Go to Jordan and meet John

Leave your Galilee of personal opinions and go down to the Jordan and meet John, so you can fulfill your ministry! Jordan is where things are happening, not Galilee, at least not yet.

Do you agree with a preacher who cries like John? I tell you, many did not like his crying. Some even said he had a demon because of his unique social life (Matthew 11:18). John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey, and he spent much of his life in the wilderness of Judea. But if you are going to fulfill all righteousness, you must go down to Jordan and meet John. God did not ask us to agree with John’s diet or his wilderness life, but to submit to his baptism. Know the difference!

Jesus Journeyed from Galilee to John in Jordan

If you imagine a person walking in ancient times, the journey from Galilee to the Jordan River could reasonably take two to four days, depending on pace, terrain, and rest. Jesus walked much of the time, and He might have used a boat in some parts, but either way, He journeyed from Galilee to Jordan. There were many rivers in Galilee, and Christ even called several of His disciples directly from Galilean rivers. Yet He never invited John to come to Galilee to meet Him. He traveled from Galilee to the Jordan. He went to where John was (Matthew 3:13). 

Permit this for now, it’s necessary for God’s purpose

And when John tried to forbid Him, Jesus replied, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” In other words, Jesus said, "Permit this for now; it’s necessary for God’s purpose." Then John consented. Remember, this is for now, not for a lifetime. I will be going back to Galilee after my wilderness retreat. I will start my ministry there (Mark 1:15), but for now, it is necessary that I come to Jordan. Many do not understand that sometimes we must displace ourselves for the present moment. We must recognize when it is necessary to leave Galilee and go to the Jordan.

Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered!

Until Jesus went down to the Jordan, the heavens did not open, and the Holy Spirit did not descend on Him in a bodily form as a dove. Until Jesus went down to Jordan, He was not led by the Spirit into the wilderness. This would only happen when He left the river Jordan. Oh, Christ learned obedience through the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Obedience is learned, and we must learn the way of obedience! Many things are waiting for our obedience.

Even if you desire to start your ministry in Galilee or call your first disciples from Galilee, you must first go to Jordan and meet John. This is not about idolizing John, but about recognizing God’s timing and assignment, as Elisha understood the season of the double portion, or as the sons of Issachar understood what Israel should do! Go to Jordan and meet John, that is where things are happening. 

Know why you came to Jordan!

God did not send you to Jordan to teach John better diet options away from locusts and wild honey or to change his clothing from camel-hair to a royal robe that the Roman soldiers would gamble on. He sent you to simply go and get baptized. Some of us may need to leave our ‘Galilee’ of personal opinions and stop trying to change John, his diet, or correct his way of life, but submit ourselves to his baptism so that our own heavens can open and we can fulfill our ministries.