Blessed Even Before You Possess

Joshua 5:12

And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Once the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land, they had a time of waiting before they took possession of the land. God rolled back the waters of the Jordan for them to cross over on dry land, just as He had done for Moses at the Red Sea. Once they were across, they took up stones out of the Jordan and built a memorial to remember how God had safely brought them through the waters. Then, God called for a circumcision – a cutting away of unnecessary flesh – as a sign they were set apart to Him. Once they had healed, they partook of the Passover from the crops of the land. At this point, the manna ceased.

The manna had been God’s provision for the Israelites in the wilderness. They were no longer in the wilderness. They had entered a new dimension – a new chapter or level of promise – that would establish God’s nation on earth. They still had strongholds to conquer and giants to overcome, but they had entered the land. They were not yet inhabiting the cities or taking possession of the blessings that God had promised them, but they were in the land and eating of its crops. There was no more need for manna.

You don’t have to conquer your strongholds and giants before God will begin to bless you. Once you enter the land God has promised you, He will begin to feed you and strengthen you from the produce of the land. We all have things to overcome before we can walk fully in the treasures God has laid up for us, but we should never think that we are exempt from God’s blessing until we overcome them. In truth, He overcomes them for us while we follow the leading of His Holy Spirit. He will strengthen us from the produce of the land as we yield to Him.

For us, the Passover is the cross. Once we surrender to Jesus, our salvation is secure in Him. We must then walk out our salvation and take possession of the land God has promised us, which is our ministry. If there is a place in your life where you feel inadequate, defeated, or just battle weary, take it to the cross and surrender it today. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit so you can clearly hear His voice. He will begin to bless you as you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and strengthen you for battle. He will give you clear instructions and victory over your strongholds as you do what He tells you to do. He has promised you the land, and He will equip you to take it.

Have a blessed day!