OPPOSITE DIRECTION< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

JONAH 1

When the word of God came to Jonah, it was with a direction for him to arise and go to < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Nineveh. Nineveh had turned onto great wickedness and God in His goodness and mercy, wanted to use Jonah in ministering salvation to Nineveh. The Bible recorded in Jonah 1:3, ÒBut Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.Ó Tarshish was in the opposite direction from Nineveh, JonahÕs move was in the opposite direction to GodÕs command. Jonah got the command from God and he decided to move outside of GodÕs command by responding to the dictates of his heart. In his act of disobedience, he positioned himself for great disaster. JonahÕs decision was not only a threat to him but it was dangerous to all the people around him.  Jonah 1:4, ÒBut the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.Ó JonahÕs decision to go in the opposite direction brought a storm when there was no storm. Are you experiencing any form of sudden storm in your company or on your ground? Could it be that you have taken an opposite direction in your response to GodÕs calling? It could also be evidence that a Jonah has entered your ground. Taking the opposite direction away from the word of God is not always the right way for a believer. It does not matter how long you have been getting away by taking the opposite direction but it matters where it will take you to when a storm rages without a warning signal. Ask God for His mercy in all of your decisions today.

DONE DEAL< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Joshua 6

When God says it is done, it becomes a done deal. The children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel, after years and years of journey to their promise land, the King of Jericho was not enough to deny or upset GodÕs plan. They were set to enter, but the King of Jericho was determined to deny them. Here is the plan of the king of Jericho in Joshua 6:1, ÒNow Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.Ó Man can shut you out from where God is taking you, but the key to every door is in the hand of God that made everything under heaven. They have put up schemes to eliminate you from where God is taking you by shutting all doors on you. Also, they have opened you up for failure so there will be reason for you to lose your position. All you need to do is to hear from God as you read through your Bible daily. You will hear it that God is not just in control but an absolute control. Do you believe that God can see you through? If you believe, what are you hearing in the Word of God? Whatever you are hearing or heard in His Word is what you need to begin to see. What you hear determines what you receive and whatever you receive will determine what you become. God intervened in JerichoÕs bold attempt to deny the children of Israel. God spoke His word to Joshua the leader of the children of Israel in Joshua 6:2, ÒAnd the LORD said to Joshua: ÒSee! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.Ó God commanded Joshua to see the victory in place before it was there in the physical. Knowing the promises of God that says, He will never leave nor forsake His people, begin to see your victory from today and it will be in place for you in Jesus Name. Joshua saw and it became a done deal.

MIRY CLAY< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Psalm 40

To be in miry clay is to be in a disadvantage or difficult ground. It can also be a slippery ground or a ground of stagnation where motion can be hindered. The Psalmist called this kind of ground a horrible pit because he had been on that ground before. On a ground where there is none to hold onto is a ground to look up to the hand of the Lord God Almighty.  On a ground where it is wet and slippery is a ground to wait on God and be awake in watching. When a believer waits on God by being awake, it will be a gain from being slipped. There is nothing new under heaven. As believers in the early days faced challenges, believers in these days are not immune to challenges. Challenges are not necessarily an indication of absence from God; it can be a test for promotion in the calling of God for GodÕs assignment. As a believer that is dragging in motion or that is experiencing stagnation because of the miry clay you can always turn to the Word of God. Is there any disadvantage or difficult challenges in any area of life? This is what the Psalmist has to say in    Psalm 40:1-2, ÒI waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon rock and established my steps.Ó Just as it written, wait and you will soon start singing a new song that people around you will see it and they will fear and trust God.

KNOWLEDGE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Joshua 3: 9-17

It is written in Hosea 3:6 that the people of God are destroyed because they lack knowledge. Isaiah < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>5:13 also mentioned that lack of knowledge sent the people of God into captivity. Knowledge has its source in hearing and understanding the Word of God. It is impossible to hear God and doubt Him or fail concerning what is heard from Him. Without understanding, there will be no knowledge and without hearing, there will be no understanding. As a result, what you are hearing constantly and consistently will determine how you get over forces of destruction and it will get your escape from captivity. The Word of God is true and when a believer is true in his or her walk in the Word of God then the Word will work. What are you constantly hearing? After the journey of about forty years, having heard so many times from God through Moses, the children of Israel had to continue to hear so as to be able to continue in their journey. At the point of crossing the Jordan River, God gave Joshua directions that the children of Israel had a need to hear. Joshua called them in Joshua 3:9, ÒSo Joshua said to the children of Israel, ÒCome here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.Ó  In the following verse he pointed out to them that it is what they heard that will give them the knowledge of what God was about to do. Joshua 3:10, ÒAnd Joshua said, ÒBy this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites.Ó Begin to spend more time in the Word of God. Make hearing from Him your music day and night. 

SET OUT< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

Joshua 3:1-8

Long before the children of < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>Israel went to bondage in Egypt, God had set His plan for them to get to the promise land. God has in plan what He will do with our life. He has set every plan up and we will only get to His set-up plans when we are obedient to being sent out. God made His plans of how the children of Israel would cross the Jordan into their Promise Land known to Joshua. It was a detailed plan that requested a participation of the children of Israel before it could be achieved. God is still in the business of laying out detail plans for the move of His children that will comply with His plan and not complain. After Joshua had received the command of motion, this is what the children of Israel did under the direction of Joshua: Joshua 3:1, ÒThen Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.Ó JoshuaÕs rising early as the leader was a demonstration of immediate obedience to GodÕs word. He made them set out to deny a set back from getting to the Promised Land. So many blessings are in place for children of the Most High God, but the blessings will require setting out rather than settling for convenience. Are you satisfied with where you are than where He wants to take you? Do not let your past failure or present struggle communicate stagnation, let the living Word of God take you to the next ground in your journey of life. Today, in the name of Jesus, rise and set out for where He is taking you.