OVERTHROWING HINDERING WALLS BY THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH

Emmanuel English Church Hong Kong » The Gospel of God – The Obedience of  FaithText: Joshua 6:1-27; Hebrews 11:30.

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” (Hebrews 11:30). The obedience here was not just Joshua’s responsibility but it was the collective responsibility of all the priests, armies of Israel, and the children of Israel. They had to go through Jericho to enter the promised land, and the walls of Jericho were brought down because of their obedience of faith. As soldiers of Christ, if we are going to enter the nations of the world to preach the gospel and bring the converts in, we must do it by the obedience of faith. You must make up your mind that whenever the Lord returns, He will meet in you the obedience of faith because that is the practical way to demonstrate that you have the faith to conquer and go into all the nations as He commanded us.

 

1.      THE DIVINE PLAN AND PROCEDURE FOR CAPTURING A CLOSED CITY

Joshua 6:1-10.

 

As Jericho was closed to the children of Israel, many cities of our world are closed so that the gospellers and evangelists will not penetrate those cities, but God has given a divine plan to use in capturing closed cities. “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.” (Joshua 6:1-2). Before Israel had a foothold on Jericho, God called those things which were not as though they were when He told them He had given Jericho into their hand. Our response of faith should be on the side of the Lord by believing what He has said.

 

  • The Victory of Objective Faith in Divine Declaration Joshua 6:1-12; 2:9,24; Acts 27:25; Romans 4:20-21. “And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.” (Joshua 6:3-5). God gave the children of Israel an instruction they never had before because no wall had been captured or conquered by this procedure God gave them; you must pay attention if you are hearing about a new procedure that you never experienced before. As soldiers in the army of the Lord, when the Lord gives us the instruction and procedure to capture the souls of people from their captivity to the god of this world, we ought to follow so that the work can be done. When God gives an instruction, we don’t have to give any reason, prove anything, or convince anyone with arguments; the fact that God said so should finalise everything. “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” (Acts 27:25). This should be the kind of faith we have and the attitude we have when God gives us the procedure to tackle any challenge. We must not modify, mutilate, change, or alter anything the Lord has said because none is wiser than God to improve on what He has said. When God speaks, those who are real children of God follow because they believe that it shall be as God has said. “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4:20-21). Unbelief makes us stagger and behave like drunken people because the wine of the approach of the world creates unbelief and makes us stagger, debate, and try to reason out God’s instruction. Our belief in God’s promise will persuade us that He is able to perform them.

 

  • The Virtue of Obedient Faithfulness with Disciplined Devotion Joshua 6:3-10; Hebrews 11:8, 30; Romans 16:26-27; 1 Corinthians 4:2. In the past, the fathers of the children of Israel gave the impression that they could not control their speech, but the new generation of Israelites received an instruction to be quiet until the seventh day before they shout; obedient faithfulness is what wins the battle. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” (Hebrews 11:8, 30). Neither Abraham nor the children of Israel had an example of the kind of obedience that was expected of them, but they had disciplined devotion and the obedience of faith. We have a cloud of witnesses and examples of the fulfilment of God’s word which looked incredible, so we have no excuse. God demands the same obedience of faith from the new covenant believers. “But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:” (Romans 16:26). This gospel comes to us now, His instructions come to us, and His persuasive commission now comes to us for the obedience of faith.

 

  • The Vileness of Obstinate Foolishness in Doubtful Disposition Joshua 6:3-4, 10; Isaiah 55:8-11; Judges 5:15b, 16b, 23; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 21, 25-29. “And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.” (Joshua 6:3-4, 10). It is wonderful that none of the priests or children of Israel came up with any doubtful disputation, debate, or argument unlike Naaman when he was told by Elijah to dip himself in Jordan seven times. We must always listen to the Lord without bringing in our human, native, or tribal ideas. God did not tell them that the victory would be gradual, but they were to shout on the seventh day; we shout before we see because the victory is by faith and not by sight. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:811). There is no comparison between our thoughts and God’s thoughts, so His ways, procedure, and pattern for victories are higher than ours. God’s word will always accomplish what pleases Him like the salvation of sinners, healing of the sick, deliverance of the demonised, the holiness of the believer, and the possibilities of grace in the believer.

 

2.     THE DYNAMIC PASSION AND PROCESS OF CONQUERING THROUGH COURAGEOUS COMMITMENT

Joshua 6:11-21.

 

Without courageous commitment, nothing can be done. Conquering is a process, and everything may not happen on the first day, but as we complete everything the Lord has given us to do with courageous commitment, the victory will be ours.

 

  • The Powerful Weapon of Silence with Supplication Joshua 6:10-16; Psalm 46:1011; 2 Kings 18:36; 19:35-37. There is no point in praying and worrying at the same time. “And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.” (Joshua 6:10-16). If the children of Israel had stopped going around the city on the other days because they knew the wall was to fall on the seventh day, they would have missed the victory. We are not to watch what is happening before we bring in our obedience of faith. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” (Psalms 46:10-11). There are times to be quiet, still, say nothing, and discuss nothing. The discipline of a mature leader is to be still when God has not told us what to do next. The secret of being able to be still is knowing that the Lord of hosts is with us. “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.” (1 Kings 18:36). The secret is to do everything God tells us to do according to His word, whether He tells us to be quiet or to shout. Don’t let the situation push you to do what God has not ordained to be done. “But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.” (2 Kings 18:36). It is a peculiar weakness and depravity of the natural man to reply to those who are speaking against us, but it is the grace of God and the experience of the removal of the Adamic nature to be quiet at such a time. “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.” (2 Kings 19:35-37). The result of keeping quiet as they were commanded by the king was that God fought for them. This is the power of silence, holding your peace, and saying nothing when God has not given you anything to say.

 

  • The Perpetual Warning Concerning the Silver of the Sanctuary Joshua 6:17-19, 24; 7:1, 11-13; Deuteronomy 13:17; Micah 4:13. “And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.” (Joshua 6:17-19). God expected the children of Israel to consecrate to Him the first fruit of their victory over the Canaanites, but Achan stole some of them. The secrets on earth are open scandals exposed in heaven. “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.” (Joshua 7:1, 11-13). Secret sin will bring open defeat. Secret sin will reverse the promise of God’s perpetual presence with you. God will be faithful to His promise on the condition that we will remain faithful to the word He has given us. When the children of Israel took away the accursed thing from among them, God renewed His presence, power, protection, victory, and triumph with them.

 

  • The Prevailing Warriors Winning with the Shout and the Sword Joshua 6:20-21; Psalm 132:9, 16; Ephesians 6:16-17; Revelation 19:13-15. “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.” (Joshua 6:20-21). The combination of great faith, great faithfulness, great shout, and great expectation brought a great fulfilment of the word of God. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” (Ephesians 6:16-17). The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. We must do what He has told us to do without adding our carnal thoughts, carnal disobedience, carnal debates, or disputations. Rather, we must have devotion, commitment, and faithfulness to the Lord and the word of the Lord even when we do not know what the outcome will be. Carnal and self-management causes problem as it did for the descendants of Jacob and Esau even after they settled their disputes personally, because of what their mother did. We don’t have to help God because He always knows what to do.

 

3.     THE DECLARED POWER AND PROTECTION OF CONVERTS BY THE COMING CHRIST

Joshua 6:22-27.

 

  • The Faith and Testimony of Converted Rahab Joshua 6:22-27; 2:9-18; Hebrews 11:31; John 5:24-29. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” (Hebrews 11:31). The name ‘Rahab the harlot’ was retained in the New Testament, although she stopped being a harlot after her salvation; those who have native or traditional names do not need to change their names after conversion like Simon the leper did not change his name even though he was no longer leprous and dwelt among the people.

 

  • The Fellowship and Transformation After her Confirmed Rescue Joshua 6:25; Matthew 1:1, 5-6a; Acts 2:40-42, 47; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 18-20. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king;” (Matthew 1:1, 5-6a). After her conversion, Rahab eventually came into the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the Lord does to us too: He washes us, makes us become members of the family of God, and we come into fellowship with heaven and with the saints of God.

 

  • The Foundation of Truth for the Coming Rapture Joshua 6:23-24; Luke 17:2830; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. As Rahab and her family from Jericho became one with the people of God, at the time of the rapture, we will also join the saints above and be with the Lord forever. You will be there in Jesus Name. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17). “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). As we continue in fellowship, in the truth, and transparent holiness, we will be ready to go with the Lord when He comes back for His saints.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous post CONSECRATION AND CIRCUMCISION BEFORE CONQUEST
Next post THE COST OF AVOIDABLE TRANSGRESSION IN A MILITANT CONQUERING CHURCH