Moment of Silence: Close your eyes-Jesus---(Centering Prayer-that includes Spiritual Discipline of Silence)…As for me and my household we will serve the Lord.
1. Hearing from God typically refers to receiving messages or guidance through various means such as prayer, meditation, or reading scripture. It’s about discerning God’s will or direction for one’s life.
2. Hearing God, on the other hand, implies a more direct and personal experience of God’s presence and voice. This can happen in moments of stillness, worship, or through spiritual gifts like prophecy. It’s about forming a deeper connection with God. Praying and Positioning to Hear God”
Prayer is a two-way conversation with you and God---you talk to God, then you Listen. It’s communicating and fellowshipping with God. The No. 1 priority in God’s heart is to spend quality time with you. We need to be able to hear His voice. The more time you spend in God’s presence, the more you will recognize his voice---Jesus’ model prayer begins with the words, “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name… Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Within this opening line lies our divine purpose—the intricate tapestry of life. You can live in an attitude of prayer every moment, being in constant contact with God beyond the prayer room. This becomes very crucial because the time is coming that Jesus is coming back. We want our heart to be aligned with God heart and purpose for our lives. Often, we encounter crossroads—moments when we must choose our path. The world and our own desires whisper, “Figure it out on your own,” or “Do what feels right—it’s all about you.” Yet, there exists a higher wisdom, a divine compass that calls us: God’s way. This compass—the Holy Spirit—is within us, empowering us to conquer life’s challenges. God answers prayers, but are we truly listening for His response? Have you positioned yourself to hear God? Or have we already decided the outcome before we even pray, directing God according to our own understanding? Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God’s way isn’t a mere suggestion; it’s the blueprint of eternity-of abundant living. It weaves purpose into our existence, aligning our steps with His divine plan.
Sometimes, internal barriers (let’s call them “walls”) prevent us from hearing God’s voice clearly. The Battle of Jericho serves as a powerful reminder of how limited our understanding of God’s way can be in life situations. When we rely solely on our own understanding, we stumble in the darkness, and at times, we find ourselves complaining without true insight. God’s promise for mankind has never changed---God has remained faithful to his promise. God made sure that what happened at Jericho was in no way a result of human strategy. But isn’t that just like God---delivering his people his way.
Background: Joshua’s Journey: Trusting God Amidst Challenges. Joshua, the appointed leader of the Israelites, had a remarkable journey leading them to the Promised Land. When you read Joshua chapters 1-5, you are reading where Joshua is hearing from God the reading/meditating on the word, and you read where he is hearing God…Connecting to how God is directing his steps---God’s way not Moses way. Before reaching this destination, the Israelites endured 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, having been delivered from bondage. Joshua himself was born into slavery, growing up amidst struggle, injustice, and inhumane conditions. Yet, he held onto the belief that God would deliver them. Joshua witnessed God’s faithfulness during the miraculous exodus across the Red Sea. He was among the group that crossed the dry seabed, a powerful testament to divine intervention. When Joshua first surveyed the land, he demonstrated unwavering faith in God. Despite the delay of 40 years, he trusted in God’s promises.
While Joshua may have had his own ideas, he recognized that true success required trust in God and obedience to His instructions. Jericho, with its imposing walls, was built to keep the Israelites out. The people within the city had heard about the Red Sea miracle and Israel’s God. To protect themselves, they relied on their human intellect.
Joshua knew it was possible to conquer Jericho. He prayed, intentionally positioning himself to hear from God. Having witnessed God’s power at the Red Sea, Joshua maintained a close relationship with Him. When he encountered a mysterious man and was told that he was standing on holy ground -he positioned himself to hear from God and hear God.
Unlike the previous generation, Joshua experienced the victory God had promised. Rather than rushing into battle, he sought intentional guidance. Regular conversations with God provided encouragement and instruction. When facing impossible situations, we can learn from Joshua:
1. Position Ourselves to Hear God: Seek moments of solitude and openness to divine guidance.
2. Prepare to Do It God’s Way: Trust that God’s instructions lead to victory.
3. Persist in Obedience: Even when challenges seem insurmountable, remain faithful.
Position Yourself to Hear from God & Hear God
Joshua 6: 1-2 -Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.
When go into your secret place to pray - acknowledge God’s presence and invite God to speak. Use the words of Samuel: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (I Samuel 3:10). This posture of anticipation sharpens our spiritual reception. In this situation with Joshua -God speaks—he tells him he will be victorious. The Hebrew word for Hearing is Shema- She.mah- translated it means to allow the words to sink in, provide understanding, and generate a response—it’s about action. In Hebrew, hearing and doing are the same thing.
Vs 1-2----Before the battle even began, God guaranteed victory. The outcome was assured. This victory is guaranteed despite what they see before them. The Israelites were camped near the city of Jericho, which was securely shut up – its gates barred due to fear of the Israelite army (show picture). Imagine coming upon this impossible situation. They may have questioned how they would conquer this fortified city? God’s Assurance is that in the midst of the uncertainty (doubt, indecisiveness---God speaks. V2-God speaks directly to Joshua: "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. What is your Jericho---the walls that are barriers to you having Kingdom to come---the abundant to come in your life. Lot of it’s internal---Jesus assured us that he had come that we may life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10) Is there anything too hard for God? 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness". There is no reason we should be living in despair. We position ourselves to hear from God and when he speaks, we listen. We are at the edge of a breakthrough…it’s through the breakdown that -Gods shows us how-he directs our path if we let him.
Prepare to Just Do It God’s Way
Joshua 6:3-8
“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 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.” v 6 Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” v 7 And he said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord.”
v8 So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.
v 9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. v 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.”
You often hear the definition of Insanity as “doing the same thing and expecting different results.” I suggest to you who are of Christ -true insanity for us as God’s people---“hearing God’s word and doing nothing” or doing it our way (James 1: 22-26) that’s INSANE. There is no mystery to Abundant Living for God’s people (2 Peter 1:3 & 4- His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge. When just follow God’s instructions and Just Do It God’s way, our breakdowns become our breakthrough. Here again we learn from Joshua response to God-Obedience Over Strategy: Joshua was a military leader and had successful battle wins under his belt, so he could have strategized, planned, and devised military tactics. But God’s word took precedence. Listening to God meant following His instructions, even when they seemed unconventional.
Trust in God’s Promises: God’s promise was not based on Joshua’s strength or military agility. It was rooted in divine assurance. When we listen to God, we trust His promises, knowing that He is faithful. Prepare to Just Do It God’s way (there is a reason I say it this way---we will have the tendency to find a way to justify doing it another way). Let and Let God---like the Israelites in these instruction---God demanded silence— (Be Still and Know that I am God) Silence and Stillness: Before the walls fell, the Israelites marched silently around Jericho for seven days. Sometimes, God speaks in the quiet moments. We must position ourselves to hear Him – in prayer, meditation, and stillness. (Go into your secret place-shut door, talk to God and be prepared to listen to obey.
Persistence in Obedience---(bring picture up---what’s your Jericho---what walls that prevent us from hearing God and following his instruction.
Joshua 6:9-10& 15-16:
“On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!’”
"Being persistent in prayer means standing in faith, believing that God will answer your prayer. It involves unwavering commitment, never ceasing until you receive God’s response. Similarly, persistence in obedience to God’s instructions led the Israelites to victory. Despite seemingly repetitive tasks, they faithfully followed God’s plan. Sometimes, His instructions may appear unusual or redundant, but our steadfast commitment to obeying them leads to breakthroughs.
Consider the walls of Jericho—an impossible feat. Yet, the Israelites’ persistence in obedience and trust in God caused those walls to crumble. Their unity dismantled an obstacle that had stood for generations. As God’s people today, we must stand together, connected by faith and purpose. Whether facing personal struggles, pursuing common goals, or supporting one another, unity remains a powerful force.
Jesus also encourages persistence in prayer. He assures that those who persistently ask, seek, and knock will receive answers. We should continually seek God’s will and trust His timing. The Israelites show this persistence by faithfully following God’s instructions, without questioning or growing weary during the repetitive process.
On the seventh day, after the seventh round of marching, they shouted, and the walls of Jericho miraculously collapsed. Persistence in prayer is essential; when we pray, we anticipate God’s answer. He hears and responds according to His perfect plan (Joshua 6:17). Their unwavering obedience paid off, leading to victory."
Conclusion
God’s voice isn’t always audible; it can be a gentle whisper, a nudge, or a deep conviction. Your prayers are not going unanswered. In Luke 18:1, Jesus tells us to “Keep on praying and never give up.” Jesus knew we would need to guard against discouragement when we didn’t see our prayers answered right away. But God is speaking to you—are you listening for His voice?
Hearing God is a deeply personal experience, and different people may encounter it in various ways. Drawing close to God happens through prayer and active service. Despite the seemingly unconventional approach—a strategy that made no sense from a human perspective—the Israelites learned that the only way is God’s way. When we enter our secret place and close the door to pray to our Father, we often have to be silent—be still so that God will be exalted (Psalm 46:10). Position your mind and heart to hear God’s answer.
Remember, God’s answer may not match what you envision; it will be divinely inspired. Struggles don’t always vanish, but God remains faithful and carries you through pain and sorrow. When life throws its challenges, our heart, mind, and soul must stay connected to God. As we persistently follow His ways, He intervenes on our behalf. Prayer isn’t just about asking; it’s about aligning our hearts with God’s will. We have a choice: do it our way or just do it God’s way. Perhaps you’re waiting on God, or maybe you wonder if He’ll come through. Whatever your situation, the fallen walls of Jericho remind us of God’s power and faithfulness. We can believe in Him and put our hope in His promises. Living a godly life requires sacrifice—surrendering our fleshly desires that hinder our service.
“Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15)
