Have you ever faced a situation that seemed impossible to overcome or a challenge that was too big for you to handle? A problem that made you feel hopeless and helpless. Many of us have felt like that at some point in our lives. People in the Bible faced such situations and learned that God could fight for them and give them victory.
God Instructed Joshua and the Israelites to March around Jericho
One example of this is the story of Joshua and the Walls of Jericho. You can read it in Joshua 6:1-27. Jericho was a fortified city with a high and thick wall that protected it from invaders. It was the first city that the Israelites had to conquer to enter the promised land. But how could they do it? They had no siege engines, no battering rams, no ladders, and no weapons of war. They were just a bunch of former slaves who had wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
They had something more powerful than any human weapon: they had God on their side. God had a plan that was unconventional, unexpected, and unbelievable. He told Joshua to have all the people march around the city walls once a day for six days, with seven priests carrying trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the covenant. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times, and then blow their trumpets and shout with a loud voice. God promised that when they did this, the walls of the city would collapse, and they would be able to take the city.
This plan seemed to make no sense from a human perspective. It seemed foolish, ridiculous, simplistic, and futile. How could walking, blowing horns, and shouting bring down a wall? What if the people of Jericho laughed at them, mocked them, or attacked them and killed them all? What if nothing happened after seven days? What if they wasted their time and energy?
Joshua and the people trusted God, however, and obeyed His command. They did not question, doubt, or complain about the instructions. They did not rely on their own wisdom, strength, or ability. They did not seek to overthrow Joshua for what they could have considered foolish instructions. In some countries today, that might have led to a coup. They did not look at the circumstances but at the promise of God. They did not fear the enemy but revered the Lord. They did not walk by sight but by faith. Their mindset was to follow God’s instructions regardless of the reaction of others.
What was the result? God did what He said He would do. On the seventh day, after they marched around the city seven times, the priests blew the trumpets and the people shouted with a great shout. Miraculously, supernaturally, amazingly, the wall of Jericho fell flat! The Israelites charged into the city and took it by force. They destroyed everything in it, as God had instructed, except for Rahab and her family. She had helped the spies and she believed in God. They also took the silver, gold, bronze, and iron for God’s treasury.
Lessons from the Story of About the Walls of Jericho
– God’s ways are higher than our ways. He can use any means He chooses to accomplish His purposes.
Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
He is not limited by our logic, reason, or understanding. He can do things that are impossible for us to do or imagine.
– God’s plans are perfect and trustworthy. He knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. He has a good reason for everything He commands us to do or not to do. He has a good outcome for everything He allows us to go through or not go through.
– God’s power is greater than our problems. He can overcome any obstacle, difficulty, or opposition that we face. He can break through any barrier, wall, or stronghold that stands in our way. He can defeat any enemy, foe, or adversary that threatens us.
– God’s presence is with us always. He does not leave us alone or forsake us in our trials. He goes before us, behind us, beside us, and is within us. He leads us, guides us, protects us, and helps us.
– God’s promises are true and faithful. He does not lie or change His mind. He does not fail or disappoint. He does not forget or delay. He does what He says He will do.
Signs that God is Fighting for You
– You have peace in your heart and mind that surpasses all understanding.
– You have joy in your soul and spirit that overflows with gratitude.
– You have hope in your eyes and vision that looks beyond your circumstances.
– You have faith in your mouth and words that speak life and blessing.
– You have love in your hands and actions that show kindness and compassion.
To Experience God’s Intervention in Your Life
Do what Joshua did:
– Listen to God’s voice and instructions.
– Obey God’s will and commands.
– Trust God’s character and promises.
– Praise God’s name and glory.
– Follow God’s lead and direction.
As you do, you will see God do amazing things for you and through you. You will see walls fall, enemies flee, and victories won. You will see God fight for you. Nothing is impossible with our God!
You should commit these verses to memory:
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”.
Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
God Hid My Neighbor and Her Daughter from a Mob
My elderly neighbor told me that she used to be a pastor but was retired at the time when she was relating this story to me. She was living in a country that was politically divided between two parties. She went with her daughter to a store in an area that was politically charged and supported a party that was associated with a particular color. She had given no thought to the color of her clothing. When they came out of the car a group of men wearing the color of the political party they supported who were about fifty feet away saw her and began to shout and run towards them. They were shouting that she was a supporter of the opposing party. It was then that she suddenly realized that the dress she was wearing was the color of the other political party. There were reports in the media of people wearing clothes or driving cars of certain colors being attacked and the cars damaged.
She said she was terrified. She held her daughter and began to pray. They could not attempt to run because the store was too far away from them. She stood still and continued to pray silently. To their amazement, the young men wielding weapons ran right past them while looking around as if searching for someone. It was a wide-open space, and they were in plain sight with nowhere to hide. She said that once she realized that the men could not see them, she went back into her vehicle with her daughter and drove away from the area thanking God that He had answered her cries. She believes that God had covered them so that the young men were unable to see them when they got close to where they were standing. There was no other explanation God heard her plea for help and protected them from the angry mob.
I found her story very encouraging. It is a powerful testimony of God’s power not only in the Bible days but in all times. When we read Bible stories we may wonder if miraculous events like those still happen in modern times. They do. God is working miracles in the lives of people every day. We need to tell Him what we need and trust Him to make a way for us even when there appears to be no way out of a situation. What a mighty God we serve!
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being our defender, deliverer, provider, and protector. Thank You for fighting for us when we are weak, helpless, and hopeless. Thank you for making a way when there seems to be none. Thank You for shielding us and giving us victory through Your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose from the dead. Help us to trust You, obey You, and follow Your direction in every situation that we face. Help us to see Your hand at work in our lives. We praise You for Your goodness and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.