Keys To Victory

Keys to Victory

Pastor Paddick Van Zyl

05-10-2020

Sermon Outline

Scripture Reference

Joshua chapter 6:1 to 8:27

Key verse :

2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. (Joshua 6:2 NKJV)

Theme

How to ensure we live a victorious life in Christ

Introduction

When faced with a challenge or problem in life, what do we do? Do we ask God’s advice? Do we try and figure it out by ourselves?

Sermon message

In Joshua chapter 6 and 7, we find several principles that, when adhered to, will ensure a life of overcoming victory. Let’s look at these in detail:

One : The Promise

2 And the LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. (Joshua 6:2 NKJV)

It was a done deal. God made the promise of victory to Joshua. See also chapter 8, verses 1-2. Yet, they had to take it by faith.

Two : The Instruction

God gave Joshua very specific instructions for victory – keep quiet and march around the city each day. This made no sense to the people. But it ensured that they would rely totally on God for deliverance and victory. Sometimes God will instruct us to do something that does not make sense. What will we do? Obey or do it our way?

3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.” (Joshua 6: 3-5 NKJV)

10 Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” (Joshua 6:10 NKJV)

There was a reason why they had to keep quite – often, we have faith in our heart but our words cancel our faith when we talk doubt.

They were also instructed not to take anything from the enemy except the specifics that God told them to via Joshua since the enemy was in rebellion against God.

18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are [b]consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.” (Joshua 6:18-19 NKJV)

They were to destroy everything because the greatest sin of the Canaanites was spiritual (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

Three : The Action

12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days. (Joshua 6:12-14 NKJV)

15 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! 17 Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. (Joshua 6: 15-17 NKJV)

Four : Deliverance

25 And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. (Joshua 6:25 NKJV)

Rahab chose to trust in the God of Israel and she and her household was saved. God is faithful to deliver those who put their faith and trust in Him.