Where Is The Joshua Generation?

I have been reading a book over the last several weeks by Mark Hanby entitled "You Have Not Many Fathers". It was printed in 1996, but is still a very now word on the need for the Body of Christ to move away from the employee/employer team/coach model of ministry back to Father/Son relationships. Everything we have from God is based on son ship!

As I was reading today, my mind began to reflect back to the late 80's/early 90's when there was a flurry of messages and songs written about the Joshua Generation. With fifteen years now past the question today is "where is the Joshua Generation?"

The first thing I notice about Joshua's generation is they desired to move forward. They were a generation of faith and passion. Caleb and Joshua refused to give in to the spirit of unbelief prevalent with their own peers and came back from spying out the land with a good report. And because of that, they were the only two able to experience the reality of the land flowing with milk and honey!

Second thing I notice is they were a circumcised generation. Not just in the flesh, but in the Spirit also. Jeremiah commands us to "Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench [it], because of the evil of your doings. (Jer. 4:4)

Also the book of Joshua states the children of Israel who were not circumcised in the wilderness were circumcised when they crossed the Jordan before they fully entered their destiny (Josh. 5:1-7) This tells us if we are going to completely fulfill our destiny, there must be a cutting away of the flesh, a destroying of the domination of the flesh in order for us to complete our assignment from our Father.

This is where it gets serious. Are we willing to allow God to cut away everything that hinders our maturity…and grow up into Him that is the fullness of the Godhead bodily? Are we really willing to lose it all to find Him? Are we truly willing to take up our cross and completely follow Him?

If we do, it may mean we may not become rich! If we truly follow Him, our denomination boards may not accept us! If we really follow Him, people may reject us, call us fanatics, or even try to have us locked up! Some may even lose the churches they have tried so hard to build up, due to the fact that people can't take their passion for Christ!

I want to live more than a song! I want to be that generation that lives the reality of the promises of God! I don't want to sing about the coming moves of God; I want to be the instrument the move comes through!

Move over Joshua!