In the conquest of Canaan, under the leadership of Joshua, we find a similarity between the attitude toward purity that was required of the Israelites then, and of those who seek to walk with God now.
This account in Joshua shows us that God does not allow a tolerant coexistence with corruption:
Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time.
Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle.
For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Joshua 11:18-20.
The nations were allowed to come against Joshua to make it possible for their entire corrupt way of living to be destroyed.
As you strive to walk in purity, you will continually face not cooperating with their ways.
Even if you make an effort to be open to them, they will become offended by your dedication.
The second chapter of Joel tells us how the army of the Lord is raised up like a plague to devastate the impurities of God's people.
The army of the Lord do not break ranks nor thrust one another through, but they leave an impact upon their Christian brethren everywhere.
They are effective in reaching even those who have rejected the truths that God is bringing forth today.
The emphasis that is given to the Lordship of Jesus Christ by those who walk with God is a continual rebuke to those who drift from the course.
Because of this pressure, many Christians have become more oriented toward the divine order for the Church which is found in the Scriptures.
Believers who walk with God are an influence for righteousness even those who are hostile toward them.
Religious systems are not scriptural.
They are not based on divine order; therefore, God will destroy these systems as He allows the people within them to come against those who are walking in divine order.
Believers who contend for the purity of the New Testament divine order today are in a position similar to that of the apostle Paul when he was shipwrecked on the island of Malta during his journey to Rome.
Paul was told by an angel that the ship would be destroyed, but no one aboard would be lost ( Acts 27:22-26 ).
In the coming storms of tribulation in this end-time, the structure of denominationalism also will be destroyed.
All that will be left will be God's people floating to safety on bits of wreckage.
As soon as Paul and his companions landed, the islanders built them a fire because of the rain and the cold.
When Paul gathered some sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper bit him; yet he suffered no harm.
Then all the sick of the island were brought to him and were healed ( Acts 28:1-9 ).
God is bringing the storm that will destroy the church structure of denominationalism, in order that pure divine order can be established.
Miracles and signs and wonders will bring release and deliverance.
This is what we must content for.
God will allow persecutions and criticism to come against the divine order that He is establishing; however, the people within it must have the courage to face it and remain pure and clean and concerned only with doing what is right.
During times of growth and immaturity, God has winked at certain situations; but He will not do so now.
The pressures are greater now then at previous times.
Today you will be destroyed by the immaturity that God allowed yesterday.
Open your heart to the growing demands of God for maturity and for righteousness in your walk with God.
Do not become legalistic and harsh in your judgments; nevertheless follow the course of discipline that God sets before you.
God desires to make you into a pure vessel.
Purge yourself from all defilement so that you may be a vessel of honor, sanctified, meet for the Master's use, prepared for every good work ( II Timothy 2:21 ).
God can pour any blessing through you if you are a sanctified vessel, prepared by God for His purpose.
After Joshua had conquered Canaan, according to the commandment of the Lord to Moses, God reminded Joshua of the land that was to be divided and occupied.
Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the Lord said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed."
Joshua 13:1.
The land that remains to be possessed always becomes the issue of the day.
It is easy to sit back and be satisfied with what you have done, even though there still remains much land to be possessed.
That is the time to draw close to the Lord, not only to walk with Him, but by the grace of God to merge into His very heart.
Become so inseparable with Him that you will not only hear what He says and do it, but it will be written on your heart.
You will perform it because of your oneness with Him.
Ask God to show you the vision, not for a man-made program, but for an outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, such as the world has never seen, to come down upon the hearts of men.
In the eighteenth chapter of Joshua, we read that all the children of Israel assembled at Shiloh, where the Tabernacle, the tent of meeting, had been permanently pitched.
Seven tribes were then told to follow a certain exercise which would give them the division of their inheritance.
They were to walk through the land which they were soon to possess and describe it in exact detail.
The Lord gave them guidance as to which direction each tribe would go and what portion of land each tribe would possess.
The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The country was brought under their control, but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.
So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?
Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me.
Joshua 18:1-4.
As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it.
Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord.” So the men left and went through the land.
They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.
Joshua 18:8-10.
Let this Word be prophetic of your experience today.
With an exactness in your spirit, walk through the land and describe your spiritual inheritance that you have not yet attained.
Although you may have attained it by promise and by commission, you must place your foot on the ground in order to possess the promises of God to their fullest extent.
It is strictly a matter of time, or is it perhaps a need for repentance on your part when God sets great promises before you, yet you do not press in to possess them?
Should there not be a driving sense of frustration and a deep repentance that your faith has not effectively possessed more?
Should you not be deeply disturbed within, knowing how little you have possessed of what God has called you to be and what He has promised in mighty provision for you?
Surely there is a way to reach in with all of your heart and break through to one level of victory after another.
We are told that the Israelites described the land as they walked through it.
According to this account, and also with regard to other scriptures, we see that there must be an exact naming of the promise to be claimed.
Asking the Lord to send a blessing is too general; be specific.
Your understanding of the full extent of your possession will never increase until you actually invade the land step by step.
For this reason, the sons of Israel were commanded to walk through the land so that they would understand more about it.
They were to write their descriptions in a book.
Wherever the soles of their feet trod was the land that God had given to them, and they were claiming it.
Joshua cast lots, not to see if they were going to have the land, but to see how it was to be divided among the brethren.
This was all that remained to be done.
They knew that they would possess the land; but they also had to know in exact detail every step they were to take.
Be exact in your understanding.
Expect to know more in the days to come than you know right now.
Be careful to walk in the light that you receive, for to him who has, shall more be given. ( Matthew 13:12 ).
Take a step in God, and you will receive enough light than is necessary to see one or two steps ahead of you.
Occasionally, He will shine light on the peak toward which you are climbing.
You see it from a distance and know what it will be like, but you do not know the steps in-between.
You see only the first step to be taken.
Complete revelation is rarely given at the outset.
God leads you by a pillar of fire in a few steps.
You rejoice, and than you see the next steps to take.
This is the way to walk with the Lord.
Do not be frustrated.
The heart wants to follow a well-defined blueprint; but you must still walk by faith.
No matter how many promises you may have received concerning God's will for your life, you will receive only enough light to take a step or two.
The overall picture of your place in God will open up as you press into it.
If you have received light on your path and you have taken a step, there will be light on the next step.
If you are dedicated and you wait before god, soon He will have you walking so fast that you will be running.
In all of this your heart will be revealed.
While the children of Israel were held in slavery, their one focus was their determination to get out of Egypt.
That was all they could think about.
Then the Lord led them to camp between two mountains, with the Red Sea before them and the Egyptians pursuing them.
Some deliverance!
Their situation appeared to be worse than the one from which they had been delivered.
They were certain that the Egyptians would kill them.
While they were in Egypt, the Egyptians beat them and forced them to work, but at least they were alive.
Now what were they going to do?
Moses spoke to them," Fear not. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord."
Then the Lord told Moses, "Why cry to Me?
Tell the people to go forward" ( Exodus 14:1-15).
Whenever you take a step in God, your situation always appears to be worse than the one you were in before.
Regardless, take faith and be willing to take a step.
If God wants to move you or if He wants you to change, agree to it in your heart.
Even though you do not know how it will work out, take a step.
Whatever has been confirmed to be God's will for you, submit to the Lord and determine to move with Him.
Soon you will have all sorts of problems.
Usually the Lord tells you to stand still before He tells you to move.
It is during the times when He tells you to stand still that you see the salvation of the Lord.
This comes after you have taken that first step.
After you have taken a step, it seems as if God is late for His people.
Genesis 15:9-11 gives an account of the time when the Lord told Abraham to bring Him an offering.
Abraham prepared the animals and then waited for God to bring the fire.
No fire came.
Only the buzzards swooped down on the carcasses while Abraham fought them off, wondering, "Where is God?"
Not until it was dark did God speak to him and bring fire upon the offering.
Rush in to do the will of God, and then let the Lord temper your spirit.
He may let you wait for a little while.
Meanwhile, stand still without complaining, and tell the Lord that you are happy to be His servant.
Be ready to move, be ready to go ahead, and be ready to submit.
There remains yet much land to be possessed.
By faith walk through the land and describe it.
Encourage one another.
Prophesy away the last vestiges of reluctance toward doing the will of the Lord, the last feelings of a desire for security.
Be ready for God to send you anywhere, not just to your favorite place.
He may send the best of His servants to the most difficult places.
How else will the nations be reached and break open to what God wants?
Do you want an easy time, or do you want to see the Kingdom come?
In order to see His Kingdom come, there can be no ease in Zion.
Walk together humbly, following the principle of the Levite.
When the tithes were brought in, not one Levite was left out; one did not receive too much and not another too little.
There must be none who are arrogant in consuming the resources of God for themselves.
Do not be entangled with the affairs of this life, nor carry too heavy a load, lest you fall beneath it.
Eliminate everything that would be a stumbling block to your moving forward in the Lord.
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