The God of Layers

Lesson 3

Thanks for sticking with me on this teaching series of Traveling Through Space and Time. I know it is a lot to wrap our minds around, but I hope that when I’m done, we will all be able to see the importance of this concept. When God takes the time to expand a concept in Scripture, I think it is in our best interest to explore it as fully as we can. Remember, what God reveals belongs to us and our children forever! So let’s go exploring!

One day, while reading the book of Joshua, I discovered that TWO of my favorite topics were coming together in a way that just about made my head explode! As you can guess by now, soul healing is an obsession of mine. It’s good to be obsessed by the things God is doing, right? So, as usual, I was studying how to do that. The Word of God AMAZES me! Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) tells us “…the word of God is living and powerful, it is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” which tells me that, when we receive the word into our soul, it enables us to separate the spirit from the soul, dispels confusion, and helps us discern what is going on inside our heart. It shows us why we are thinking and acting certain ways, and it clarifies what is going on in our soul, which brings things into the light.

When clarity comes, then we are able to understand there are unhealed areas in our soul. This is good news! If we know there is a wound, then we have a target for healing. Think about diseases like diabetes and leprosy. The reason people lose limbs so easily is because they are not aware of the wounds they have. Their pain receptors do not work, so they no longer feel the pain of an injury. This allows infection to set in unchecked. Pain is God’s way of saying, “Hey, pay attention, you are injured and I want to heal you!”

We all know I have been wounded in my soul! Now I am quick to bring all that pain to Jesus and I don’t despise the pain of an old soul wound like I used to. I look at it as an opportunity for healing. So, when God showed me Joshua 3, I felt like I’d hit pay dirt! If you haven’t read it recently please do that. There are entire passages in the Bible that bring powerful soul healing encounters, and this is one of them. I put it on repeat and meditate to it frequently. So let’s recap. The Israelites had just spent 40 years going in a big circle in the desert after God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They are finally allowed to enter the land God had promised them, and they have to cross the Jordan River to do so. This is no small obstacle! I love God’s style. He waits until the Jordan is in full flood stage, and then tells the people to get ready to go across. Man, I would have liked to be a fly on the wall in Joshua’s tent that day!

A million plus people, all their stuff, animals, tents, everything they owned had to cross the Jordan at flood stage. There were no bridges, no boats, nothing. God had to show up, and they had to trust Him. Many of the people crossing the Jordan River that day, were not the same people who had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea with Moses. These were the descendants of those people. Future generations. This is part of what got my attention, any time I see generational things happening, I take note. Plus this miracle, and it had to be a miracle¸ was going to be along the same lines as the parting of the Red Sea! I’ve noticed that God seems to do things in layers. Even on the surface this story is impressive, but when we dig a little deeper, it gets really interesting! There is so much more to this than just a bunch of people crossing a river. I have to stop here; because of time and space…but next week we are going to get across the Jordan. I promise. Katie