Taking Ground | Week 3
Day 3:
“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’” — Joshua 3:5
Before the miracle happened, before the waters parted, before Israel took one step into the Jordan, God gave a simple command: “Consecrate yourselves.”
It’s a word that feels old-fashioned now, tucked away in ancient Scripture, but it carried a weight that shaped everything that followed. To consecrate means to set apart — to make holy, to prepare yourself for what God is about to do. It’s the act of saying, “I belong to You, Lord, completely.”
Joshua didn’t say, “Get your weapons ready.” He didn’t say, “Form your battle plan.” He said, “Set yourselves apart.” God was about to do something extraordinary, but before He moved in power, He wanted to move in their hearts.
That’s always how it works. Before God changes circumstances, He often changes people. Before He parts the river, He purifies the soul.
For forty years, Israel had lived in the wilderness surrounded by manna and miracles, but this moment was different. They weren’t waiting on daily provision anymore — they were stepping into destiny. And that required a fresh kind of obedience.
Consecration is never just about external behavior. It’s about internal alignment. It’s God’s way of saying, “I want your attention back. I want your affection back. I want your focus back.”
In our world, “setting apart” feels unnatural. Everything around us urges blending in, fitting in, keeping up. But the path to the supernatural is paved with separation — not isolation, but distinction. We live differently because we’ve been called differently.
Sometimes consecration means stepping away from something good so that you can experience something greater. It might mean turning down the volume of culture so you can hear God’s whisper again. It might mean creating space in your schedule, guarding what you consume, or being more intentional with your words.
It’s not about legalism; it’s about availability. God isn’t asking for perfection; He’s asking for proximity.
Joshua’s words echo through time: “Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Notice the order — consecrate today, miracle tomorrow. God was reminding His people that the supernatural often begins with something simple, something human. They were to prepare their hearts today for what He would do next.
We tend to reverse that. We want to see the amazing things first — then we’ll commit. We want proof before purity, miracles before movement, results before repentance. But God’s pattern is different. He invites us to step into holiness before we step into victory.
When God says, “Consecrate yourselves,” He’s not restricting us — He’s readying us. He’s clearing space for His presence to dwell and His power to work.
Think about how that might look in your life right now. What is God asking you to set apart? Maybe it’s your time, your attention, or your habits. Maybe it’s a mindset that’s been shaped more by fear than by faith. Maybe it’s an attitude that’s kept you stuck where you are.
Consecration is God’s gentle way of saying, “I’m preparing you for more.”
In Israel’s story, that preparation happened at the edge of the Jordan — the place between what had been and what was about to be. You might be standing in that same space today, caught between “not yet” and “almost.” And just like Israel, the call still stands: “Consecrate yourself.”
There’s something powerful about pausing before a breakthrough. It’s a reminder that what God wants most is not our performance but our partnership. He doesn’t just want to work for us — He wants to work through us. And for that to happen, our hearts have to be clean, open, and ready.
When the people obeyed, God did exactly what He said He would. The river stopped, the ground dried up, and millions of people crossed over safely. The miracle followed obedience, but obedience followed consecration.
If you’ve been praying for God to do amazing things, maybe the invitation today is to slow down and let Him do a refining work first. Maybe the greatest miracle isn’t what happens around you, but what happens within you.
God still honors hearts that are set apart. He still fills the lives that make room for Him. And He still does amazing things among people who are willing to be different — not weird, not prideful, but distinct.
So before you rush ahead into whatever comes next, take a moment to pause and listen. Ask Him what He wants to set apart in you. Then trust that on the other side of your surrender, there’s something amazing waiting to unfold.
Tomorrow belongs to those who are willing to consecrate today.
