What the Enemy Intends for Evil, God Will Use for Good

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20

At just 16 yrs. of age, St. Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and taken from his British homeland to Ireland where he was sold into slavery. He worked in the fields as a shepherd for 6 years under terribly harsh conditions, until God miraculously provided a way of escape for him to flee. As difficult as that time must have been, it was during those lonely years of enslavement, where he faced hunger, freezing temperatures, and pain, that he met with God, and found deep closeness in His Presence through prayer and meditation.

Who would have ever dreamed how God would turn around this tragedy for good?

After months back at home, recuperating and seeking direction for his future plans, St. Patrick felt strongly led to go back to Ireland. He knew God had brought him there for a purpose and he was burdened to share Christ with a lost nation.

History tells us that thousands were saved. Revival broke out among this pagan people, lives were changed, as many came to know Christ as Lord and Savior.

Though God is not the author of evil in our world, and though often He does choose to shelter and protect us from the evil attacks of the enemy on our lives, sometimes…He takes us straight through dark seasons. And it’s never to leave us there for no purpose. He will always have purpose and hope through what we may experience, however difficult it may be. He will always be faithful to bring greater good.

Both the lives of St. Patrick and Joseph in the Bible remind us of this truth. Sold into slavery, held captive, and imprisoned, yet set free for the “saving of many lives.”

If you find yourself in a difficult season right now, find encouragement through this reminder: God will turn it around for good. Somehow. He is faithful to His Word, and He is crazy about you. He will see you through, don’t ever doubt it. You will step out to the other side of the darkness. And who knows, but that many lives may be affected for the kingdom’s sake, because of your difficult season of struggle.



He Will Give You Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Often, we can be our own worst enemy. We struggle with feelings of guilt and inadequacy, in parenting, in our marriages, in work, from the past to our present. We “instant replay” all of our mistakes in our hearts, in our minds. We feel like we’re not enough, we can’t get it all done. And the world can be really great at reminding us most days where we fall short. The enemy whispers his lies of defeat. He’s done it since the beginning of time. He’s a manipulator and deceiver. He’ll attack when we’re already down. He watches for our every weakness.

Comparison seeps in.

Feelings of being overwhelmed.

We sink right into that downward spiral of defeat and despair.

And, you may know the story well.

I do too.

But we don’t have to stay stuck there.

Dear friends in Christ, who work so hard, serve faithfully, love well, and make endless sacrifices for those you care about…

For those who don’t always feel like you get it right, who struggle with guilt, insecurity, or deep feelings of failure…

God sees you.

He knows the burdens you carry.

He’s aware of how you’ve tried so hard to be strong for those you love.He understands the pain you’ve faced and even without uttering a word, He knows.

He gets it, and you, and me too.

In our weakness, He is strong.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Come to Him, bring all that’s on your heart and mind. He promises to give rest and peace. He’s never asked us to carry it all. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect and strong through our own strength.

But right smack in the middle of our weakness, He shows up Strong, Mighty, Powerful, True.

We can let go of the guilt, the defeat, the feelings that we’re not enough, or the lies the enemy has whispered our way.

God gives us hope and a purpose, He renews our strength like the eagles, and He invites us to bring every care, every burden to Him.

And to leave it there.

Not in ourselves. In our own efforts or striving. Not in our image, our families, the way we look, or what we own. Not in what we do, or how many titles are behind our name.

Rest for the weary and strength for the overwhelmed are found only through Christ.



Who Can You Trust?

“For the word of the Lordholds true, and we can trust everything he does” (Psalm 33:4).

Let’s consider the options. Are you going to trust Congress? Probably not. Their credibility is kind of low right now. Are you going to trust the media? Why would you when you never know if they’re telling the truth? Are you going to trust popular opinion? Not too smart when it’s changing by the second.

Are you going to trust in yourself? That’s actually pretty stupid, too, because emotions lie. If you live by your emotions, you are going to be manipulated the rest of your life by other people and by your changing moods.

If you’re going to entrust your life and your future to someone or something, you’d better choose someone who has your best interest at heart, knows everything, is perfect, and will never lie to you. That kind of limits your options — to God.

No one is ever going to always tell you the truth. They’re going to shade it. They’re going to filter it. They’re going to make it sound nice. They won’t tell you what you need to hear. But what you need to hear is the truth, because it is the truth that sets you free. Lies about yourself, others, the world, and how life really is only keep you in bondage.

To be set free, you must have the truth. As I’ve said many times, the truth will set you free, but first it makes you miserable. We don’t like the truth. We don’t want to hear that most of the problems in our lives were brought on by poor decisions. We don’t want to hear that it’s our own stubbornness and ego and insecurity that cause the stress in our lives, but it’s true.

Psalm 33:4 says, “For the word of the Lordholds true, and we can trust everything he does” (NLT, second edition).

God said it, and that settles it — whether or not you believe it. God isn’t waiting on your opinion to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong. If God says it, it’s true.

You can trust God.



Where to Run If You’re Overwhelmed

“From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety.” Psalm 61:2 (NLT)

You skip breakfast. You’re late for work. You forgot to pack the little one’s lunch. Your laundry basket is a Mt. Everest of dirty clothes. Your loved one is in the hospital. You can’t seem to get to the store to buy groceries. You still haven’t returned that growing list of phone calls and text messages.

Your mother needs you, your friend needs you, your spouse needs you, your kids need you, your boss needs you … you need to be cloned or counseled or consoled or caught up in the air to meet the Lord!

“Rapture me Lord!”

You feel stressed. Guilty. Inadequate. Overwhelmed!

Overwhelmed. We feel it for all sorts of reasons, and I don’t know about you, but when I feel overwhelmed I want to run away! I want to run from what feels too big and unfixable! I want to run to my closet with some candy and hide!

Thankfully, God wants us to run when we’re feeling overwhelmed. But instead of running away from what overwhelms us, He wants us to run to Him. To run to His Word which settles us and shelters us.

Sometimes we can’t change all the stuff in our lives that feels bigger than we can handle. But, whatever feels bigger than you is still puny compared to the Rock that is higher than you!

When I feel flat-out overwhelmed and under-qualified and out-of-sorts, I’m learning not to run away from my stress. I am also learning not to run to a bag of chocolate!

Instead, I’m learning to run to God — to His Word — in the overwhelming middle of my stress!

When I run to God’s Word, even just one verse, I find that God is my “refuge and strength, an ever-present help in of trouble” (Psalm 46:1, NIV). When I run to Him, I find that my refuge isn’t an escape from my stress. God is my refuge. I’m reminded once again that my strength doesn’t come from me and my stamina or drive. My strength comes from the Lord.

He is the rock that is higher than I am. When I run to His Word, I discover that His law is “my delight” and it protects me and keeps me from totally freaking out or giving up or falling apart. (Psalm 119:92) He really is the Rock that is stronger and higher than anything you and I face.

If you feel the need to run away, lace up your cutest running shoes, and go for it! Run into the strong arms of Jesus. He is Your strength. He is your Rock. He is your refuge.

And, when you find yourself sheltered in the truth of His Word and in the sanctuary of His presence, all the stress that overwhelmed you and felt bigger than you suddenly shrinks down to the pebble size it really is!

God’s Word gives you the perspective you need. God’s presence gives you the peace you need, so run away sister … run to the Rock who’s waiting to shelter and settle you.



Always Trusting

But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Not only this, but it is now the third day since these things happened (Luke 24:21).

I have always felt so sorry that in that walk to Emmaus the disciples had not said to Jesus, “We still trust”; instead of “We trusted.” That is so sad–something that is all over.

If they had only said, “Everything is against our hope; it looks as if our trust was vain, but we do not give up; we believe we shall see Him again.” But no, they walked by His side declaring their lost faith, and He had to say to them “O fools, and slow of heart to believe!”

Are we not in the same danger of having these words said to us? We can afford to lose anything and everything if we do not lose our faith in the God of truth and love.

Let us never put our faith, as these disciples did, in a past tense–“We trusted.” But let us ever say, “I am trusting.”

–Crumbs

The soft, sweet summer was warm and glowing,
Bright were the blossoms on every bough:
I trusted Him when the roses were blooming;

I trust Him now…

Small were my faith should it weakly falter
Now that the roses have ceased to blow;
Frail were the trust that now should alter,
Doubting His love when storm clouds grow.

–The Song of a Bird in a Winter Storm


Pulling Down Strongholds: You Too Can Overcome

“Monday, 28.– I talked with one who, a little time before, was so overwhelmed with affliction that she went out one night to put an end to it all by throwing herself into the New River. As she went by the Foundry (it being a watch night), she heard some people singing. She stopped and went in; she listened awhile, and God spoke to her heart. She had no more desire to put an end to her life, but to die to sin and to live to God.” (The Journal of John Wesley, p. 151).

 

For the unbeliever

Remember that woman on the way to kill herself at New River. I did not finish reading the quote from John Wesley’s journal.

Something happened on her way. She heard some singing. It sounded so pleasant that she regained a sudden distraction from her deathly plans. She turned aside and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was saved.

We all have fortresses from keeping us from being whom God designed us to be. The greatest of course is our stubborn will and sin. Only in Christ can we find salvation. Without Him there is no hope. Without Christ, you are walking toward that river. You might still have hope in yourself but it is only time that you will find that your plans lead to misery and hopelessness. Turn to hide in Christ and you will be saved from the great Judgment. Christ’s resurrection from the dead is the greatest victory to lead us into God’s kingdom.

Joshua taking down Jericho’s walls

For the Believer

We also learn from the falling of Jericho that the Christian himself will face great obstacles in their lives. In the same way we are to follow God’s leading. We should not be hopeless about our distressing circumstances but delight in an opportunity to see God’s victory at hand. “He who hopes in the Lord will never be disappointed.”

God’s way is always best. His design leads us to life fulfillment. Some of us might be poor while others rich. Some tall, some short. Some with blond hair while others black. Some men while others women. Some bright while others average intelligent. But each of us are on a journey of faith, and it is to these obstacles that the Lord leads us to after we are saved (crossing of Jordan). Victories in our personal lives come by trusting and obeying God’s Word–even if it takes a long time. Here is where we will see the mighty God at work in our lives leading us along the path of holiness. As we look at the ruins of Jericho, we stand amazed at how the Lord led the people into victory.

 

Don’t avoid these strongholds that bind up your life. If God is great enough to save, then He is strong enough to help us rightly live. Repent. Tell the Lord you only want His ways. His ways are the only ones that count.

Success comes by accompanying the Lord through the difficult times of our lives. We need men and women of faith to stand up and believe that God can break down the worst fortresses that threaten the welfare of our lives.

The conquering of Jericho is not so much about fighting as conquering. We have very little emphasis on the actual fighting. But the author did not get distracted from the point of the battle of Jericho. We do not see the great strength of the Israelite warriors pitted against the inhabitants of Jericho. Something more is being presented than the conquering of a city.

God is essentially saying that success is never impossible, no matter what struggles you have. Satan would have you walk along that river of despair. But God leads you to confront the biggest battles that you have. God is there not only to give you success but to etch on your heart and mind the way to win battles is through the power of God. God is with you. He is active and will lead you step by step.

God starts with a formidable city. The point is that whatever the battle the Lord points out in your is a battle to win. There are a number of those who are caught in secret destructive habits or addictions. They are not only the chemically induced ones but the flesh induced. God has a battle plan for each one.

It might be something that is hurting you and others. It might be getting worse and worse and you are absolutely scared about its control on your life. You might have tried to break its hold on your life but you have failed. These all do not matter.

Strongholds are repetitive behavior that harms self and others. They bring about personal decisions that negatively impact self and others.

Pains of Strongholds and fears of addictions

Jericho shows us that God is there to win the battle for us. His plan is all set out for us. Through His promises, He brings us hope. You will not win by your own power. That is the point of all of this. God is God. He wants you to humble yourself, admit your failure, confess your sin and helplessness and let God win the battle.

What is that one area that you are now confronting? Usually it is the area that you are unwilling for others to know about. At the end of this message, let us bow our hearts and heads and come to Jesus. He will take the burden and carry it with you. Today, let Him lead you into victory.

So what is your battle that is looming in front of you?
A mother who wants to genuinely love from the heart?
A student battling with the need to have perfect grades?
A single battling and seemingly loosing at pornography?
A mother who is afraid whether she can be the mother God wants her to be?
A father who doesn’t know how to put his family in order?
One who needs to forgive another?
A man who has stolen some money?

Even now the evil one will come by and whisper that God might have power over cities but can He really help you with your problem? Are spiritual or physical problems more difficult to deal with? But Jesus answered this so clearly when He asked the Pharisees is it more difficult to heal the lame or forgive sin? By forgiving the lame man’s sin, he was healed. Conquering cities is not harder than overcoming a spiritual stronghold?

“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your pallet and walk’? “But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–He said to the paralytic– “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose and immediately took up the pallet and went out in the sight of all; so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.” (Mark 2:9-12, NASB).



Pulling Down Strongholds: Participation in God’s Victory

You might think your problem doesn’t have a solution, but when God speaks you must carefully follow His instructions. There will be a lesson on this shortly coming up in Joshua. God carefully led His people to victory. The walls came tumbling down just as stated. Let’s note four things about this city that affirm that the report in the Bible is correct..

a) The wall fell as stated.

An artist carefully draws the scene as the 1907-09 German archaeological team described.. Joshua 6:20 records that the wall fell down beneath itself. The stones came down and formed a ramp up into the city. Everyone when straight up in front of him which suggests the wall as a whole fell.

Kenyon’s work was the most detailed. On the west side of the tell, at the base of the retaining, or revetment, wall, she found, ‘fallen red bricks piling nearly to the top of the revetment. These probably came from the wall on the summit of the bank [and/or] … the brickwork above the revetment.’

In other words, she found a heap of bricks from the fallen city walls! An Italian team excavating at the southern end of the mound in 1997 found exactly the same thing.

b) Secondly, everything was burnt down just as the scripture says.

Historicity of Jericho’s fallen wallsc) Thirdly, big earthen pots filled with grain were found. This grain was very valuable in that day. But because the city was under a ban, no one attempted to loot it as it otherwise would have been.

d) A short stretch of the northern wall stood with houses against it.

“The German excavation of 1907–1909 found that on the north a short stretch of the lower city wall did not fall as everywhere else. A portion of that mudbrick wall was still standing to a height of over two meters (eight feet). What is more, there were houses built against the wall! It is quite possible that this is where Rahab’s house was.”[1]

This passage is a bit long but after we have heard from the Lord, it provides further directions for us.

1) Instant response (6:6-11)

Did you notice what Joshua did? After he heard the Word of the Lord, Joshua acted. Delay leads to doubt. Delay allows for distraction and rebellion. Prompt obedience is obedience because otherwise we might not obey. The military is good for training this promptness.

This month our children are working on the character quality of punctuality. I like the word ‘promptness’ better than punctuality, but the idea is close. “Punctuality is showing esteem for other people and their time.” In this case Joshua regarded what God said as important enough to shape His schedule and overcome any reluctance to do the things directed.

How did Joshua obey? He took the priests and trained them for what they would need to do. They would take up the important part of carrying the Ark of the Covenant and the seven trumpets.

Next he told the people their part (7). They would march about the city with the armed men. Notice what happens in verse 8. “And it was so.” In other words the people obeyed and obedience leads to victory.

Application: God wants to include man in His will. God gives us an opportunity to do His work together. It would be easier just to decimate the place, but the Lord wants to work closely with us and build our trust and relationship with Him. Joshua had a whole great people to command. But he spoke as God told him to and he found the people obeyed. It is possible that they would not. But if because of our own fears, we do not do what God requests, then we have failed and because of our failure, others will fail. When a husband is reluctant to lead, then the family will face failure. When a single person questions his parents’ advice and does something else, that person will face failure. There might be an imagined ‘success’ for a little while, but it will ultimately fail because it is contrary to what God wants for our lives.

2) Persistence Obedience (6:10)

But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” (Joshua 6:10, NASB).

We need to pay prolonged attention to the details at what the Lord has given us to do. In this passage we see several elements that required people to persistently obey. Firstly, they had to travel around the city only once a day for the first six days. Some might figure that the seven times was key to victory and ignore the other less spectacular marches.

Secondly, They were to be quiet. They would no doubt hear all the jeering from the walls. People would make fun of them. All they would do is walk around the walls. No doubt the extra command in verse 10 is because they wanted to do more. They wanted to fight back with their words. Obedience calls for self-control. They had to be willing to constrain their bodies, and in this case their mouths, to not say anything even when others made you feel like you wanted to jeer them.

Obedience often requires persistence, sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. Think of others that had to wait to see God’s victory. David was anointed king but had to wait a long time before he became king. Abraham was promised a child but had to wait many decades before seeing God’s promise fulfilled. Noah spent decades building the ark while others scoffed. Jesus allowed Himself to be beaten and scoffed at before victory would come.

Facing outside influences when enduring in doing the right thing.

There are many things that Satan would use to mess up our obedience. We need to have discernment in order to be persistent in our obedience. We should note that we have combating voices telling us what to do. First we have what God says. Secondly, we have the voice of what others are saying. Some call this peer pressure. And of course we have our own flesh that wants us to do what we feel. Satan sometimes adds his voice to the others in order to raise a chorus of constent to disobey. His ways of tempting can be a clever voice from a tree (Genesis 3:1-7) or visions of a ‘bright angel’ which is only Satan covered up (2 Corinthians 11:14). Regardless what we face, we need to stay our path.

 

Others might make fun of you. This is true. They are having sex and tease you for your virgin path. You see ‘everyone doing it’ on the television. The Tempter bombards you with words suggesting that you are missing out by waiting for marriage. Keep God’s Word in your mind. Treasure them. Success does not come overnight. It takes time. You will be attacked. The godly man will be persecuted. Meditate day and night on God’s Word and He will keep you properly focused through all these temptations.

Application: So let me ask, ‘How well do you take scoffing and ridicule?” Some of us are so shaky in our faith that we can’t stand alone. We give in and do what everyone else is doing. This results in a lot of pain. Jesus says, “And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (Matthew 5:29). Jesus is not telling us to literally do this but in this case He is saying that it is crucial that we exercise self-control with what we might do with our eyes. If it is important to protect our sensitive eye, then controlling what we do with our eyes is more important.

In fact, this might where some people become hopeless. They might have tried to live a holy life but fail time after time. They are inspired by some speaker but then they fail. Jericho might require self control and persistence. But is not God testing your heart by giving you opportunity to show how much you really will obey His words?

3) Self-control (6:17-19, 24)

Starting in verse 17 we see special instructions that Joshua gave the people.

“And the city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. “But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, lest you covet them and take some of the things under the ban, so you would make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. “But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” (Joshua 6:17-19). And they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. (Joshua 6:24).

We are not sure why Joshua stated a ban on all the booty. Everything but the heavy metals which were to be put into the treasury of the Lord were to be burned (Joshua 6:24). There does not seem to be some law or instruction by which he should do it. There are other laws speaking about giving the firstfruits of the land (Deut 26:2). The ban could be an extended application of this principle but hardly to be mandated. Or there is the general understanding of booty: He who wins, receives. But most victories did not have a ban imposed nor was it here explicitly commanded. Joshua as a leader stated it.

I surmise it was because Joshua saw the impossibility of this task. He could easily see how his unprepared men would be demoralized by losing a lot of men when attacking Jericho. Just before this attack, he was praying and asking God for wisdom and protection, and then God appeared to him and provided the instructions that would lead to victory (Joshua 5:13-14). Joshua desired to especially give thanks and honor to God through the ban.

So although the Israelites had many needs, they could not take things from the city of Jericho. It belonged to the Lord. Obedience of course calls us to be content. The Israelites needed to control their desire to see things which now could be theirs. They could even reason this is not God saying it but Joshua. Or “Who will know what I secretly take. It won’t make a difference.” I wonder how many of us have listened to the argument to justify an evil deed? Everything was set apart as holy unto the Lord.

Application: Covetousness is one of the church’s greatest sins but rarely seen or admitted. Possessions are not wrong but we must make it a principle of our lives that the desire of things will never lead into compromise of what God desires.

4) Salvation (Joshua 6:17, 22-23)

“And the city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. (Joshua 6:17, NASB). And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the harlot’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her.” So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. (Joshua 6:22, 23).

There were many things going on during the destruction of that city. One wonders how they would think about the harlot that helped preserve the life of the slaves. Perhaps those huddled into Rahab’s house were also wondering whether they would be forgotten. This must have been a scene beyond scenes.

Here the whole wall had fallen except for the northern section where Rahab’s house was. Her house was in between the inside and outside wall with the other slum dwellings. If the wall fell, then her house would have fallen and crushed all the ones to be saved. God, however, was paying attention to such details even at times of great judgment. The sounds and sights must have been awesome. After the calamitous fall of the city wall, one part of the wall still remained. Inside was Rahab the harlot along with all of her relatives waiting to be rescued. They belief caused them to be there in that house when the calamity occurred.

This is for a picture for us now. Judgment is happening all around the world. It is not the full Great Judgment Day. That will come in due course where all sin will be finally judged. But there are many small judgments just like the city of Jericho. The small and temporary judgments are precursors to God’s final judgment. All the small judgments are only like a shadow of what is to come. But what is special is that amidst judgment is salvation. Even though the tsunami had killed many, many others are being saved from it. Even though many did by the hurricane Katrina, many others are being saved. This is the difference to the tragedies now happening and the final Judgment scene. Salvation is now still being offered to those remaining alive.

Application: You might be one that needs to be saved. You might be one that has thought a lot about your own plans but little about God’s. You now see how arrogant and rebellious you are to God. Before you blamed God for your problems. Now you see your life’s difficulties as a result of your sin. Those that are seeking salvation cannot bargain with God.

There was only one house you can choose to be in to be saved. Jesus Christ is the only Savior just as He is the only Lord. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). The scriptures state very clear that it is not Protestantism or Catholicism or Buddhism by which people are saved but by the Name of Jesus Christ. Without Christ you will end up in judgment.

One of Rahab’s relatives could state all his reasons for not going to Rahab’s house. He might not want to have associated with a sinner liker her. Or he might have thought that being near her house was okay. But in the end all the excuses will be no good. The only refuge is found in the place with the red scarlet cord which represents the blood of Christ. Without His forgiveness, you have no hope and without hope, you only have judgment.



Pulling Down Strongholds: Our Discovery of God’s Solution

“And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. “And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. “Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. “And it shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.”” (Joshua 6:2-5)
 
God’s solutions are usually different than the ones we think of. I should say always different. Jericho truly illustrates this point. No man would come up with such a solution. But just because it is not the answer that we would come up with, it doesn’t mean that it cannot be. Starting in verse 2 we find God giving to Joshua the solution to their prime problem.

We will look at three aspects of God’s solution. God’s leadership, promises and plans.

1) God’s Leadership (6:2a) “The Lord said to Joshua.”

(a) God wants to take leadership.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that God wants to take over! God did not tell them to go and figure it out themselves. God loves to take part in our lives. This is the way it was meant to be from the beginning. But from the Garden of Eden onward into our present secular societies, man has isolated God from his decisions. We are content to think that religion is the polite way to keep God contained out of our lives.

Think about our ecological messes. Who knows best about cleaning them up? We should go back to the Designer to ask Him. But instead most environmental groups violently reject God’s input. It is rather silly. God wants to help us right our messes. He is not too busy. He specializes in taking time with us and helping us through our problems. But in our convenient secular approaches, we waste billions of dollars and much manpower.

God wants to lead us through these personal and more broad mission development projects because this is where He shows His might and power. His solutions are totally God-oriented so that we can put our faith and praise in Him rather than ourselves. “Be Thou exalted, O LORD, in Thy strength; We will sing and praise Thy power” (Psalms 21:13).

b) God works through your authorities (6:6)

Our generation often misses God’s solutions simply because it ignores a fundamental principle of the way God works. God often uses those in authority to direct us. People now-a-days think that they know what is best. We should note that God spoke through a leader, Joshua. He didn’t have to but He did. The people would have missed out on what God wanted if they ignored what Joshua said to them. We will miss out what God is saying if we neglect what those in authority over our lives say to us. This is true with our parents even if they are not Christians. It is true with church leaders and government leaders as well as how wives need to submit to their husbands. We might not like the laws and rules, but where they do not directly conflict with what God has told us to do we should submit to our authorities.

Many of us think far too much of our own thoughts. We hear the world saying that we as individuals know best. But this goes against what God says. That is the modern world’s religion of humanism. It has made believers largely through the educational system. To reject the authorities in your life is to reject God’s leadership and to keep you from solutions.

Let me give you a simple illustration. I remember in Junior and Senior high school how my mother regularly told me to enunciate. I did not speak clearly. My voice was low and my words slurred at times. I did not like it when she did this and wrongly resisted correction. But if I respected my mother, I would have learned much earlier on how God wanted to train me. He spoke to me through her. Who would have thought that in the future I would speak in public?

Application: Is there one thing that you are looking for help on or direction in but do not listen to those to whom God has appointed your parents or others in authority? Repent from your pride and seek God’s wisdom and timing through the ones He has chosen to speak.

(By the way, God spoke to Joshua not the Israelites here. A leader always needs to be more brave. God would give him a solution, but it would sound ludicrous to tell the Israelites to follow. Leaders always have it more difficult. Pray for them to be faithful. Temptations to doubt God’s ways regularly surround them.)

2) God’s Promises–seeds of success (6:2)

God’s promises are fabulous. Once you open your Bible to look for God’s promises, you will find them all over the place. Some of us refuse to meditate on God’s Word. By refusing to seek God and His will through His Word, we are basically depending on our own ability to understand and cope with things. If you do not prize God’s Word, you will depend upon man’s word. But only God’s Word has promises that He keeps. This is the reason God told Joshua that success depended upon how much he would meditate upon God’s Word. Let me ask you, “Have you thought more on God’s Word since you first heard that truth in chapter 1?” You might have done it for a day or even a week, but unless you allow God’s Word to really change your life, you will default back to the world.

Think a moment on how important Joshua 6:2 is. “And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors.” God does not only tell Joshua that he should be brave and courageous by facing up to the foe, but when he seriously takes a step forward and crosses the Jordan, God reveals whatever more information that he might need to know. The Lord comforts and motivates him by these powerful words. What is so powerful about them? Let’s look.

a) Personal. Yahweh God spoke to Joshua. This was not some feeling but personal words that brought confidence and faith. These words commanded to the people would then stimulate confidence and faith in them.

b) Relevant. God addresses Joshua on the very issue he was struggling with. In this case he was considering how he could take Jericho. Any general would carefully calculate what was the best way to overcome the city with losing the least men possible. God was there where Joshua needed Him. He always is, but we often don’t anticipate or welcome His input.

c) Confident. “See, I have given … into your hand.” There was no doubt in God’s Words. The battle is settled even before the battle began. There is a great difference in fighting in confidence or fighting with doubt. The strength of battle comes with the surety of victory. The Lord will deal with over-confidence or rightly stated ‘false confidence’ in the Battle of Ai. They were confident. Confidence breeds endurance. Doubt causes people to give up.

d) Specific. The Lord tells how both Jericho as a city along with its king and valiant warriors will be conquered. These are the three main threats. Jericho had its great walls. Its king was the commander that would persist in protecting the city and send out assaults on the unprotected Israelites. The army was what could cause many fatalities among the Israelite army. The Lord knew the threats and each of them would be handled in God’s way.

3) God’s Plan (6:3-5)

Negatively: We do not have all the solutions.
Positively: God has the solutions.

Be aware! God’s solutions are different than ours.

Remember it is typical that we do not have all the solutions. The world is more complex than we think it is. Many of us have not even taken the evil one into consideration of our plans. We need God’s plan to accomplish God’s will for our lives. In Joshua 6:3-5 we find that directions are given in two parts. There is the directions for the first six days and then the specialized directions for the seventh day, the day of triumph. They were to quietly march around Jericho once each day in a certain order with the Ark of God which stood for God’s presence. Upon the seventh day the trumpets would be blown, the walls would fall in its place and the Israelite army would rush in and storm the city.

We might not like God’s plans. We might think that they are crazy. But we should not say that He is quiet, unconcerned or unable. This is exactly opposite of what He wants. We might be disobedient and foolishly try other things, but we should not blame God for our failures. The world shouts that the wife ought to have equal decision-making power as the husband. The world shouts that children should be able to do what they want. Both of these are in direct conflict to God’s solution. We just have not given God’s Word a chance.

Let’s look at another example. God says that love is more powerful than revenge. So instead of keeping a grudge, we inwardly forgive one another of any offenses. We love them. We choose to use God’s solution to control our lives.

God is not silent in this world. In fact, there is no problem that is too tough for Him. He specializes in the impossible. God is looking for those who have faith to seek and obey Him. This is what sets Abraham apart from others. In Romans 18:18, it says that Abraham “in hope against hope believed.” He obeyed because he believed. As a result a most difficult trial was solved for him.

God has solutions. In many cases He has already spoken out and is now waiting for us to take one step forward. Most the time He will just point us to what He has already said. At other times He will reveal what we need to know or miraculously work out the solution. Sometimes He will do both like in Jericho’s case. When our confidence is in God, there are no such things as ‘impossible.’ Jesus said it like this, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it shall happen” (Matthew 21:21).

God’s Word brings faith. The evil one will want to snatch God’s Word from you. Don’t let Him. Plan on quick obedience and temptations will flee.

Application: Are you facing some problems on your own? If so, repent. By insisting on your own way, you reject God. You refuse to give Him the glory that He alone deserves. Instead, get excited about God’s way. Let Him lead you to victory. Don’t hold back! Let God’s plan direct your path, and you will see God arise and lead you to victory. You might say that God has not spoken, but first check what God has already told you, verify with an older and more mature Christian. Ask those in authority over you. This will get you listening. “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. (Luke 11:9).



Pulling Down Strongholds: Our Needs For God’s Power

“Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in” (Joshua 6:1).

Three key lessons on taking down strongholds. Without these key lessons found in the Book of Joshua, we will never find success. The battle of Jericho might just sound like a fantastic story, but it provides for us one of the key lessons on battling with sin. It give us the knowledge of how God is alive and desires to lead us into victory over the very things that will enslave our lives.
 
A) Our Need for God’s Power (6:1)

The first thing we must observe is that the city was shut tight. What they mean is that the city gates were shut. There were two walls that surrounded Jericho which made it virtually impregnable. There were two common ways to attack such fortified cities in the past.

(1) Starve them out.

The first way which took a long time was to starve them out. In these cases the armies would surround the city and make sure no food or water would go in or out. The Inhabitants of Jericho were prepared for such an attack. They just reaped their grain harvest (Joshua 3:15) and they had a large spring that supplied them water inside the city.

(2) Costly military attack.

The other form of attack was to launch a huge military offensive by storming the gates and climbing the walls. Of course they would lose a lot of men this way. I remember going by ancient city walls. They seem silly in our day with planes and missiles but back then it made them virtually indestructible. Let’s look at why this was the case with Jericho.

Archaeological note: Some of us have heard that the remains of Jericho prove no such demise as described in the scriptures. There is a reason behind this rumor. In the 1950s an archaeologist, Kathleen Kenyon, from England did some careful research on the ruins of Jericho. Unfortunately she concluded, “The excavation of Jericho, therefore, has thrown no light on the walls of Jericho of which the destruction is so vividly described in the Book of Joshua.”(1)

She basically said what they discovered did not match what we read in the Bible. Some people say that this does not matter. It is true it does not matter what she says, but the historicity of the events described in the scriptures are very important. Christians, do not be scared by what you hear. Go behind the scenes and you will discover in time the truth of God’s Word. If this is a made up story, then the lesson for us to learn is that God or at least His ability to help us is all made up. In other words, you need to get through on your own. This is the philosophy of the humanists. But they live in a pretend world of victory because they are enslaved to their lusts.

Actually with further excavation and careful examination of Kenyon’s research, we find that the description in the Bible do perfectly match what we find in the ruins. The point is that God is alive and ready to move with us when we seek to do His will. He alone can bring us into true freedom. Let’s look at the wall Jericho had established. From the ground looking up to the top the wall stood about six stories high.
 
The mound upon which the city was built was exactly as the scripture stated. Upon careful examination of the same site, we find the wall had two parts. “The retaining wall was some 12–15 feet high. On top of that was a mudbrick wall six feet thick and about 20–26 feet high. At the crest of the embankment was a similar mudbrick wall whose base was roughly 46 feet above the ground level outside the retaining wall (see diagram).”

Be careful. There is a lot of false information going around that people use to dislodge our faith. Sometimes they are purposeful but sometimes it is because they conclude things on false assumptions. If we trusted Kenyon’s conclusion, we would give up our trust in the scripture’s accuracy. But we only need to wait a few decades find the reports of other archaeologists to see Kenyon’s inappropriate conclusions. Her observations were correct but not her conclusions as an Italian team later discovered in 1997.

idealism

Aspiration – we can do all!

In our idealistic youth we think we can conquer all. But then we do not learn to lean on God’s wisdom and make foolish life decisions. We feel the effects of failure and defeat. They weigh so heavily on us that we cannot bear their burden. We want to give up. The suicide rate for young people is high. These individuals have discovered the impossibility of overcoming certain problems in their lives on their own. Oh that they might hear how God gave victory at Jericho! But this is not a recent problem. I was just reading John Wesley’s journal of how one person was on the way to committing suicide in 1747.

1747 “Monday, 28.– I talked with one who, a little time before, was so overwhelmed with affliction that she went out one night to put an end to it all by throwing herself into the New River. (The Journal of John Wesley, p. 151).

Most people pretend that they are doing well when they are in fact doing very poorly. Some buy things with money that they do not have just to show off. Others will talk about parties and fun while their marriage and family are in shambles. Don’t be deceived by people’s pretend lives. Many people are like this woman walking to the New River. They have silently given up hope. They might not be at the point of taking their lives but they certainly are on the way.

Those who have studied this generation find it to be best described as a despairing generation. Even though financially they are most well off, they are also most without hope. They do not know what life could be like and even if they can touch their deep down aspirations of what they truly want, they do not believe it is possible to reach those goals. They resort to drugs, career, odd pursuits, sports, betting, and clubs to distract them from what is missing in life. Life and its pure joys are like a city with shut gates. Impenetrable. Unconquerable. They would not even think of attacking Jericho. Once people see their goals frustrated, they give up hope for attaining the greater things of life. And life for many become a living death march.

Application: What about your life? What is God’s plan for your life? Are you finding His joy and peace? What are the main obstacles between you and what God wants for you? Do you wear a smile in your heart?

For many of us, it is difficult to face these problems. Some of our obstacles are from the past. They hurt so much. We have fought them alone and failed. We have hidden the fights, abuse, sins and loneliness away in a closet. We never want to face them again. We believe that we are better off by trying to forget them. The problem is that they like ghosts follow us wherever we go.

Some of our struggles are in trying to get where we want to go. We have these aspirations but do not know how to reach them. Many of you are young and so without the taste of defeat you believe you can attain those things. You cannot do it without God. Some are trying to be good when they are not good. Some people try to find hope in a quiet church service. But sin smolders away in our hearts and irritating smoke of sadness, debt, broken relationships sting our eyes. There might even be some sin, some addiction, some fear that threatens to destroy our happiness. Others are trying to find help to insolvable problems like a career without the right degree, finding a spouse, etc.

But God is calling us to face these problems. Where was the first place that God led the Israelites? He led them to fight a strong and ancient walled city? Our only hope is to do things God’s ways. We might be scared with what God will do, but anything is better than what you have. God always brings wonderful things into your lives through His power. But if you hide from these problems, they will plague you for life.

If the Israelites did not face Jericho, the Book of Joshua would have had a very different end, a very sad one just like many of our lives. Instead of being a record of what can be done if we live by faith in the living God, God’s people would hang their heads in shame as many do today. If the churches are failing, it is not because God is not alive but because we have lost courage to trust Him to battle our sins. If our families are being destroyed, it is not because God has not spoken, but because we do not believe God’s ways are best and are infatuated with the ill advise of the world. We do not show greatness by hiding our problems but by confronting them. We need to be like take up the advise that God gave to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” Praise God for Jerichos! Let Him lead us to victory against the shut gates not matter how strong they are.

But once you face the problems, the real fears arise. “How can I overcome this problem!” “I am going to fail.” “I can never do it!” Fortunately, we see an answer for these fears in our second lesson.


Pulling Down Strongholds: The Lesson from Jericho

 
Most of us have heard about Jericho. But few have put the principles shown to work in their lives. People are publicly very boisterous about their great lives, but plain facts reveal something quite different about them. Millions of people are on drugs, many of them medically prescribed. Others live in horribly strained relationships. Still others privately fight against despair, loneliness and defeat. Jericho stands for all those things that we can’t get victory over on our own but
will hurt others and eventually destroy us if we don’t.
 

These are the things that we hide in our lives: our fears, defeats, anxieties, petty envying and outright deceit. God knows there is only one solution: lead them into battle against them. We live in a pretend age. And so marriages are falling apart but we pretend things are normal such as marriages falling apart. They pretend their families are fine when in fact the parents and children are in a constant state of war.

We live by ignoring our failures. We hope that they will never get big enough to erupt the normalcy of life. God knows better. If crossing the Red Sea or Jordan River stand for salvation, taking over the land of Israel represent sanctification: the process where God’s people are freed from their sins and find the fullness of life in living God’s way.

God led them directly into the fiercest of battles. God knows that we can overcome by trusting in Him. Once we see a great victory then our hopes are up. Our vision is clear. More typically, we start with the lesser battles on our own. We lose hope and just manage to retain some decent kind of life.
 

God is out for victory and success. He desires both to show His power and bring grace to our lives. He leads them straight into the hard battles and will do it in our lives too. When a person becomes a Christian, he will often face some big sudden challenges. He should not fear. God is with you to show Himself great. If they are not rightly dealt with at the beginning when our faith is strong, then it takes a long time to work them through.

Many of us do not understand how deceit, lies, fears, anxieties, lusts and anxieties are chains about our lives. We have grown so used to them that we just get use to them. God wants to give us genuine freedom from their influence in our lives.

The world boasts of freedom and choice, but are they not enslaved by their very desires? This is what Peter the apostle saw in the world about him,

“For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. (2 Peter 2:18-19).

Now is the time of true freedom. God has enabled us to break away from the chains of deception by leading us into victory. Jericho was and is meant to be for us an early victory in our lives that strengthens our faith in finishing the work God has for us, both personally as well as globally in missions.
 
Without these key lessons found in the Book of Joshua, we will never find success. The battle of Jericho might just sound like a fantastic story, but it provides for us one of the key lessons on battling with sin. It give us the knowledge of how God is alive and desires to lead us into victory over the very things that will enslave our lives. God is the Living God and desires to be writing new history books all the time with His Name boldly pronounced.