In Joshua 6, Israel comes up to the fortified city of Jericho. Two walls surrounded Jericho and each stood roughly 30 ft high. An inner wall was 12 ft thick and an outer wall was 6 ft thick. These walls were built on a slope and had a ledge built across the top of them so that soldiers could easily defend the city from attacking forces trying to climb the slopes below. For most all of the people of Israel, this was the first time they had seen a fortified city and the walls must have looked to them like they reached to the heavens. They knew God had promised them victory in the Promised Land, but how could they possibly defeat a city with this kind of defensive structure surrounding it?
Perhaps you are facing a similar wall in your life. You are up against an adversity you have never had to deal with before and it seems to be more than you can handle. Maybe you lost your job. Maybe your marriage is crumbling. Maybe your kids are rebelling. Maybe you received a bad report from a doctor. Maybe you have had to recently stand next to a freshly dug grave.
What do we do when we face a wall of adversity in our lives? As I was preparing to preach on this passage a few Sundays back, I was sitting in my office right before the services reading the passage one final time. As I did these 4 points came to my mind.
First, remember the promises of God. In Joshua 6, the first thing God does is to remind Joshua that He has promised to give Israel victory over the city of Jericho. In fact, He states this future act as a present fact. Why? Because when God makes a promise, it is as good as done. It is in the bank. If you are facing a wall right now, fall back on the promises of God. If you have trusted Christ, the wall you face cannot change who you are in Christ. The wall you face cannot change the fact that you are forgiven. The wall you face cannot change the fact that you have been given the free gift of eternal life. Get into the Word and cling to the promises of God.
Second, recognize your dependence on God. God told Israel to march around the city of Jericho one time each day for 6 days. They were to then march around the city 7 times on the 7th day. And each time around they were to be quiet. In the middle of the march they were to carry the Ark of the Covenant which reminded Israel of the presence of God. With the Ark was to be 7 priests blowing 7 trumpets. According to Numbers 10:9, these trumpets were to be blown as Israel went into battle as a way to say, “God, remember us.” This was not a military march. This was a spiritual march. This march wasn’t as much for those inside the wall as it was for those outside the wall to remind them that they needed God to fight for them. Apart from His power, they would never be able to conquer this fortified city of Jericho. So what do you do when you are up against a wall? Along with remembering the promises of God, you must recognize your dependence on Him. That is why Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
Perhaps you are facing a similar wall in your life. You are up against an adversity you have never had to deal with before and it seems to be more than you can handle. Maybe you lost your job. Maybe your marriage is crumbling. Maybe your kids are rebelling. Maybe you received a bad report from a doctor. Maybe you have had to recently stand next to a freshly dug grave.
What do we do when we face a wall of adversity in our lives? As I was preparing to preach on this passage a few Sundays back, I was sitting in my office right before the services reading the passage one final time. As I did these 4 points came to my mind.
First, remember the promises of God. In Joshua 6, the first thing God does is to remind Joshua that He has promised to give Israel victory over the city of Jericho. In fact, He states this future act as a present fact. Why? Because when God makes a promise, it is as good as done. It is in the bank. If you are facing a wall right now, fall back on the promises of God. If you have trusted Christ, the wall you face cannot change who you are in Christ. The wall you face cannot change the fact that you are forgiven. The wall you face cannot change the fact that you have been given the free gift of eternal life. Get into the Word and cling to the promises of God.
Second, recognize your dependence on God. God told Israel to march around the city of Jericho one time each day for 6 days. They were to then march around the city 7 times on the 7th day. And each time around they were to be quiet. In the middle of the march they were to carry the Ark of the Covenant which reminded Israel of the presence of God. With the Ark was to be 7 priests blowing 7 trumpets. According to Numbers 10:9, these trumpets were to be blown as Israel went into battle as a way to say, “God, remember us.” This was not a military march. This was a spiritual march. This march wasn’t as much for those inside the wall as it was for those outside the wall to remind them that they needed God to fight for them. Apart from His power, they would never be able to conquer this fortified city of Jericho. So what do you do when you are up against a wall? Along with remembering the promises of God, you must recognize your dependence on Him. That is why Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
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