When we read about the story of the children of Israel entering the promised land and conquering the town of Jericho we see three steps to “Accomplishing the Impossible” In our own lives these three steps will guarantee our success in the work and the will of God the Father.
• In our lives we have seen God accomplish the impossible
• Whether it be saving the hardest heart, delivering someone from the grasp of death disease or supernaturally protecting us from a natural disaster, God continues to show us that if we are faithful to him then He will be faithful to us
• THE THREE C’S OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
1. CONSIDER IT DONE (VSS 1-2)
• Jericho was a formidable city which had closed its walls and gates to the people of Israel
• Jericho must have looked to Joshua like an “impossible” enemy
• God promised, however, “I have given into your hand, Jericho, its king, and the mighty men of valor.” (Vs 2)
• When tasked with ministry we must remember that God only calls us when we are ready and he is able to trust our spiritually ability to accomplish the task
• 1 Corinthians 10:13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
• In other words, God has prepared his people for his work
• Ephesians 4:11-12: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
• We have been given gifts not for the glory of the individual but rather for the MINISTRY of Christ and His church. To EDIFY Him
• When faced with an overwhelming task such as overcoming a cities walls without firing a single offensive weapon; it is imperative that we trust the one directing us for his knowledge of the victory already won
• God told Joshua in vs 2 that he had already delivered the city to him and the children of Israel
• What did Joshua have to do?
a. Believe that God had done as he said
b. Obey God’s directives vs 3-5
c. Follow through with God’s directives vs6-21
• When ‘Consider It Done’ we can see that with God we can ‘Accomplish the Impossible’
2. CIRCLE IT WITH PRAYER (VSS 3-11)
• The orders were, to say the least, unusual
• Encompass the city for six days, blow horns, shout and march all seemed to be militarily crazy
• Almost a mockery of traditional military attack plans. But then again, if this were a normal attack then how could God get the glory?
• The command was to go around the city six times; six being the number of man
• The seventh day was to be the day of victory; seven being the number of God
• The marching and preparation are symbolic of prayer and meditation before doing as the Lord has directed
• Prayer is our communication/conversation with God
• Matthew 21:22: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
• “Attending church in Kentucky, we watched an especially verbal and boisterous child being hurried out, slung under his irate father’s arm. No one in the congregation so much as raised an eyebrow -- until the child captured everyone’s attention by crying out in a charming Southern accent, "Ya’ll pray for me now!”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
• Prayer is communicating to God that we trust him and are truly seeking his will
• Matthew 26:39 “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
3. CLAIM IT BY FAITH (VS 15-16)
• Faith is following through with God’s design in trusting his ability to deliver us
• Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
• If we are victorious through Jesus Christ, then we need to BELIEVE that God can do his will through us and us through him
• Joshua never questioned God’s directive, he simply passed the information to those affected and followed through with the plan
• “Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”
• Faith is the belief in God’s ability to accomplish the impossible
• When God has tasked us with a specific ministry, we must claim the task as our own for God has already made it possible for us to accomplish the thing we are called to do
• The ‘Division of Labor’ says that God has given us a mission; he will meet us at the mission/goal but we must be willing to go ourselves
• Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
• Why can you do all things through Christ?
a. Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
• We can overcome, as the children of Israel did, because we claim what God has already given us as our own through FAITH
• How do we ‘ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE’?
a. CONSIDER IT DONE
b. CIRCLE IT WITH PRAYER
c. CLAIM IT BY FAITH
