Joshua 6: Leave It All Behind

“As for you, watch yourselves in the city under holy curse. Be careful that you don’t covet anything in it and take something that’s cursed, endangering the camp of Israel with the curse and making trouble for everyone. All silver and gold, all vessels of bronze and iron are holy to God. Put them in God’s treasury.”

— Joshua 6:18–19 (MSG)

It’s Saturday—the space between the cross and the empty tomb. Our reading in Joshua today couldn’t mean more for me. Right in the middle of Easter weekend, this picture of the Israelites stepping into the Promised Land has brought me to tears so many times this week really starting to grasp the meaning of this gift. As the Israelites truly walk into the promise land, if you will, the promise we live in today…thats what we’re celebrating isn’t it? A death and a resurrection. A leaving behind and a stepping into. An old covenant buried and a new covenant alive.

God told the Israelites to leave behind what had been devoted to destruction—not because He's harsh, controlling or even limiting us, but because bringing OLD things into a NEW land would compromise the blessing ahead. It would naturally speaking dull the full gift of what they were being given. He wanted their hearts free, their hands clean, and their trust anchored in Him alone.

Here we are, post-cross, post-resurrection—with FULL ACCESS to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. No more striving for righteousness. No more relying on rituals OR priests to earn the right to be in proximity to the Lord. Through Jesus, the curtain was torn, and the invitation into intimate, daily relationship with God became wide open for us!

How many of us are still dragging remnants of Egypt into our freedom?

• Old mindsets.

• Performative religion.

• Comparison.

• Legalism.

• Shame.

• Ultimately a severed relationship or partial promise of what we truly have been given. Things we were never meant to carry past the cross.

Today I’m hearing this: Don’t bring what was meant to die into what was meant to live. Don’t allow old ways to sabotage new life.

Our access to God doesn’t depend on a pastor, a perfect track record, or a polished prayer life. We have His Word, His Spirit, and His presence—always.

I’m still in the process of untangling myself from old thoughts and systems. Oh, how grateful I am to spend daily quality time building a personal relationship with the Lord through his word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It’s already been finished.

My heart breaks for the ones who don’t know this yet. The ones who are still stuck striving, wondering if there’s more. I can’t wait for them to taste the goodness of God in the most personal, intimate way—to move from ritual to relationship, from death to resurrection life.

word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It’s already been finished.

My heart breaks for the ones who don’t know this yet. The ones who are still stuck striving, wondering if there’s more. I can’t wait for them to taste the goodness of God in the most personal, intimate way—to move from ritual to relationship, from death to resurrection life.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for doing what I never could. Thank You for the cross—and thank You for the resurrection. Help me to leave behind anything that doesn’t belong in the life You died to give me. Expose old patterns, thoughts, and habits that no longer serve Your purpose in me. Thank You for access. Thankyou for revelation, understanding and Love. Thank You for freedom. May I walk boldly into the fullness of relationship with You, and may others come to know the same freedom. Amen.