan spirit can mean that you don’t feel loved, accepted, affirmed or approved of; that you don’t belong, don’t have a father, home or family.
It may be stubbornness and pride – still thinking you can do it your own way, refusing to admit you can’t do it in your own strength; angry with the world and with God, thinking you are owed something; having a big chip on your shoulder.
Such mindsets and behaviour patterns are strongholds in our thinking which, unless they are overcome, continually deprive and rob us of our inheritance, the freedom in Christ to live as sons of God.
Lay it down
Imagine you have a staff in your hands.
This staff represents your natural identity, your past, your natural abilities.
It represents anything you can think of, associated with your past,
which hinders you from receiving your inheritance.
Lay down that staff.
Lay down your past
Lay down your natural identity
Lay down your own natural abilities
Lay down your natural strength
Lay down your pride
Lay down your natural means of provision
Lay down your slavery mentality
Lay down your orphan spirit.
I want to encourage you to be serious about this. In your spirit, deal with those things which are blocking your inheritance. Lay them down.
As you lay them down,
Let your spirit receive the words God speaks to you.
If you have honestly chosen to lay down your past, symbolised by that staff, then God wants to speak into your spirit right now.
I declare that you are no longer a slave, an orphan or a victim
I declare that you are Mine and I am yours
I am your inheritance
And you are My inheritance.
I bless your spirit with the spirit of sonship and with the mindset of sonship
I bless you with a deep heart identity as My very own child
Securely loved in My family
My Spirit testifies with your spirit that you are My child
Receive your adoption into My family.
Let your spirit receive that spirit of adoption.
You are no longer going to be alone, an orphan, separate, rejected.
You are accepted.
Let your spirit receive that revelation.
Receive your forgiveness.
If you have felt unforgiven, that you cannot deal with the sin of the past,
Right now just receive your forgiveness from the Father.
Receive your cleansing from past sin, guilt and shame
Receive your righteousness
Receive your new name as a son [daughter] of God.
My Spirit testifies to your spirit that you are My children
Receive your acceptance and affirmation
Receive your adoption rights
Receive your birthright
Receive your blessing
Receive my love, joy and peace
Receive my supernatural authority and power of sonship
I call you My children.
You are my children and I call you to be displayed
As mature sons and daughters on the earth.
I call forth your spiritual identity as a son [daughter] of God
I call forth your eternal destiny to bring glory to Me
I call forth your divine purpose to restore creation back to its original purpose.
Take it up
As you picture the staff that you laid down,
Now take up the staff of God’s authority and power
For you to operate in the supernatural realms
Bringing heaven’s authority to earth.
As you take it up, you now have God’s authority as His children to do His works. You have authority to do what Jesus did, and greater. Take up the authority it gives you: to overcome all the blessing blockers and blessing robbers in your life, and to help overcome them in other people’s lives; to manifest heaven on earth.
Begin to exercise your authority as His children.