THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPLACING FOUNDATIONS
AND KINGDOM ENTRANCE
 

JANUARY 17, 2010 am
MF Blume



Joshua 4:1-3 KJV  And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,  (2)  Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,  (3)  And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.

Joshua 4:9 KJV  And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

Joshua 4:17-24 KJV  Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.  (18)  And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.  (19)  And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.  (20)  And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.  (21)  And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?  (22)  Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.  (23)  For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:  (24)  That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.


Entering Canaan is entering Kingdom living.
  • This morning we spoke about traditions that God saw in Ananias, Peter, Saul and Cornelius that had to be dealt with to save Saul and Cornelius.
  • We really enter KINGDOM realms when we get rid of traditions, for they are OUR ways and not God's ways.
  • Kingdom means JESUS is on the throne, not us.
  • HIS WAYS go, not ours.


The directions Joshua gave from God were important.
  • God spoke to Joshua about the stones.
A memorial – look at terms God used.


Joshua 4:7 KJV  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off BEFORE THE ARK of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

And when we read of the reaction of the news of this, notice what the kings heard.

Joshua 5:1 KJV  And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

God phrased it as the waters drying up before the ark (Josh 4:7).
  • But the enemy heard it dried up before Israel!
  • The church people come to a place where the enemy becomes afraid of them.
  • Something happens in our lives.

Kingdom entrance occurs when the devil knows us and is afraid of us.
  • The seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19 were nothing to the devil who asked them who they were.
  • But the enemy heard about and knew the people of Israel under Joshua.

“Joshua” is the Hebrew form of “JESUS”.
  • We can see a spiritual message about Jesus in this story.
  • Joshua  told Israel to remove 12 stones.
  • From the place where the feet of the priests stood firm.
  • This speaks of the things our lives were BASED UPON.
  • And they are things that MUST BE REMOVED.
  • They PROVE Jordan was miraculously breached.
We know that anyone saved from the world, represented by saved out of Egypt, has Jesus as their foundation.
  • But there are other lesser foundational elements we may have brought into our salvation from the world.
  • The Lord wants to deal with these.

When OUR BASES and the FOUNDATIONS of OUR WAYS are removed, they become known as a MEMORIAL that WE HAVE COME SOMEWHERE IN GOD.
  • They mark a position of PROGRESS in the spiritual realm for us.
  • When God can take OUR FOUNDATIONS away that WE like to stand upon, and can successfully replace them WITH HIS FOUNDATIONS, even people see how OUR WAYS have changed and they mark that.
  • The devil marks it, too.
  • And it is a memorial for all to see what God did.

After they removed stones, Joshua replaced stones in the Riverbed.
  • The people removed stones, but Joshua replaced stones.
  • ONLY AFTER WE REMOVE SOME THINGS FROM OUR LIVES, CAN JESUS REPLACE THEM WITH GOOD THINGS.
  • Jesus WAITS FOR US.
  • We need to do this ourselves because we must be willing, otherwise God making us do things we do not want to do will not do any of us any good.

Joshua represents JESUS.
  • When we allow JESUS to replace what we STAND UPON with what HE WANTS US TO STAND UPON, it PROVES we came into the “Land” and the KINGDOM.

The enemy THEN also becomes afraid of US.

The things we so enjoy by way of our traditions and peculiarities are things the devil knows are not God;'s ways.
  • But when the devil sees us let them go and willing remove them at the command of the Lord, and then Sees Jesus replace them with what HE WANTS us to stand upon, the enemy knows the things Jesus wants us to stand upon will make us powerful enemies against this devil.
  • The devil is afraid of that.

IT WAS AT THAT TIME, JOSHUA CIRCUMCISED THE MALES BORN IN THE WILDERNESS.

Joshua 5:2 KJV  At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

Two things occurred a second time.
  • Dividing of waters and circumcision.
  • The waters were first divided at the Red Sea and then again at Jordan.
  • Circumcision was said to occur a second time, and this time circumcision was rolling away the reproach of EGYPT.

Joshua 5:8-9 KJV  And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.  (9)  And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

Gilgal means ROLLING ROLLING.
  • It was named after the circumcision or rolling away of flesh.
  • The double note of ROLLING ROLLING speaks of two circumcisions.
  • Reproach of Egypt speaks of the carnality and mess we took from the world with us into the church.
  • It is all our carnality and bad works of the flesh.
  • For many generations, many believers were never made to be concerned over their fleshliness and carnality and hot tempers, etc..
  • These things must go if we want to enter KINGDOM LIVING.

The same day they crossed Jordan was the day they took a lamb 40 years ago.

Joshua 4:19 KJV  And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

Exodus 12:3 KJV  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

And they sacrificed the lamb on the fourteenth day. 

Exodus 12:6 KJV  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Joshua 5:10 KJV  And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

It is like THEY BECAME PASSOVERS finally, themselves.
  • Jesus died and at first in our salvation we only understand that.
  • But as time goes by we come to another level altogether where we are going to enter KINGDOM LIVING.
  • And this ENTRANCE sees us BECOME PASSOVERS OURSELVES.

We truly live as crucified with Jesus.
  • When we have all OUR ways and foundations and manners, we technically died with Christ and are positionally crucified.
  • But our behaviour may not be the best behaviour, although we are saved.
  • KINGDOM LIVING takes us from Christians whose behaviour may not be all that great, although we're still saved, to being Christians who really learn we died with Jesus, and LIVE LIKE HIM.

A man had to be circumcised to eat Passover.
  • That is the reason they were circumcised on the tenth day.
  • The same day they first TOOK A LAMB in Egypt is the day the males were circumcised in crossing into Canaan.

Exodus 12:48 KJV  And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

They crossed Jordan…
  • Took and replaced 12 Stones from the river….
  • Circumcised the males born in the wilderness…

…THE SAME DAY THEY TOOK A LAMB 40 YEARS BEFORE FOR PASSOVER.

Something must happen before we really receive Passover.
  • Before a memorial is set up in the LAND.
  • We are saved and thank God for it, but we have to come to maturity and a place of power with God where the enemy is afraid of us.
  • We go beyond just coming to church and actually LIVING a life of power and faith.
  • Jordan must divide.
  • Things we stood upon must be replaced.
  • We do one thing THEN Jesus does another – together.

We took the lamb at our salvation for forgiveness and new birth.
  • But we must later claim the Lamb the same way for a deeper purpose.
  • TAKE THINGS OUT OF OUR LIVES and LET JESUS PUT OTHERS IN.
  • JORDAN means DESCENDER.
  • YOU HUMBLE (descend) YOURSELF…
  • JESUS EXALTS (ascend) YOU.

Your ways are replaced, as you HUMBLE yourself.

Before They Crossed Jordan:

Deuteronomy 12:8-9 KJV  Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.  (9)  For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.

You can be saved from sin and be a Christian… (cross Red Sea).
  • But still do what is right in your own eyes.
  • You can still be too proud, self-focused.
  • DESCEND (Cross Jordan - Jordan literally means DESCENDER) and HUMBLE YOURSELF, and take out the things in your heart that are wrong.
  • So Jesus can put in LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING…. Fruit of the Spirit!
  • Circumcised from sin at Red Sea…
  • Circumcised from faults in our HEARTS at JORDAN – second circumcision.
  • The memorial would send a message to all who saw it.

Joshua 4:7 KJV  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

Similarly, when lifestyle foundations (stones our feet stand upon)  that are carnal and wrong are removed, there is something that will tell everyone we are God's children:

John 13:35 KJV  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.


Then Joshua sees an ANGEL OF THE LORD.

Joshua 5:13 KJV  And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

Angels of God were present to fight for Israel!
  • Angels were ready, but God's people had to be made ready.

Deuteronomy 12:8-9 KJV  Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.  (9)  For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.

Hebrews 4:9 KJV  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

And in speaking of a REST in Hebrews 4, we also read of a sword, as Joshua saw an angel with a sword in Canaan, the rest.

Hebrews 4:12 KJV  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The sword of the Word must slice into our hearts, and circumcise our hearts in the process.
  • When our hearts are circumcised, we will not do what is right in our own eyes, but follow after God's will and what is right in His eyes!
  • Circumcision of the heart removes things that are wrong  from our hearts
  • We will not defeat enemies when we have things in our own hearts, and when we have lack of love for each other.
  • But when we circumcise our hearts. WE WILL PUT FEAR IN THE ENEMY INSTEAD, as Israel did when they crossed Jordan.

  • 1 Peter 5:6 KJV  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:


    James 4:10 KJV  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

    Matthew 23:12 KJV  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

    We take bad FOUNDATION out, and he puts good FOUNDATION in – where our feet stand firm.


    Joshua 6:15 KJV  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

    Joshua 6:20 KJV  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

    Bad foundations in your heart hinder you from hearing FULL TRUTH, so you can become mighty in God.
    • When you are humble and remove those “stones”, you remove what hinders God in you.
    • And you can hear FULL (7) truth (trumpets).
    • Trumpets of ram’s horns – all TRUTH of Jesus’ sacrifice to empower you!

    Enter the REST – seventh day represented this REST in God’s POWER.
    • Stones in the JORDAN.
    • Like veil in temple that RENT when Jesus died, VEIL was Jesus FLESH.

    Hebrews 10:20 KJV  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

    OUR flesh is like a veil, also.
    • When we HUMBLE ourselves, and DIE TO SELF, the VEIL of flesh is rent.
    • And THEN OUT CAN COME THE BAD STONES from our hearts, and Jesus can put in better foundations!
    • We OPEN UP when we come to Jordan.
    • When we realize we must not do what is right in our OWN eyes, but what God wants instead, we OPEN OUR FLESH AND HEARTS.
    • And THIS EXPOSES THE BAD LIFESTYLE FOUNDATIONS depicted by the rocks that had to be removed.
    • So Jesus can replace them with proper FOOTING.
    • As the Jordan opened up and exposed the stones beneath their feet, our hearts open up at this stage of our progress, and reveal the things that must be removed.

    Ark depicts the REST… Seated with Christ.
    • With mercyseat on top.
    • Leads us INTO THAT REST.
    • They took the lamb 40 years before for blood of passover.
    • Now the ark is taken with blood on the mercyseat, to lead us into the rest!
    • But we have to do OUR PART and HUMBLE  OURSELVES.
    • Follow the Ark into the DESCENDER (Jordan).
    • Rend your hearts, and take out the things you stand upon that are wrong, to SHOW ALL THE WORLD THOSE THINGS ARE GONE AND YOU LOVE EACH OTHER!