WHEN THE WALLS COME DOWN
Moving Forward into What God Has Prepared for You
Scripture Reading
Joshua 6:20 ‘It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.’
Introduction
– The conquering of Jericho was one of the great victories in Israel’s history.
– After years in the wilderness, God’s people had crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land.
– Standing before them was the fortified city of Jericho, with its walls and gates.
– Yet God had already declared that He was giving them the victory.
– Joshua 6:2-3 Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.’
– God’s instructions were unusual. The people were to march around the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. Then the priests would sound the trumpets and the people would shout.
– As they obeyed, the walls collapsed, and they took the city.
– The victory came through God’s power as His people followed His instructions.
– There were three things God expected of them: WAIT, OBEY AND TRUST.
– We also face situations that resemble the walls of Jericho: challenges, opposition, fears and circumstances that threaten our progress.
– But God’s purposes for our lives extend beyond what we can see in front of us.
– The God Who brought down the walls of Jericho is still able to make a way where there seems to be no way.
1. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE TO WAIT
– Waiting is often one of the most challenging parts of our walk with God.
– We want answers and progress, but God’s timing is not always the same as ours.
– Imagine how the Israelites felt as they marched around Jericho day after day.
– The walls remained standing, the gates were closed, and nothing appeared to be changing.
– Yet every day of waiting was also a day of obedience.
– Sometimes we feel as though we are walking around the same problem without making progress.
– We pray, trust and continue doing what is right, but the situation remains unchanged.
– It is during these seasons that patience and perseverance are developed.
– James 1:4 ‘Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’
– Waiting can teach us endurance, humility and a deeper dependence on God.
– The process may be uncomfortable, but it is not necessarily unproductive.
– Don’t allow the waiting season to discourage you or cause you to give up.
– When nothing appears to be happening it doesn’t mean that God is doing nothing.
2. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE TO OBEY
– God’s instructions to Joshua were certainly not a conventional military strategy.
– The people could have questioned the instructions or insisted on doing things their own way, but they chose to obey.
– They did not need to understand every detail of God’s plan; they needed to follow His instructions.
– Obedience does not always require complete understanding.
– Sometimes God leads us in ways that do not make immediate sense to us.
– We may feel tempted to take control or force an outcome instead of submitting to His leading.
– Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.’
– Obedience means trusting that God knows what we do not know.
– The Israelites’ obedience positioned them to experience what God had promised.
– We cannot expect to enjoy the benefits of God’s direction while refusing to follow His instructions.
– Keep doing what God has told you to do. Keep following His Word and walking in His ways.
– Obedience today may be preparing the way for something you cannot yet see.
3. THERE COMES A TIME TO ACT IN FAITH
– There are times to wait and obey, but there also comes a moment when faith must move into action.
– For the Israelites, that moment came on the seventh day.
– After marching around the city seven times, the priests sounded the trumpets and Joshua instructed the people to shout.
– Joshua 6:16 ‘Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!’
– Notice that Joshua did not tell the people to shout because the walls had already fallen.
– Their shout was an expression of faith in what God had promised.
– They had to believe before they saw the result.
– Hebrews 11:30 ‘By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.’
– Faith is not simply believing that God is able; it is responding when He tells us to move.
– Perhaps you have been waiting for perfect circumstances before taking the next step.
– But faith does not always wait for everything to be perfect.
– The Israelites did not bring the walls down through the volume of their shout.
– God brought the walls down, but they had to respond in faith.
– When God says it is time, don’t allow fear to keep you from taking the next step.
4. GOD IS ABLE TO BRING DOWN THE WALLS
– Jericho was a formidable obstacle, but it was not greater than God.
– The walls that seemed so strong and permanent collapsed when God intervened.
– This reminds us that what appears immovable to us is not immovable to Him.
– We all face walls of one kind or another.
– There may be walls of fear, discouragement, opposition or uncertainty.
– Sometimes these situations have been present for so long that we begin to accept them as permanent.
– Luke 1:37 ‘For with God nothing will be impossible.’
– We should never allow the size of our challenges to cause us to underestimate the greatness of our God.
– The Lord may remove an obstacle, open another way, or give us the strength and wisdom to overcome it.
– Our responsibility is to trust Him and follow His leading.
– Don’t become so focused on the walls that you lose sight of the Lord.
5. DEAL WITH WHAT LIES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU
– There is an interesting detail in the account of Jericho that we can easily overlook.
– Joshua 6:20 ‘…the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.’
– When the walls fell, each person moved forward into the city directly in front of him.
– They did not need to run around looking for another place to enter.
– There is a valuable lesson for us in this.
– Each of us has our own responsibilities, challenges and opportunities.
– We can become so concerned about what others are doing that we neglect what God has entrusted to us.
– There is an old Afrikaans saying: ‘Elke huis het sy kruis.’ In English: ‘Every home has its own cross to bear.’ Sometimes we imagine that others have easier lives, but everyone has their own journey and challenges.
– Comparison can distract us from what God has called us to do.
– Galatians 6:5 ‘For each one shall bear his own load.’
– Focus on what God has placed before you and take responsibility for your part.
– When each person faithfully fulfils their responsibilities, great things can be accomplished.
– Don’t become distracted by someone else’s journey while neglecting the path God has prepared for you.
6. THE WALLS ARE NOT YOUR DESTINATION
– Jericho was an obstacle along Israel’s journey, but it was not their ultimate destination.
– Beyond Jericho lay the land God had promised to His people.
– If they had allowed the walls to intimidate them, they could have stopped short of what God had prepared.
– Sometimes we become so absorbed by present difficulties that we lose sight of the future.
– But what you are facing today does not have to determine your tomorrow.
– God had not brought Israel through the wilderness and across the Jordan simply to abandon them outside Jericho.
– He was leading them forward into His purposes.
– Philippians 3:13-14 ‘…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.’
– Keep your eyes on the Lord and remain willing to follow Him into the next season of your life.
– The walls were never meant to be the end of the journey.
Conclusion
– The story of Jericho reminds us of the importance of waiting, obeying and trusting.
– The Israelites followed God’s instructions and witnessed His power at work.
– Our journey of faith also calls for patience, perseverance and a willingness to act when God leads us.
– We need to remain focused on what He has placed directly in front of us.
– Your test can become your testimony, and your stumbling block can become a stepping stone towards the things God has prepared for you.
– Joshua 6:27 ‘The LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.’
– The victory became a testimony to God’s presence and power in Joshua’s life.
– In the same way, our lives can become a testimony of His faithfulness.
– Keep waiting when He asks you to wait, obeying when He asks you to obey, and moving forward in faith when He calls you to act.
– The Lord Who led His people to victory at Jericho is the same faithful God Who will guide you as you follow Him.
By Pastor Andrew W Roebert
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