December 11th: When You Run Into A Wall

Joshua 6:1-5

Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. 3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

The story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho seems almost like an awesome warrior fairytale, but it isn’t a fairytale.  It is the story of God working on the side of His people to bring them victory.  You see, when God is on our side, amazing things can happen, in fact, “nothing is impossible with God”.  Joshua had been a faithful servant of God and God had called him to be a mighty warrior. Joshua was willing to put his life on the line in obedience to God, and God had a BIG problem for Him to handle.  The problem was as big as a city and as tall as the tallest building it was…A WALL. 

But God, always one to do the unexpected, wanted to use Joshua and the Hebrew people to show God’s  power and that GOD was in control over all things.  How would the Almighty show he was, well, almighty? By giving his chosen people of Isreal the victory without the people having to raise a sword. In fact the only things they had to raise were their trumpets and their voices.  The Hebrew people were outnumbered, out-weaponed, and had a giant wall to overcome, but God showed them that their God was their overcomer, their protector and their provider.

Just like Joshua, God wants to bring you victory in your life.  It is not God’s desire that any of his children be shamed, beaten down or embarrassed, but we have to trust God to bring us the victory.  When we trust God and bring him our worries, concerns and troubles he takes care of them in HIS power.  God chooses justice over revenge, peace over violence, healing over war and a baby born in a stable over a warrior king to save His people.

And maybe God will show us a new meaning of victory.  Perhaps our victory won’t come in the defeat of our enemies, but in a new recognition that the turning of an enemy into a friend is an even greater victory than any battle we can fight with words or fists.

Discussion Questions:

1.     What does it mean to have victory in your life?

2.     Can you think of someone in your life that you might consider          an enemy or rival that you need to ask God to help you have            victory in your relationship with?

Family Activity:  Have each person in your family take time to think about a victory that God has given them in their lives.  Share these victories with one another.

Prayer for the World: Thank God that the rainy season has begun and our friends who farm can begin planting again.  Pray for their livelihood and that they’d realize that as sure as God has sent the rains, he’s sent a Redeemer and Friend.