SILENCING UNBELIEF
JOSHUA 6
INTRO: FALL OF JERICHO
1: WAIT ON GOD
A) MANY TEXTS IN GOD’S WORD INSTRUCT US TO WAIT ON GOD
B) TO STAND STILL
C) TO BE SILENT
POINT: IN THIS TEXT JOSHUA COMMANDS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO MARCH AROUND JERICHO IN TOTAL SILENCE. JOSHUA CLEARY HAD TO HAVE THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS BECAUSE OF THE ISRAELITES MURMURING IN THE UNBELEIF STILL IN HIS MIND.
2: JERICHO
A) IS ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT CITIES ON EARTH
B) FIRST MENTIONED IN BIBLICAL RECORD IN NUMBERS 22:1
C) IT HAD FORTIFIED WALLS THAT ENCLOSED ABOUT SEVEN ACRES
D) MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO LIVED IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY SIDE
POINT: WHEN ISRAEL CROSSED OVER JORDAN THE PEOPLE OF JERICHO ALL RETREATED INSIDE THE PROTECTION OF THE WALLS. THEY HAD FULL TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THAT THE ISRAELITES WOULD NOT GET PAST THEIR WALLS. V 1 NO ONE WENT OUT AND NO ONE WENT IN THEY WERE PREPARED TO FIGHT EVEN THOUGH THEY PROBABLY DIDN’T WANT TO.
BODY: JOSHUA / FORESHADOW OF JESUS
1: CAPTAIN OF SALVATION
A) MOSES LED ISRAEL OUT OF BONDAGE
B) JOSHUA LED THEM INTO THE PROMISED LAND
C) JOSHUA 1:1-9
D) THE COMMISION OF THE CAPTAIN
POINT: THESE WORDS ARE JUST AS TRUE FOR US TODAY AS THEY WERE FOR JOSHUA IN HIS DAY. TRUST GOD, SERVE GOD, AND DON’T SWAY FROM IT NOT TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT.
2: GOD’S ASSURANCE TO THE SOLIDER
A) V 2 SEE I HAVE GIVEN INTO THINE HAND JERICHO
B) GOD GIVES TO THOSE WHO SEEK HIM A SWEET ASSURANCE
C) NOT AN ARROGANCE OR OVER CONFIDENCE BUT A COMFORT AND PEACE
D) IT COMES FROM TRUSTING IN WHAT GOD SAYS AND COMMANDS OF US
POINT: HERE IS JOSHUA LOOKING ON THE BIG HEAVILY FORTIFIED WALLS OF JERICHO. DO YOU THINK HE MAYBE WAS THINKING LORD HOW ARE WE GONNA GET PAST THOSE WALLS. HOW WE GONNA KNOCK THOSE WALLS DOWN?
3: GOD’S PLAN FOR VICTORY
A) GO WALK AROUND THE CITY
B) ONCE A DAY FOR SIX DAYS
C) GET SEVN PREISTS TO BEAR THE ARK
D) SEVEN TRUMPETS OF RAMS HORNS
E) BLOW THE TRUMPETS WHEN YOU WALK AROUND THE CITY
F) ON THE SEVENTH DAY WALK AROUND THE CITY SEVEN TIMES AND THE PREISTS BLOW ON THE TRUMPETS
G) WHEN YOU HEAR A LONG BLAST AND THE PEOPLE HEAR ON THE SEVENTH DAY ALL THE PEOPLE WILL SHOUT WITH A GREAT SHOUT AND THE WALL WILL FALL DOWN
POINT: THIS SOUNDS LIKE A REAL UNCONVENTIAL PLAN NO BATTERING RAMS, NO FIERY ARROWS, AND NO CHARGES, NO FIGHTING WHATSOEVER. SIMPLE AS WALKING AROUND THE PROPERTY LINE AND BE QUIET.
CLOSING: SILENCING UNBELIEF
1: JOSHUA COMMAND FOR SILENCE
A) V 10
B) NO NOISE TILL I BID YOU TO SHOUT
POINT: WHEN WE FACE GREAT CHALLENGES, WE SHOULD NOT PERMIT OUR LIPS TO SPEAK UNBELIEVING WORDS. PROHIBIT DEMORALIZING SPEECH FROM OUR LIPS. NO DOUBT SOME OF THE CAMP OF ISRAEL MIGHT OF THOUGHT HOW ARE WE GONNA GET PAST THIS WALL JUST BY WALKING AROUND IT. BUT NO ONE SAID ANYTHING THUS THEIR WAS NO DISCOURAGMENT OR DOUBT PLACED IN THE PEOPLE.
2: JOSHUA MEN
A) THE CHURCH NEEDS MORE OF THEM
B) MEN WHO ARE WILLING TO STAND UP
C) MEN WHO AREN’T AFRIAD TO LEAD
D) MEN WHO ARE FORESHADOWS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
E) MEN WHO CAN TRUST IN GOD EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE
POINT: JOSHUA WOULD NOT ALLOW ANYTHING SAID BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WOULD ONLY TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF DOUBT OR FEAR TO FOIL THE VICTORY FOR HIS PEOPLE THE LORD ENSTILLED THIS IN HIM. WE WAIT ON THE LORD USUALLY SOONER THAN LATER WE SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD. THEY SHOUTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY GUESS WHAT, THE WALL FELL DOWN!!!!!!!
CONCLUSION: WORDS CAN BIND UP OR SET FREE, WE CANNOT HELP WHAT WE SEE OR HEAR BUT OUR REFUSAL TO SPEAK DOUBT AND FEAR WILL KEEP OUR HEARTS MORE INCLINED TO WHAT GOD CAN DO, RATHER THAN TO WHAT WE CANNOT.
