Didn't See The Walls Fall, But I Heard Them! Joshua 6:1-21
Israel has just crossed the River Jordan. They have prepared themselves spiritually and they have prepared themselves mentally, thus far, following God's orders to the letter. Now, they are ready to begin their conquest of the Promised Land.
They are ready to claim for themselves the land that flowed with milk and honey.
However, like most things in life that are worth having, it won't come cheap!
For Israel, Jericho would be a standard, a point of reference, test, a specification against which things may be compared or assessed. i.e. a benchmark. It was at Jericho that they would flex their muscles and experience military victory and conquest.
Jericho was the first city they had ever seen that was surrounded by huge walls. It must have looked like an absolute impossibility to many. However, they listened to the instructions they were given by the Lord and they saw those massive walls fall down flat.
The book of Joshua is very relevant to the Believer today.
In that we are living in days of spiritual battles and spiritual struggles. We need to know how to fight in the realm of the spirit. We need to know that our God is able to give us the victory. We need to know how to follow Him to that victory.
Just as Israel faced the intimidating walls of Jericho, some of you today have or are facing walls and obstacles in your lives as well. You need to know how to over come them as you march towards the victory.
AS WE LOOK AT OUR STORY WE SEE THAT ISRAEL HAD A PROBLEM
v.1
Jericho was known as the oldest city in the world, in Joshua's day, it was surrounded by a system of two massive stone walls. The outer wall was 6 ft. thick and about 20 ft. high. The inner wall was about 12 ft. thick and was 30 ft. high. Between the walls was a guarded walkway about 15 ft. wide. Israel's problem was that they had a city to conquer, but there were some extremely huge walls in the way.
As we go through life, we have many obstacles that we face as well, but we must learn not to look at our obstacles as dead-ends, but as opportunities for the Lord to work in our lives!
Paul had such an obstacle in 2 Cor. 12:7-10 where he said, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
This attitude is distant for some of you this morning. Yet, you must come to realize that the power of God is best revealed in and through us when we are unable to handle everything that life deals to us. God is more clear to us.......He's more visible to us when we take ourselves totally out of the picture! In a sense, that is what He did with Israel here.
As we will see, He completely removed them from the equation! The victory at Jericho was all God!)
v.2
As Joshua and all the men of war stood looking at those walls around that great city, God had a word of comfort for their hearts! For it is here that God promises Israel the victory before they ever attack Jericho! He lets them know about the conclusion of the story even before they ever enter into their battle!
As we face our obstacles, whatever they may be we can do so with confidence, because we have the Lord's promises as banners to march under:
That the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Cor. 10:4-5.
That all things are working together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. - Rom. 8:28; For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;2 Cor. 4:17.
That I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13; Because I believe that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,Eph. 3:20.
That I can be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. - Eph. 6:10.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:57.
Cause He said in His Word that He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Heb. 13:5; He said, I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt. 28:20.
So don't let your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3.
Thats why I am fully persuaded that, what he has promised, he is able also to perform. Rom. 4:21; For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Cor. 1:20
Jesus said about you like He did Peter..... that.... Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren..Luke 22:31-32.
I dont know who Im preaching to but you need to know that God is a warrior and that He is fighting for you.
v 3 - 5
Israel's partner was none other than God Himself! He was in absolute control of the battle, He was leading them, and He was the guarantee of their victory!
In Chapter Joshua had a visit from the Captain of the Lord's Host. The Bible says in Joshua 5:13-15, And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Look at your neighbor and say, " God Is For Us!
Now remember that the Captain of the Lord's Host.....had come to tell Joshua that He did not come to take sides, He came to take over!
When we are faced with walls and obstacles in our lives, it is a blessing to know that we do not have to face them alone or in our own strength. I heard Paul say in Phil. 4:13 that I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Listen.......There is no obstacle that is insurmountable, no obstacle that is invincible, that is unconquerable, that is impassable, that is hopeless or impossible as long as we face it in the Lord!
The other day I was meditating on Psalms 91:7 and when I read it..... it said ......A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand;But it shall not come near you.
As i began to pray I could hear walls falling in the spirit. So I began to seek the Lord about what these walls symbolized. He said that they represented spiritual fortifications, barricades that have been holding back your ability to move forward. Then He began to blow my mind when I heard Him say at this point in our journey as a church that we are in Joshua 6 then He said , Those walls are about to come down and not only those walls but those strongholds that have barricaded themselves as Spiritual fortifications against you all advancing in the promised things of God. Then I heard the Lord say," Advance" As we approach 2017 I hear the Lord say its time to go, move forward, to proceed, to press on, to gain ground.
Touch Your Neighbor and tell them, " It's time to be Giant Killers" (Let the bodies hit the floor)
I declare today that what ever is standing in our way.....its about to fall down.
v. 6 - 21
Israel marched around the city in obedience to the Lord and they prevailed! Can you imagine the absurdity of the command! Can you imagine how the people in Jericho must have reacted?
They saw the armies of Israel approaching their city and they probably thought that they were about to be invaded by the enemy. Then, just as Israel came near the city, they turned and began to march around the walls. I can see those inside Jericho as they ran to see where the Israelites would mount their attack. However, instead of attacking, the soldiers, and the priests merely marched around the city one time. All that was heard was the sound of the ram's horn trumpets and the pounding of the soldier's feet upon the ground. This was repeated for 6 days. By this time, the people in Jericho were no doubt mocking and jeering the Israelites. Then on the seventh day, they compassed the city seven times. When they had finished that seventh lap, the priests gave a long blast on the trumpets and the people of Israel shouted with a great shout! It wasn't the shout of an attacking army, it wasn't a shout of fear, but it was a shout raised in praise to God Who had promised them the victory.
When the people shouted, the walls fell down flat and Israel ran into the city and utterly destroyed it.
Did you see the walls fall? No but I heard them!
Just like God gave them the Victory He is going to do th same thing for us!
You say how do I know that He is?
1. Like them I had a Word from God - (v.2-6)
2. Like them I believed God - (v.8-20) God said it, they belived it, that settled it!
3. Like them I acted in faith!
4. Like them when you do it God's way - This is the secret to success..... His way may seem too hard, too slow, or as in this case too foolish, but His way is always the best way!
Isa. 55:8-9 say's "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
5. Like them God will give us the victory - (v.20-21)
In Matt. 16:18 Jesus said," And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
God's church will always prevail, ; God's people will always prevail! Which is why you can prevail in whatever situation you are facing right now!
