1. God is for GOD.We say this a lot around here, that it’s not about you. But it’s important that we get this: God is ALWAYS about accomplishing His purpose. And as long as your purpose aligns with his, you are in a good place. God is for you, but not about you – God did not send Jesus to make your life better – he sent Jesus to align you with his purposes, his plan, his agenda – whatever God had planned for Jericho was for HIS glory, not the Israelites. Also, we see wherever God is moving is HOLY GROUND. This morning, we are on holy ground, because this is place where God is moving. Joshua bowed and removed his sandals – there was reverence for the presence of God – when God moves, we shouldn’t take it lightly

For Joshua, his strength and courage was not to be in himself, but God

6:1-2– First, we are told that Jericho was on lock down, with the gates barred – then God says, “I have delivered Jericho into your hands” – Joshua sees walls that seem impenetrable, but God tells him the victory has already been determined

 2. What you see as a barrier, God has already called it a victory.Where have you hit a wall in your life? Where are you defeated? Where have you given up? Whatever it is, God has already called it victory, meaning there is a way for the wall to be destroyed, there is a way to WIN. You may say, “You don’t know my situation” – I don’t have to, because I know my God – throughout scripture he consistently tells us to trust him – Noah and the Ark, Joseph in prison, Moses at the burning bush, Davis and Goliath, Daniel in lion’s den, Esther before the king, Elijah before prophets of Baal, even Jesus in Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will but your will” – God’s perspective is that he sees BOTH the wall, and what’s on the other side

V3-5– God gives him the strategy – march around the city once and day for 6 days, and 7 times on the 7^thday, and the wall will come down – God’s plan is very specific, and unorthodox - MY plan – a ladder, a shovel, a pickax, a rope, a catapault – I’ve created a way in, but now surrounded by walls – for many of you, you’ve heard God say something, feel called, but you’ve taken off ahead of him to accomplish it – it’s like putting together Ikea furniture w/o instructions

3.God has a plan to accomplish his purposes.God will never call you to do something that he will not provide a way to accomplish it. If you feel called but stuck, it could be that you have dug a hole in the wall, tried to scale the wall, dug a tunnel under the wall, when God actually wants the wall destroyed. God’s plan trumps your plan every time. 

4. God is ALWAYS ahead of your victory. (V6-10)- tells us that the Ark of the Covenant, the presence of God led the way into battle. I’ve said this before, but if you want to WIN, you have to learn to FOLLOW – The way to win is to get in behind Jesus and allow him to lead the way.

5. Obedience is NOT optional. (V11-14)– what if they decided to attack on day 5? What if they had started shouting on day 4? What if they decided to leave the Ark back at camp on day 3 because it was too heavy? How often do you minimize or modify God's plan to accommodate your lifestyle? 

How many
times have you set out to do something you felt called by God
to do, but somewhere along the way changed the plan or your
mind because it seemed too hard? Something God has called
you to give up, but you’ve let it creep back into your life? I
hear the term “radical obedience” tossed around a lot in the
church – sounds really spiritual, but actually it’s a rewarding
term for those who are actually just being obedient – we call it
radical because it’s so rare. Bottom line: if you want to see the
walls fall down in your life, if we want to see the walls fall in
our community, it will take complete obedience to whatever
he calls us to do. The call is both corporate and individual.
Galatians 6:9

6. Your obedience activates the power of God. This doesn’t
mean that you are guiding God’s hand, but when you follow
his game plan, HIS purposes are accomplished, his power
revealed.

V15 -16, 20 – on the 7 th day, they circled the city 7 times, just
as they were told and they were told when the trumpet
blasted after the 7 th time around they were told, “Shout, for
the Lord has given you the city!” – Their complete obedience
activated the supernatural power of God – their shouts of
praise were literally the breakthrough.
Parenthetically, when we gather on Sunday mornings, we
begin with worship – this is our way of shouting to God that
he has given us this city – something is unleashed as we are
obedient to God in our worship – his power is both revealed
and unleashed – your obedience to let go and worship God

unrestrained and unfiltered opens the pathway to God’s
presence and power - He did it before, he’ll do it again – Red
Sea, Cloud by day and fire by night, manna, Jordan – the
biggest predictor of God’s faithfulness is his nature and
character – If you are living fully for God’s glory, expect to see
his power unleashed in some way – Your obedience uncorks
his power, ALL THE WALLS FALL DOWN (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)