Get Your Feet Wet - Pastor James Hooper

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God Requires Stepping Into the Unknown

God often calls His people to move forward even when the path ahead seems uncertain or even impossible. The Israelites at the Jordan River expected God to act as He had in the past, but this time, He required them to step into the rushing, overflowing waters before He performed the miracle. Faith is not just believing God can act, but trusting Him enough to take the first step, even when circumstances look unfavorable. When you obey God’s prompting, even if it means getting your feet wet and muddy, you open the way for Him to do something new and miraculous in your life. [09:46]

Joshua 3:7-17 (ESV)
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” 14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you sense God calling you to step forward, even though it feels risky or uncertain? What would it look like to take that first step of faith today?

Day 2: God’s New Thing Requires Letting Go of Old Successes

The greatest enemy of the new is often the success of the old. It’s easy to expect God to move in the same way He did before, but He delights in doing something new. Clinging to past methods or experiences can limit what God wants to do in and through you now. To experience the fullness of His promises, you must be willing to trust Him beyond your comfort zone and let go of the way things have always been done. God’s new thing may look unfamiliar, but it is always for your good and His glory. [11:21]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)
18 “Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.”

Reflection: Where are you tempted to rely on past experiences or old ways of doing things instead of seeking God’s new direction? How can you open your heart to the new thing God wants to do in your life?

Day 3: You Are a Priest—Lead Others by Trusting God First

Every believer is called to be part of a royal priesthood, representing God to the world and interceding for others. This means you are called to step out in faith, sometimes getting your feet muddy so that others can follow on dry ground. Your willingness to trust God and move forward, even when it’s uncomfortable, sets an example for those who are watching you—especially those who have not yet learned to trust Him themselves. As you lead by example, you help open the way for others to experience God’s faithfulness. [17:13]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Reflection: Who in your life is watching your faith journey right now? What is one way you can step out in trust this week to lead them closer to God?

Day 4: God Has Already Prepared What You Need—Just Go

God is not limited by time; He has already gone ahead of you and prepared everything you will need for the journey. Just as He had people and resources ready for Paul in Corinth, God has set things in place for you before you even arrive. Your responsibility is to obey and move forward, trusting that what you need will be there when you need it. God is both with you in the present and waiting for you in the future, encouraging you to step into His prepared blessings. [34:22]

Acts 18:9-11 (ESV)
9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Reflection: What is one step of obedience you can take today, trusting that God has already prepared what you need on the other side?

Day 5: Vulnerability and Trust Open the Way for God’s Peace

Trusting God often means being vulnerable—stepping into situations that feel messy, chaotic, or even painful. It’s natural to want to protect yourself after being hurt, but God invites you to trust Him again, even if it means proceeding cautiously. As you take that first step, even if it’s small, God meets you with His peace that passes understanding and begins to orchestrate things for your good. Vulnerability is not weakness; it is the soil where trust and deeper relationship with God grow. [30:47]

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: Where have you been hesitant to trust God or others because of past hurt? What is one small, vulnerable step you can take today to open your heart to God’s peace?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered around the story of Joshua and the Israelites as they stood at the edge of the Jordan River, facing a new and daunting challenge. Forty years earlier, their parents had seen God part the Red Sea, but now, God was calling this new generation to step into the unknown in a different way. The lesson is clear: God often calls us to move forward, not by repeating the old patterns, but by trusting Him for something new—even when it looks impossible or ill-timed.

The Israelites expected God to act as He had before, but this time, the waters of the Jordan would not part until the priests stepped in and got their feet wet. Faith is not just belief; it is trust proven by action. God asks us to move, to step into the chaos, to get our feet muddy, and to trust that He will make a way. The greatest enemy of the new thing God wants to do in our lives is often our attachment to the successes of the past. We must not limit God to our previous experiences or insist that He move in the same way He did before.

We are all called to be priests—a royal priesthood—meaning each of us is responsible to step out in faith, not just for ourselves, but for those who follow after us. Sometimes, we must be the first to get our feet wet so that others can walk on dry ground. This requires vulnerability and a willingness to trust again, even if we have been hurt or disappointed before. God is not asking for blind leaps, but for a willingness to take the next step, even if it’s just one step into the water.

God has already prepared what we need on the other side of our obedience. He is not waiting to see if we will act before He provides; He has already set things, people, and opportunities in place. Our role is to trust Him enough to move forward, even when the timing seems wrong or the path unclear. As we step out, we find that God’s peace and provision meet us in the very place that once looked like chaos. Today is a pivotal moment—a call to act, to trust, and to step into the new thing God is doing.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith Requires Action, Not Just Belief True faith is demonstrated when we step out, even when the outcome is uncertain. Trust is not proven by words alone, but by our willingness to act on God’s direction, especially when it means getting our feet wet in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. This kind of faith moves us beyond comfort and into the miraculous. [09:46]
2. Don’t Let Past Successes Limit Future Obedience The greatest enemy of the new is the success of the old. When we cling to how God moved in the past, we risk missing the fresh, unique ways He wants to work now. God’s methods may change, but His faithfulness does not. We must be open to His new strategies, even if they challenge our expectations. [10:46]
3. Step Into the Chaos—God Meets Us There God often calls us to move forward at the most inconvenient or chaotic times. The Jordan overflowed its banks when the Israelites were told to cross, yet God’s power was revealed in their obedience. The peace of God is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of His completeness in the midst of turmoil. [14:29]
4. We Are All Priests—Leaders for Others Every believer is called to be a priest, stepping out in faith not just for themselves, but for those who follow. Our willingness to trust God and move forward creates a path for others to experience His faithfulness. Leadership in God’s kingdom is about going first, even when it means vulnerability and risk. [17:13]
5. God Has Already Prepared the Way God is not improvising as we go; He has already set things in place for our journey. Like Paul finding Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth, we discover that God’s provision and partnerships are waiting for us on the other side of obedience. Our step of faith activates what God has already prepared. [34:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - Opening Prayer
[00:55] - Online Connection and Devotions
[02:22] - Remembering God’s Faithfulness
[03:25] - The Frustration of Stop-and-Go
[04:25] - It’s Go Time: God’s Call to Move
[05:25] - Joshua Prepares the People
[06:17] - The Red Sea vs. The Jordan
[07:24] - Expecting God to Repeat Himself
[08:54] - God’s New Instructions
[09:24] - Faith Means Getting Your Feet Wet
[10:46] - The Danger of Old Success
[13:38] - Obeying in Imperfect Timing
[14:29] - Peace in the Middle of Chaos
[17:13] - The Priesthood of All Believers
[19:12] - Leading Others by Example
[21:28] - It’s Time to Get Muddy
[24:14] - Limiting God with Old Methods
[32:44] - God Has Already Prepared the Way
[35:01] - Responding to God’s Call
[47:55] - Final Blessing and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

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### Bible Reading

**Joshua 3:7-17 (ESV)**
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

**1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)**
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

**Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)**
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

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### Observation Questions

According to Joshua 3, what specific instructions did God give Joshua and the priests about crossing the Jordan River?
What was different about the way God parted the Jordan River compared to the Red Sea, based on the sermon and the passage? [06:17]
In 1 Peter 2:9, what does it mean that believers are called a “royal priesthood”? How does this connect to the role of the priests in Joshua 3? [17:13]
What does Isaiah 43:19 say about God’s approach to doing new things, and how does this relate to the Israelites’ experience at the Jordan?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God required the priests to step into the water before the Jordan parted, instead of parting it ahead of time like at the Red Sea? What might this say about the nature of faith? [09:24]
The sermon said, “The greatest enemy of the new is the success of the old.” Why is it sometimes hard for us to let go of past experiences or methods, even when God is leading us into something new? [10:46]
The pastor mentioned that every believer is a priest and sometimes has to “get their feet wet” first for others to follow. What are some real-life situations where this kind of leadership and vulnerability is needed? [17:13]
How does God’s promise to have already prepared what we need on the other side of obedience affect the way we approach difficult or uncertain steps of faith? [34:22]

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### Application Questions

Can you think of a time when you expected God to work in your life the same way He did before, but He chose a different method? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [07:24]
Is there an area in your life right now where you sense God is asking you to “get your feet wet”—to take a step of faith before you see the outcome? What is holding you back from stepping in? [09:24]
The sermon talked about not letting past successes limit future obedience. Are there any “old ways” or past victories you are clinging to that might be keeping you from embracing something new God wants to do? [10:46]
The Jordan was at flood stage when God told the Israelites to cross—an inconvenient and risky time. Have you ever felt God calling you to move forward at a time that seemed chaotic or ill-timed? How did you find peace in that situation? [14:29]
The pastor said, “We are all priests—a royal priesthood.” Who in your life might be watching your steps of faith, and how could your willingness to go first make a difference for them? [17:13]
The message emphasized that God has already prepared what we need on the other side of our obedience. How does this truth challenge or encourage you as you consider your next step of faith? [34:22]
Vulnerability and trust were highlighted as necessary for stepping into the unknown, especially if you’ve been hurt or disappointed before. What would it look like for you to trust God again in an area where you’ve experienced disappointment? [29:44]

Sermon Clips

You going to get your feet wet. Somebody's got to get their feet wet and muddy. God's not going to part the Jordan before you walk in. You're going to have to just trust that God will part it, but you got to get your feet wet. [00:09:29] (18 seconds) #GetYourFeetWet

Let me tell you, it's never a perfect time to march forward. It's never, it's usually the worst time to do it. When God tells you to go, it's usually the worst time to do it. Otherwise. Otherwise God would get no glory. If it's the perfect time for it, then you could get all the glory because you just smart enough to know that this was the time of the year when the Jordan was overflowing its banks. [00:13:38] (29 seconds) #MarchForwardInFaith

Peace does not mean absence of conflict. That's not what shalom. Peace does not mean absence of conflict. It means that God can give you calm, that you are complete. Shalom means complete. That's why that Jewish people greet each other with shalom. May you be complete. And we are complete because of Jesus. We're complete because he has made us the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. [00:18:28] (36 seconds) #ShalomIsComplete

We all have to march forward individually before we can march forward corporately. We can't wait on anybody else. We have to make it up in our own minds that we're going to do this. Not wait for somebody else to join us. [00:19:19] (18 seconds) #MarchForwardAlone

Sometimes you'll have to step in it. I'm being as clean as I can right here. You're just going to have to step in it sometimes to get anything accomplished for God, because a lot of mess around what's going on. God's sending you, come on, this is a word for you. God's sending you into the mess. God, fix that mess. Fix that mess over there. He said, I will when you go into it. My plan is to fix it, but you're going to have to do it. You're going to have to obey me. I don't know how to fix that mess. Just step in it anyway. Step in it anyway. [00:28:10] (40 seconds) #StepIntoTheMess

All you have to do is just take that one step. Take the first step. It didn't say how many steps they had to get in the waters. But when their feet were in the water. So there's four priests that carry the Ark of the Covenant. There's two poles that go on the sides of it. Two guys on the front and two guys on the back. And they're carrying the Ark of the Covenant. And so there's four guys. And so apparently all four of them had to get into the water. So if they're going straight in, they didn't go sideways. So if they go straight in, two people had to go further into the water than the back two people. That's unfair. But God, you've got to be willing to be the one that can go first. You've got to be willing to go first and go deeper. When those who are following you will go too. [00:31:27] (56 seconds) #TakeTheFirstStep

God already had people in place. All Paul had to do was just obey and go there. That's a word for you. God has people and things in place already. Just go with confidence knowing that when you get there, what you need is going to be there. God's not waiting for you to do it before he puts it there. He has already put it there in the future. It's already there. He's already placed it there and he's in the future going, come on, come on, it's here, come on, it's here. But he's also with you saying, okay, let's go, let's go, let's go. [00:34:10] (38 seconds) #GodsPlanIsReady

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