Joshua 6:1-16, 20
Hebrews 11:30 says “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days” Note: Not by force, firepower, or fighting...but by FAITH.
Everyone has faith in something....religion, one’s self, evolution, mankind,...even the atheist has faith in his own reason. But there is only one faith that works for time, and eternity.
It is a understanding faith...by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God (Heb. 11:3) It is a saving faith....for by grace are ye saved through faith....(Eph. 2:18) and it is a working faith because “faith without works is dead. (James 2:20)
A minister once tried to demonstrate the difference between faith, and fact. He said, It is indeed a fact that you are sitting in pews. It is a fact that I am standing behind this pulpit. But it is only by faith that I believe that you are listening to me.
Martin Luther: Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible. Then to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerant.
Spurgeon: “A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a great faith will bring heaven to your soul”
1. The Obstacle of Faith.
I don’t mind obstacles unless they get in the way. What’s standing in your way tonight ? What’s holding you back ? What’s keeping you from greatness, from victory, from success ?
What’s your Jericho ? 40 years earlier they stood in this same place....
Facts about Jericho: Perhaps the oldest city in the world....the Canaanites that inhabitated the city were a very sinful people. Every conceived act of immorality occured behind those walls. What ya hiding
behind your walls ? Jericho was a large city surrounded by two enormous walls which were lined with soldiers and watchmen stood at every gate. 8.5 acres of land, two walls 15 ft apart. This was the obstacle that stood in the way of the children of Israel.
*Notice their options: Scale walls, and get killed, beat down gates, and get killed, tunnel underneath, and get killed, use bombs,not invented
Faith had an alternative. God had a plan. That can be a problem sometimes....cause alot of us have everything figured out....and we’ve got our own way of doing things. This is where.......
2. The Obedience of Faith.....comes in. It is one thing to hear the word of God.....it’s something else to obey.
Illust: The African Impala can jump a height of 10 feet and cover a distance of 30 feet. Yet, these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo by a 3 foot wall. How ? They want jump if
they can’t see where their feet will land.
Sounds alot like us.......God I’ll do anything you want.....just show me the outcome....just don’t expect me to do something I’ve never done before.....don’t ask me to do anything challenging....don’t ask me to do
anything foolish !
Illust. Enthusiastic preacher was exhorting his congregation to become more active in church affairs, to get the church on it’s feet, and moving. Brother, and sisters...what this church needs is the energy to get up and walk. One of his deacons said: Let her walk brother, let her walk. The preacher raised his voice a little and said....but we cannot be
satisfied with walking, we’ve got to pick up speed and run......same deacon chimed in....let her run preacher, let her run. The preacher was really getting into his message now...but running not enough either.. one of these days this church has got to fly.....same deacon....let her fly brother, let her fly. The preacher then said, but if this church is going to fly, we are all going to have to work harder, and give more money ! The deacon said softly....let her walk brother, let her walk.
There is no such thing as a correspondence course for swimming. “If you want to swim you must get in the pool. Faith requires getting wet.
God can’t steer a parked car !
Faith is praying for rain, and bringing an umbrella !
Here was what faith required of the children of Israel ! March around the walls once a day with all the armed men...do this for six days. On the seventh day, have seven priests carry trumpets in front of the ark march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets.....when you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpet, give a loud shout, and the wall will come tumbling down.....This was a strange sight....looked more like a parade than an invasion. God had a formula....they had to have the faith !
Do we really realize how much faith this took....the children of Israel. They were like sitting ducks....cept they were marching....while the soldiers of Jericho were standing on top of the walls....could have fired at any time.
Notice: Implicit Requirements, Individual Responsibilities, and Improbable Results.
God requirements were exact....not one time, not two, not three, not four.......Sometimes we give up on the plan before it’s finished ! Somebody once chided Eidson by saying, why don’t you give up ? You’ve
failed a thousand times....his reply was, no I haven’t failed, I’ve only found a thousand ways that it want work. Our faith must be consistent with God’s plan.
3. The Overcoming by Faith.
It happened just as God said.....the walls came down.
How tall are the walls you’re confronting ? Faith & God can bring’em down.
Illust. Those who have overcome great difficulties.
Illust. Man who was convicted of murder.....Sister was a high schoo drop-out, went back to school...graduated, went to college, went to Law
School, graduated, passed bar exam, faught and gained her brothers release after 20 years in prison.
