This is what I call "kingdom expansion" in our lives – and the foundation of that is always the Word of God. Like Joshua, we are called to a specific purpose, which unfolds as the Word of God works its way into what we say, what we do and how we think. Way before the battle or the journey begins and even into the battle, we must reconfirm our foundation by reminding ourselves of God’s word to us: repeating it with our thoughts and our words, and living it in our actions.

God’s Word promises we will have plenty of opportunities to become distracted and disengaged, ultimately denying (and being denied) the very things God has promised us. But, we must maintain that sustaining Word of God on our lives, which becomes our expectation of what God is going to do, where we will be, what will take place.

There were three specific things that Joshua had to do in order to successfully take his people into the place to which God had called them. In approaching the New Year, the new challenges and the new opportunities, we can learn these specific things from Joshua’s life.

Plan
Joshua’s plan was one of courage and determined success predicated on the Word of the Lord to him. God had already instructed Joshua and he not only had a tactical, militaristic plan, but he also had a spiritual plan. This was God’s journey and would not be waged by the weapons and inventions of human reasoning and understanding.

As I face my New Year, I must have a plan and a determined purpose. I will not just exist through this year, but I will journey! I will walk out God’s will for my life. In the ways that I talk, think and act; it will be obvious and apparent that I am planning to go over my Jordan – my wilderness, a land of confusion and distraction – and into my Canaan – my Promised Land, a land where my dreams and promises come true.

Prepare
What will it take to cross into my Canaan? Is it just going to happen or is there something that I must do to in order to increase my capacity? Far too often, we assume that this stuff of God’s kingdom is just about miracles and unexpected – even supernatural – occurrences. But I’ve found that it’s far from that. Most of what we experience in the kingdom of God is a matter of our preparation and our expectancy and God’s response to it.

We have a responsibility to be on the front lines of bringing God’s will on this earth. It’s interesting to me that God told Joshua, “I will be with you.” In other words, you get out there and do what I have called you to do and I will be with you as you do it!

Where has God called you to make a difference? What promises and dreams do you have? Which scriptures have come alive to you, giving you a future and a hope? What will it take for you to get to where God has called you to be? And what commitment are you willing to make to get there? This is how we prepare, and make room for God to bring His blessings into our lives.