WALLS OF JERICHO

How often have we thought to ourselves “there’s a wall standing in my way”?

It is in those moments that we want to so move forward in life but we just can’t seem to do so. It’s because right before our very eyes lies something much bigger than us blocking our way.

While these are not physical, visible walls, these are tougher to penetrate as they are spiritual roadblocks set by the enemy. These walls are intended by the enemy to intimidate us and keep us away from God’s promises and breakthroughs.

THE WALLS OF JERICHO

The Israelites knew these walls very well. At one point in their lives, God finally brought them to the Promise Land. However, when they stepped into that land, they faced a mighty wall built by their enemies – the walls of Jericho. These were the walls that stood in the way of the Israelites and their land of inheritance.

As intimidating those walls may have been, God encouraged them by revealing the end of the matter – the Israelites were going to win!

And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.” (Joshua 6:2)

In the same way, when we face our own walls, we have to realize that we’re up against a team that’s bound to lose. Hiding behind those walls is a kingdom destined for the lake of fire.

GOD’S BATTLE PLAN

Not only did God assure the Israelites of victory in the end, but He also revealed His battle plan to them in Joshua 6:3-5. Now, His plan was not any ordinary battle plan. It was something that no human being could have ever conceived. Yet, it brought tremendous victory that could not have been won any other way.

March around the city = Face your enemies with courage.

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. (Joshua 6:3)

The Israelites were told to go to the enemy territory and march there. As they marched around the city, they faced the thick walls of the city which seemed impenetrable. Similarly, we are called to face the hindrances before us. While walls can be intimidating, we must face them. We are not to fear them.

It is interesting that they were not told to take up their arms and fight. They were just told to march around the walls. This must have taken even more courage as their enemies could have easily shot arrows at them. Oh, how we need this same great courage to obey God!

As Christians, we really need to be brave.

Scripture tells us that we are not given a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Yet, what oftentimes keeps us from confronting our walls is fear. Perhaps, it’s time for us to prayerfully ask God for courage so we can begin to face the small battles, win them, and eventually win the big ones as well.

Priests to blow the horn = Begin the battle by calling to God.

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. (Joshua 6:4)

In Numbers 10:9, we find what horns are used for: “When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses, then you shall sound the alarm with the trumpets and you will be remembered before the Lord your God and you will be saved from your enemies.”

Thus, the blowing of the trumpets was not meant to intimidate or deafen the enemy. It was actually for God to remember the people of Israel so that they may be saved. This teaches us that when we face battles, our first efforts should be in prayer, crying out to God.

However, just like blowing the horns, it may seem like prayer does not do much to defeat the enemy. Trumpet blasts just do not seem to strike a blow at the enemy. In prayer, it can look the same.

But when we realize that our battle is really spiritual than it is carnal, we get to see why prayer is so important (Ephesians 6:12-18). Battles have to be won in the spiritual realm first before we can win in the natural. This is because what empowers our natural enemies are their spiritual allies.

Prayer is such an essential key because when we pray, we are actually disarming our spiritual enemies so that they cannot empower our natural ones.

When we are facing our enemies, it is quite natural to go ahead and attempt to break the walls ourselves. However, very little of the job is done when we take things into our own hands. Praying is the opposite.

Praying is relinquishing control. 

It is removing the effort from our own hands and surrendering it to God, knowing that the battle is the Lord’s.

Do not make any sound for six days then shout on the seventh day = We need to keep a quiet heart.

When facing a wall, a person can get “noisy” by complaining about his circumstance. Man can also be very noisy inwardly by harbouring negative thoughts. However, noise such as these never breaks down the walls.

Instead, we need to have a quietness in our hearts. Isaiah 26:3 says “You will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Quietness is the state of a heart that trusts in God.

March for seven days = Press on until God’s work is complete.

The Lord commanded the Israelites to march around Jericho for seven days. As the Israelites obeyed, getting up each day to walk around Jericho, one could imagine how there must not have been any change to those walls. They remained standing. No cracks. No debris falling. No thinning out.

Isn’t that very similar to most of our walls today? We have been trying to follow God and it has already been taking a while, yet there is still no indication of progress. The wall is still standing strong or at least it looks like it.

Perhaps it is because like the Israelites, the wall was not designed to fall little by little. Perhaps God wants to cause the wall to fall flat on the ground at once at the perfect time. Perhaps you are still somewhere in between your personal six days. But if you will press on, the seventh day too shall come.

Shout with a great shout! = Victory is won when we partner with God.

It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s 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. (Joshua 6:5)

There will come a time when we ought to shout. This, however, is not the shout of frustration or anger but the shout of victory. When we wait on God, a time shall come when He will tell us to move forward. When that time comes, we need to step in faith.

Lastly, the battle did not end when the walls of Jericho fell down. The Israelites had to charge into enemy territory and defeat the people of Jericho. They had their part as well. Only then did they really receive complete victory.

Are you facing your own Jericho wall today? 

Know that these walls are not dead ends. In God, they can actually become entry points to His promises and breakthroughs.

This same victory that the Israelites had is available for us if we learn to seek to know God’s battle plan, gain the courage to obey it, and have the faith to believe that we are part of the Kingdom of the Almighty God that is ultimately destined to win.