(June 25, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to be attracted, not distracted.

Joshua chapter one marks the beginning of a new season the freed Israelites. Following Moses’ death, Joshua was ordained his successor – but had he big shoes to fit!

One cannot imagine what must have gone through his mind, even though he had been mentored by Moses.

Although Israel’s great leader had ordained him to carry the leadership baton (Deuteronomy 34:9), God repeatedly reminded Joshua to be bold, strong, courageous (Joshua 1:6-7), that ‘As I was with Moses, so I will be with you’ (v5).

Embrace your 2023 ‘big shoes’! 
Today God is encouraging some of us into a new season of our lives. Yes, the old is good, and we must embrace whatever God’s new season, new ministry, may be.

I highlight some words from Joshua 1:2 – ‘Moses… is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them…’

What an attraction to Joshua and Israel! With Moses dead, the old had gone! The key word was now!’

So it is with you today! Now, not later, to take your ministry to the next level, to accept whatever new challenge God has ordained for you!

The question is – are you willing?

1) ‘Get ready’
Many times we hesitate to take the first move! Unless we see something concrete, we don’t want to make ‘next moves’ in everyday life, let alone ministry!

Dear friends, are you ready to be attracted to the next step forward, equipping yourself with faith and moving ahead into whatever God wishes of you? All you need is the promise of God (without it don’t even think of moving!). When  God has given you His word, don’t hesitate – make the move! Life is short, only what is done for God will last.

2) Cross ‘your Jordan’
(i) Jordan river – a seeming barrier!
But when God told Joshua it was time to get ready to cross this barrier, He directed that the priests go first carrying the ark, and added this encouragement: ‘As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall’ (Joshua 3:13). And it did!

(ii) Crossing such ‘rivers’ is not a one-time event!
Requiring the Israelites to cross Jordan at flood stage during harvest (v15) when its banks would be overflowing didn’t made sense! But Almighty God had an answer!

In following Christ, you’ll often have to walk in faith through certain situations, challenges, unknown paths: sometimes something not even making sense. God has a way through for us too!

(iii) When God gives a promise…
You need to start seeing through spiritual eyes, not your human eyes… which aren’t able to see very far! We’ll only see barriers – terrifying flood waters, waves rushing and hitting the shores – no way to cross ‘our challenging rivers.’

But… we see with our spiritual eyes, we’ll discover what God can do beyond our imagination!

(iv) Ephesians 3:20 (one of my favourite scriptures) –
‘Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.’

Imagination is quoted as one of God’s greatest gifts. Personally I see in this verse that when God challenges us in respect of serving Him, even that imagination is limitless, timeless, and endless!  

God says He is able to do even more… that’s the power of Jesus. If only you have faith and ask Him, He can do more than what you ask or imagine. 

(v) Just do it!
When God is asking you to do something, even though it makes no sense, just do it!
Job 5:9NLT confirms that ‘He does great things too marvellous to understand. He performs countless miracles.’

He is God who can do more than what we can ask or imagine!

4) ‘Into the land I’m about to give…’
Be attracted to whatever God wants to give us. Now is the time to go to ‘the land’ – place, calling, ministry God has promised. Don’t be distracted by the situation, circumstance, financial status, qualifications, experiences, health, age, your gender – our God is a God who can work beyond all these.

The only thing that matters is our readiness now!

But.. a warning: Be wary! Personally, I know where I stand and where God wants to take me. But… what could distract me, stop me from going from point A to B?

Remember the Matthew 13 story Jesus told about different soils? Dear readers, what kind of soil are you? Good soil? That’s what we all want to be… but the reality can be different!

5) Expectations and reality
There is always a gap between these two!

My 12-year son is a good football player. However when he was six years old, and started to play, I attended one of his training sessions. Going close to the ball, he kicked it, then looked up in the air to see where it went. The ball was nowhere to be found! Then I saw that it had just moved a few centimetres!

My son, so proud that his mum was watching him, came over and asked with a beautiful smile, ‘Amma, did you see my kick?’ I didn’t know if I should be brutally honest and tell him that he’d hardly kicked the ball, or be a supportive mum and say something encouraging and positive.

Finally, I did what all good mums do! I said, ‘Son, that was an awesome kick… Wow!’ I still remember the priceless smile on his face. Hahaha! His expectation was different from reality. 

Likewise, we all want to be, and expect to be, good soil… but what is the reality? Only you can answer regarding yourself. 

6) Satan’s toolstore
An imaginary story…

Satan has an open day for all his fallen angels to visit his toolstore and buy anything that would deviate people from God’s will. There were tools of murder, jealousy, stealing, procrastination, lies and so on… all so very cheap.

But two tools are very expensive, despite being so small.

What do you think are the most powerful tools Satan uses to deter us? Distraction and Discouragement! Let’s look at the first (which leads to discouragement)…

The seed that Jesus mentioned… Matthew 13:4 says that some fell on bad soil and ‘birds came and ate it up.’ Jesus explanation to His disciples: ‘When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart’ (v19).

7) Distractions 
May God help us see that Jesus is talking about hindering distractions to reaching where God wants us to be… that before God’s  word can achieve something in our heart, our life, Satan aims to snatch it away!

Distractions are one of Satan’s most powerful tools that can deviate and destroy us from fulfilling God’s plan for our lives! We need to remember that if we don’t prepare ourselves to fulfil God’s will, then by default we are preparing to fulfil Satan’s plan!

You might even be doing the Lord’s ministry. But the question is whether you are acting according to God’s will. Are you doing ministry for God or with God? It is a question we all need to ask. Many a time we (myself included!) think whatever we do is God’s will in the ministry. Not necessarily true; may even be incorrect! Without understanding – knowing – God’s will, having God’s promise, don’t venture into anything new. Ask Him for a promise and then start to move!

Distractions take us away from the will of God! And they always come in a way that you can easily identify: Satan is always smart, sneaky, and sly. He will bring distriction in a way that you will find it hard to resist. The Bible tells of several distractions… I only highlight two –

(i) Eve
Genesis 3:6NLT tells that what Eve saw in the garden was distracting… ‘the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her.’

Pleasing, beautiful, delicious, delightful, and above all, Eve just wanted to be wise. Are any of these bad? Do any of these look like a distraction from Satan? Aren’t these what everyone would like to have?

But they were distracting – leading to the downfall of all  humankind! Remember, distractions come in a very attractive form, shape, colourful, and beautiful to the eyes, seeming genuinely good. However, if anything takes you away from focusing on God, you need to watch carefully: this is the place Satan will hit you hard.

(ii) Peter
Remember how Peter told Jesus that he would even die with Him! (John 13:37). It’s believed that he thought his love for Jesus was so strong that nothing could distract him from honouring Him. But Jesus immediately warned Peter that he would betray Him three times before dawn (v38)!

How Peter regretted being distracted! Discouragement follows distraction. I ask you to reflect on where you think you are really strong.

Pray about every area of your life – family, work, ministry, calling, anointing… we need God’s strength every step, otherwise we could be distracted and lose what He has for us. 

Our enemy, Satan, is still prowling around us all the time like a roaring lion, fiercely hungry, seeking to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 warns to be vigilant, watchful. ‘Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times’ (Amp).

Distractions lead to Satan’s second great weapon – discouragements! So I would gently tap your shoulder and say, ‘Wake up! Don’t be distracted, discouraged! Focus only on God for the next few days or weeks. Ask God to speak to you, and reveal to you what He wants you to do, be. Pray until you get a clear idea.’

Remember that Satan is waiting to distract you. But… maybe he has already planted distractions in your life…

My sincere prayer is that all of us, especially in these troubled days, do not slip away from the purpose and the plan of God for our lives!

8) Back to Joshua 1:2…
What an attraction – God’s desire to bless Israel, to bring them into a new season – and He did! But… alas the biblical books following Joshua’s tell how Israel were repeatedly distracted, straying from God – a warning to us. There is always something that can bring chaos, confusion, and destruction to our lives. Although God will help usonly one person can let such distraction happen – us, ourselves!

• Dear friends, I don’t know what situation you’re going through, or where you are in your journey of life, but be careful of the distractions.
• Walk away! Make the decision that your heart will be good soil!

9) Start moving forward!
Oh, I can sense some of us saying, ‘But I am almost at the end of life…’

Ever read about Barzillai (meaning iron-hearted)? Well, he was an 80-year-old man who still strongly supported King David (2 Samuel 19:32)! So if you are willing, God can take you into your new season whatever your age! 

But… to embrace it, we need to let go of certain things in our lives including ‘the old’ – or we may not enjoy or participate in  the full blessing of God which He has in store for us. 

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Pastor Angeline Selvakumari is Chief Editor Echo of His Call, India’s Spiritual Newspaper, and Dr S Sam Selva Raj’s daughter. In furthering Echo of His Call ministries, established 1969, Dr Sam is daily broadcasting 5-minute messages in Hindi, Tamil and English on YouTube, trusting the Lord to provide for the costs. Links: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com
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