Joshua 3

Step in before you see it

“And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, will rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they will stand as a heap.” ~ Joshua 3:13

There comes a moment in everyone’s walk with God where He will ask His people to move before you see anything change in our circumstances. It is that place where everything in the natural is telling you to wait, but deep in your spirit you know He is saying go. Today’s scripture reading captures that picture so clearly. The river was at flood stage, completely impossible to cross on their own, but God didn’t part the waters first. He asked them to step in to see the miracle happen.

That is often how He works in our lives. As children of God, we want clarity before we move, confirmation before we obey, and evidence before we act. But our heavenly Father calls us into a deeper place of trust, the kind that moves because He said so, not because we can see the outcome.

Here are three points that will help you remember that breakthrough usually begins with a step, not a sign:

1.God’s direction will often require you to move before you see the miracle

The priests had to carry the ark and physically step into the Jordan before anything changed. The water didn’t part while they were standing safely on the shore. It moved when they obeyed and took the next step.

Many times this will look like taking a step when you don’t feel fully ready. Maybe God has been prompting you to start something, have a conversation, or make a change, but you have been waiting until you feel more certain. Obedience in this season might be sending that message, making that call, or saying yes to something even when you can’t see how it will all work out. When you move, God meets you there.

2.Staying close to His presence will keep you on the right path

The people of Israel were told to follow the ark, which represented the presence of God. They were not responsible for figuring everything out, they were responsible for staying close and following God’s instructions.

You don’t have to have every detail figured out. Your focus is not having the perfect plan, it is staying connected to Him and following the plan step by faith step. In your everyday life, this will look like starting your day with Him, getting into His Word, and paying attention to those gentle promptings throughout the day. When decisions come up, instead of rushing, you pause and ask, Lord, what are You leading me to do here. His presence will guide you.

3.Preparation positions you for what God is about to do

Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves because God was about to do wonders among them. There was preparation for the people. This was their part of the plan to complete before the miracle came.

Preparation starts with creating space for God in your life, stepping away from distractions, being intentional with your time with Him and surrendering things that have been holding you back. Maybe you have been feeling overwhelmed or disconnected. Even setting aside fifteen minutes to sit with Him, read scripture, and listen to the Holy Spirit inside you can shift your heart into a place where you are ready for what He wants to do through your life next.

There have been many time in my life when I felt like I was standing right at my own Jordan River. I knew God was leading me into something new, but I could not see how it was all going to come together. Everything in me wanted to wait until I had more clarity. But I had been praying, and I knew what He was asking me to do. So I made the decision to move forward based on what He had already spoken to my heart. It was not a big dramatic step, it was simple obedience, and honestly it felt uncomfortable. But as I moved, I started to see things shift. Doors began to open, direction became clearer, and what once felt uncertain started to make sense. Not because I had it all figured out, but because I trusted Him enough to step in.

Today I want to encourage you to stop waiting for everything to make sense before you move. If God has been speaking to your heart, even in a quiet way, that is your invitation. Your obedience is not the end, it is the beginning of what He wants to do next. Just like in Joshua 3, the moment your feet step into what He has asked, He begins to make a way for His grace and goodness to show up.

Today’s scripture reading: Joshua 3

1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. 

2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 

3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 

4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 

6 Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.”

So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 

8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ”

9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 

10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: 

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. 

12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.”

14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 

15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 

16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 

17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

Journal:

• What is one area where I know God is prompting me to take a step even though I cannot see the outcome?
• How can I stay more aware of His presence in my daily decisions?
• What is one way I can prepare my heart for what God wants to do next?