Thursday, 25 October 2018

Corporate Joshua

Joshua1:2 Moses My servant is dead; now then arise, and cross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the children of Israel.1:3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads I have given to you, as I promised Moses.1:6 Be strong and take courage, for you will cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give to them.1:7 Only be strong and very courageous, being certain to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Do not turn away from it to the right or to the left, that you may have success wherever you go.1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall muse upon it day and night so that you may be certain to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success. 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and take courage; do not be afraid or dismayed. For Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.
The good land of the old promised to the Israelites is the all-inclusive Christ today. God had promised the good land and also granted the good land to the people of Israel already, yet they need to fight against the former inhabitants of the good land, drive them away, divide the good land among themselves, and possesses it to enjoy the riches of the good land flowing with milk and honey. 

Satan, the enemy of God, has been doing his utmost to hinder the people of God from enjoying Christ as the all-inclusive One; he will do whatever he can to keep us from enjoying Christ as the good land. To this day, evil forces are veiling the all-inclusiveness of Christ from God's people. 

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing, in whom the god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:3-5

One of the foremost and notable veils is the subtle veil of religion. Besides, there are veils of philosophy, culture, natural life, the self, the flesh, the old man etc. Therefore, there is an exceeding great spiritual warfare in which we must engage; for these veils hinder the growth of the believes, and much more, hamper the building up of the organic Body of CChrist. Therefore, we need to be todays' Joshua and Caleb, fighting against and defeating the satanic forces so that we can gain more of Christ for the building uyp of the Body of Christ, for the fulfilment of God's eternal purpsoe.

The enjoyment of the all-inclusive Christ also needs our fighting for it, yet to fight, we cannot do it by ourselves, we must do it corporately as the Body of Christ. Joshua was merely the deputy authority God had ordained to literally fight for, conquer, and possess the good land. He did not do it by himself but as a corporate Joshua, with all the children of Israel. Today, the same principle holds. We must fight as a corporate Joshua to possess and enjoy the all-inclusive Christ, our Good Land.

In order to possess the good land and defeat the satanic forces, we need to be formed into a corporate Joshua. As the good land, Christ is ready to be taken and possess by us; however, there is a need for us to fight the battle to take Christ and possess as our good land. In one accord and in oneness, Joshua and the children of Israel stood together to fight to possess the good land. In fact, Israel had become a corporate Joshua, chosen, called, redeemed, saved, trained, prepared, and qualified by God, ready to go on with God as one to take the land of Canaan. Similarly, to gain the all-inclusive Christ, we need to be a corporate Joshua, fighting the battle, taking the land, and enjoying Christ as our inheritance. After being formed, constituted, disciplined, trained, and qualified, God's people had come to the plains of Moab, where they were waiting to enter into the good land, to take it, and to possess it. This formation of the children of Israel into an army for God typifies the New Testament believers' being built up into the organic Body of Christ to fight for the carrying out of His economy. As a result, God's army, a corporate Joshua, was prepared and ready to take the good land under the blessing of God.

This burden was released in the last Pillars Training held for the saints in the churches in NCR. The Lord's speaking impressed me so deeply with the burden He has released for the churches. For my Christian life and for the church life to enjoy the all-inclusive Christ I need to fight a spiritual battle with the saints as the Body of Christ as a corporate Joshua. This is the timely need in the ongoing spiritual warfare.  
Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, for our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Ephesians 6:10-12

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