*Joshua 6:8-16
When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ?9? The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ?10? But Joshua had commanded the people, ?Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!? ?11? So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the people returned to camp and spent the night there. 12? Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. ?13? The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. ?14? So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15? 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. ?16? The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, ?Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!
-You have been quiet long enough! This is your seventh day.
-You have been waiting to celebrate this victory.
-You have endured others thinking you weren’t going to make it.
-Saying you weren’t called for the job at hand.
SHOUT! FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY!
-its time for a change!
-Its time to quit living in the land of Bondage, and start living in the land of milk and honey!
-Its time to start living in the land of plenty!
IT’S YOUR SEVENTH DAY!,
SHOUT FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY!
SOME FACTS ABOUT JERICHO
1. About 10,000 plus people in the city.
2. Jericho was surrounded by two huge walls and many soldiers.
3. At every gate there were watchmen.
4. Two walls 15 ft apart.
"Seven principles for Spiritual Victory"
1. Seven is the number of completion. Jesus had seven words at the cross, the last thing He said was; "it is finished".
2. Seven is the day of rest. The universe was created in six days and on the seventh day God rested.
3. Seven is the number of healing. Naamen the leper washed in the Jordan seven times at the instruction of Elias the Prophet.
4. Seven is the number of victory. Six times the Israelites marched around Jericho and nothing happened but the seventh time they shouted and the walls came tumbling down.
#1. A victory involves unity and fellowship.
-Being united to the vision of the house.
-Being in fellowship with the church and brothers and sisters in the church.
- Being united in one spirit with the other churches in the city.
#2. Victory is certain when we recognize who is in charge. The battle is the Lord’s.
Without a doubt God was ultimatelly in charge, but he also had a leader that was placed in charge of the battle. Verse 2, "But the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its mighty warriors".
-Somebody has to be in charge.
-Uniting with your Joshua(The Pastor) is key in aquiring the victory.
-God gives your Pastor spititual authority and if you follow, you will see miracles like you’ve never seen before.
Elias saw many miracles. And God later allowed him to get a double portion because he was faithful to Elijah. He understood who was in authority.
The twelve disciples got to see and experience more miracles in three years than many of us will get to see in our lifetimes because they stayed close to Jesus.
-Joshua was not just a messenger but a man with the authority of God. The words were from the Lord Himself, "But the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its mighty warriors".
#3. Victory starts when you change your attitude.
*1 Corinthians 2:16, "We have the mind of Christ"
*2 Timothy 1:7 says; "God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love, of power and of a sound mind."
-Don’t be afraid to move out of your place of comfort.
-Don’t be afraid to move on God’s command.
- People may not understand but if you move they will see the results.
"For we walk by faith and not by sight".
-We are not governed by physical limitations. THE VICTORY IS YOURS, IF GOD SAID IT YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE BANK.
#4. Victory is assured when we don’t rely on our own strength or abilities but on the power of God.
-God’s call for Joshua to envision the fall of Jericho was based on God’s power and direction, as He declared unto Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand"
"ITS NOT BY POWER OR BY MIGHT, BUT BY MY SPIRIT SAITH THE LORD"
-The Lord has given us power by His Spirit to move forward and conquer.
-you are coming out of your recetion.
-If the Holy Spirit is inside of you, you have the spirit of a conqueror.
* Acts 1:8 "And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you".
Victory depends on God’s favor not man’s favor.
Psalm 5:12; "For thou oh Lord will bless the righteous and with favor you surround him as with a shield".
#5. Being people of Vision.
It all began with a God-given vision.
*Joshua 6:2 God said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and its mighty men of valor".
The word declares in Proverbs 29:18; "Where there is no vision, the people perish".
-Joshua and Caleb were two of twelve spies sent in to spy out the Promised Land forty years prior to this. Like the others, Joshua and Caleb saw the giants and the fortified cities. But unlike the others they chose to belive God.
-They were men of vision.
THE REASON THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE SOMEONE DARED TO DREAM!
#6. You must have the kind of faith that brings down walls.
Hebrews 11:30 says "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days"
-Without faith it’s impossible to please God
Faith without works is dead. (James 2:20)
three levels of faith
1. Little faith.
-you cant do the work that is required here with little faith.
- Little faith is wavering faith, struggling faith, wrestling faith.
2. Great faith.
- is reaching faith
-Great faith is like the faith of the woman with the issue of blood.
-Great faith is willing to wait on God, it perseveres, it doesn’t give up.
-It relies on who God is and His character.
3. Perfect faith. Is resting faith, *Mark 11:23-24
-Perfect Faith is praying for rain on a sunny day, and bringing an umbrella !
-Perfect faith knows without a doubt that if God said it, it will come to pass.
#7. Action will assure you the victory.
The Bible says that; "Faith without works is dead", (James 5:20)
(verse 15) " On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the city as they had done before. But this time they went around the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!
(verse 20), "When the people heard the sound of the horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the city from every side and captured it".
NOW, SHOUT! FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY!
