TEAR IT DOWN
JOSHUA 6:20-27
INTRODUCTION
The story of Joshua and the city of Jericho (found in chapters 6 and 7) is one of those stories that are familiar to all of us. It is an amazing story. As I have looked at this passage, I have found some very profound spiritual lessons, but one more than any other seems to stick out. The spiritual lesson that I have found is this (three words): TEAR IT DOWN
READ JOSHUA 6:14-27
The situation that Joshua faces with the city of Jericho gives us a platform to talk about this spiritual lesson. Joshua faced obstacles and he overcame them; in fact he tore them down!
I. THE FACT OF THE MATTER: THERE WILL BE OBSTACLES
ILLUSTRATION… “Mistake Out” Crossroads, Issue No. 7, pp. 3-4
Bette Nesmith had a good secretarial job in a Dallas bank when she ran across a problem that interested her. Wasn’t there a better way to correct the errors she made on her electric typewriter? Bette had some art experience and she knew that artists who worked in oils just painted over their errors. Maybe that would work for her too. So she concocted a fluid to paint over her typing errors.
Before long, all the secretaries in her building were using what she then called “Mistake Out.” She attempted to sell the product idea to marketing agencies and various companies (including IBM), but they turned her down. However, secretaries continued to like her product, so Bette Nesmith’s kitchen became her first manufacturing facility and she started selling it on her own.
When Bette Nesmith sold the enterprise, the tiny white bottles were earning $3.5 million annually on sales of $38 million. The buyer was Gillette Company and the sale price was $47.5 million.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the Christian life is that once you become a Christian, all your problems and stress just float away. Jesus never promises that out lives would be free from obstacles. How we face our obstacles separates the faithful from the faithless. Obstacles give us an opportunity to grow, stretch, strengthen, and learn.
Joshua and the people of Israel were given the task of entering the Land of Canaan, taking it, and settling it. This was the time when all of God’s promises about the “Promised Land” would come true. The land flowing with milk and honey would be their homeland. But, there were obstacles. There were already inhabitants living in the land who did not want to move, nor would they accept the Word of God. They had armies. The Canaanites had huge walled cities such as Jericho, which had to be defeated before the people of Israel could be safe and settled. What were they to do with these obstacles?”
Obstacles and hindrances have a history of impeding walks with God and hampering spiritual progress. Genesis 19:26 records that Lot’s wife could not overcome the obstacle of love for the world, and she looked back to Sodom and Gomorrah and was turned into a pillar of salt. 1 Samuel 17:39 tells us that Saul wanted young David to wear his armor and use his weapons to fight Goliath… Saul was not trusting in the power of God to win the fight. Nehemiah and those rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4:10) had their hammers in one hand and swords in the other because of the obstacles and opposition they were facing from enemies. Matthew 19:22 illustrates for us that riches and material goods are often an obstacle when the rich young ruler chose his wealth over following Jesus. Sin, guilt, and other emotional weights are spoken about in Hebrews 12:1 as hindrances to the believer in the Christian life.
The fact of life, whether you are a Christian or not, is that you will encounter obstacles. Some will be of your own making and because of mistakes made. Some will happen to you because we live in a fallen world because of sin. Nevertheless, the obstacle is there.
II. WHAT IS YOUR OBSTACLE?
1) Family Conflict 5) Anger or Frustration 9) Lack of Prayer
2) Money Matters 6) Spiritually Lazy 10) Hard Relationships
3) Guilt over sin 7) Addiction of some kind 11) Selfishness
4) Depressed because of health 8) Anxiety and Worry 12) Worldly Vision
What is the obstacle in your life that is preventing you from enjoying the fruits of the Promised Land? Jericho was standing in the way of progress for the Children of God. Jericho’s walls and the armies and people inside were an obstacle that Joshua and the Israelites had to overcome.
What is standing in your way of a Godly relationship with your husband or wife or children or grandchildren?
What is obstructing your view of God?
What hurdles must you jump to strive to be more Christlike?
What needs to be torn down in your life to allow you to make spiritual progress?
ILLUSTRATION… Obstacle in Our Path by Brian Cavanaugh
In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse laying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.
Spiritual obstacles are in fact an opportunity to excel and faith. When you choose to tear down these obstacles in your way, then you give yourself the opportunity to grow in faith or to deepen a relationship.
III. DEAL WITH THESE OBSTACLES: TEAR IT DOWN
ILLUSTRATION… from Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, pp. 43-44.
Overcomers
1. Johnny Fulton was run over by a car at the age of three. He suffered crushed hips, broken ribs, a fractured skull, and compound fractures in his legs. It did not look as if he would live. But he would not give up. In fact, he later ran the half-mile in less than two minutes.
2. Walt Davis was totally paralyzed by polio when he was nine years old, but he did not give up. He became the Olympic high jump champion in 1952.
3. Lou Gehrig was such a clumsy ball player that the boys in his neighborhood would not let him play on their team. But he was committed. He did not give up. Eventually, his name was entered into baseball’s Hall of Fame.
4. Woodrow Wilson could not read until he was ten years old. But he was a committed person. He became the twenty-eighth President of the United States.
5. At the age of seven, he had to go to work to help support his family. At nine, his mother died. At twenty-two, he lost his job as a store clerk. At twenty-three, he went into debt and became a partner in a small store. At twenty-six, his partner died leaving him a huge debt. By the age of thirty-five, he had been defeated twice when running for a seat in Congress. At the age of thirty-seven, he won the election. At thirty-nine, he lost his reelection bid. At forty-one, his four-year-old son died. At forty-two, he was rejected for a land officer role. At forty-five, he ran for the Senate and lost. At forty-seven, he was defeated for the nomination for Vice President. At forty-nine, he ran for Senate again and lost again. At the age of fifty-one, he was elected President of the United States. During his second term of office, he was assassinated. But his name lives on among the greats in U.S. history--Abraham Lincoln.
We must realize that obstacles need to be removed from our lives in order for us to have vibrant active lives. Part of being a Christian is living this life victoriously. Having victory does not mean that bad things won’t happen to you. Having victory does not mean you won’t make mistakes and sin. “Tearing down obstacles” means you are not stopped in your spiritual walk by these things.
How do we “tear it down!”? Let’s look back at Joshua 6:20-27. How did Joshua and the people of God overcome the obstacle of Jericho?
· Followed God’s instructions and did not go about it in their own way
1) They ignored Jericho (the world) and what it was saying to them
2) They followed the priests and marched as they were instructed
· They put themselves in a situation where they would be encouraged
1) The trumpets and the Ark of the Covenant encouraged them
2) Marching with their countrymen strengthened their resolve
· When the way was clear, they “charged straight in”
1) Hebrews 12:1 seems to apply here again
2) They left all doubt and guilt and hindrances outside the city
CONCLUSION
