OVERCOMING STRONGHOLDS JOSHUA 6:1-27

OVERCOMING STRONGHOLDS

JOSHUA 6:1-27

Introduction: Israelites on their journey towards the Promised Land faced many obstacles and went through many difficulties. The difficulties that they had gone through were the result of their disobedience and unbelief. Their lack of belief in God’s word and promises brought forth the wrath of God. Jericho wall was one of the obstacles stood before them that they may learn victory and blessing depends on faith in God and obedience to Him. The walled city of Jericho stood as a physical and psychological obstacle between the people of Israel and claiming the land God had promised them. Before they could move deeper into Canaan, the walled city of Jericho first had to fall. That ancient city that stood between Israel and victory is a picture of those things that are entrenched and rooted in our lives.

This historic event can be well suited with the obstacles that prevent us from going deeper with God.  It may be some besetting sin that prevents you from going deeper in the things of God. It may be a root of bitterness and unforgiveness that stands between you and God’s best. Whatever obstacle or stronghold that may be, we have to overcome it to move further in our journey towards heaven.  As we consider this pivotal moment in Israel’s history, we can find the help we need to overcome our own strongholds. Notice with me the lessons that present themselves in this passage as we talk about Overcoming Our Strongholds.

I. THERE IS A LESSON ABOUT SUPREMACY (VV: 5:13-15): In these verses we see Joshua the warrior met a person outside the camp who introduced Himself as “The Captain of the host of the Lord.” This is nothing less than a personal, pre-Bethlehem manifestation and appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Joshua came face to face with Jesus Christ! That is, He is the One Who is always victorious. He is the One Who is walking in victory even before the battle is fought. He is the One Who is in control of all situations.  He is reminding Joshua Who really fights the battles and His answer to the question Joshua raised made Joshua to realize that God, not Joshua, is the power behind the victory that will come. We must learn that our success and our victory over the obstacles that we face will never be a matter of our own power or ability but God’s. Today God is simply reminding us, as He did to Joshua, that He is not here to take sides in our battles; He is here to take over!

Second, Why did the Lord just ask Joshua to remove his shoes? It was a call for him to surrender to the Lord. According to the ancient custom when a covenant was made between two individuals, the weaker individual handed the other individual one of his shoes (Ruth 4:6-8). This ancient practice conveys the message that “I can’t, but you can.” For Joshua, this was a challenge for him to come to the place where he could admit his own weakness and inability to gain the victory. For us, we need to learn the truth that we can’t, but He can when Joshua the mighty warrior got down before the Lord, he placed himself in a vulnerable position. He was totally yielded to the Lord! Until we reach the place where we recognize His supremacy in all things, there will never be victory over the strongholds in our lives.

II. THERE IS A LESSON ABOUT SUBMISSION (VV: 6:1-5): The second major step in the path toward spiritual victory over the strongholds of life demands confidence in the Lord. There are three areas in which Joshua displayed absolute submission. These need to be true concerning us as well. First, Joshua was submissive to God’s promise (6:1-2). God’s promise in chapter 6:2 reminded Joshua that the Lord had not forgotten His promise that He made in chapter 2:9. God still intended to give Israel the victory in this matter. As we look at our strongholds today, we may think that we will never see them fall at our feet. May we ever remember that God will always keep His promises! He has promised us the victory, and the victory shall be ours, 1 Cor. 15:57; 2 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:37. Second, Joshua was submissive to God’s plan (vv 3-5) on the surface; in these verses God’s plan for Israel’s victory seems really strange, God commanded all the Israelites to march around the city in a quiet and peaceful way but on the seventh day, they were to walk around the city seven times and at the end of the seventh time, they were to shout. The Israelites completely yielded to God’s plan and overcame the obstacles. What a lesson for us! As you yield to His plan, and let Him live through you, you will enjoy His victory, Gal. 2:20. All God wants you to do is to stop trying and just rest in Him. He has already won the victory. We win by doing nothing! By merely being in Him and having absolute confidence in His plan, we enjoy the victory that only He can give. Third, Joshua was submissive to God’s power (V: 5). Aren’t you tired of trying to live the Christian life and failing? Then stop doing both! Stop trying, and you will stop failing! Start trusting! Just learn to rest in the finished work of Christ. Realize that you have no one to please but God. And, if you are in Jesus, He is already satisfied with you!

III. THERE IS A LESSON ABOUT SUCCESS (VV: 6:6-21): These verses tell the thrilling story of the victory Israel received at Jericho. Imagine what the people inside the city must have thought! The people of Israel received the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to them. As they did, there are a couple of truths that I want to mention here. First, the Israelites were determined to do what God told them to do (6-15). They simply did it God’s way. He will give grace for those who do exactly what He told them to do. If you want to overcome the obstacles then take strong decision to do what God told you do. Second, there was dedication among them to overcome Jericho (16-20) Israel walked around that city 6 days and on seventh day seven times. This was the sign of their dedication to overcome Jericho. Their dedication was shown by their obedience and faith in God’s word Heb. 11:1. God honors sincere obedience and simple faith in His words. Let us remember that victory over our strongholds will come when we totally dedicate ourselves to obey and to believe His words. We are to get away from the realm of our ability and move into the realm of God’s ability; then we will see what God can bring to pass in a life that is wholly dedicated to Him! Third, Israelites eradicated everything that was abominable to God (V: 21). After the walls fell down, the Israelites went into Jericho and killed everything that lived, with the exception of Rahab and her family, v. 22-25. Does this seem extreme to you? God knew that if the people of Jericho were allowed to live, they would influence the people of Israel away from Him. So, when the walls of that stronghold came down, everyone in the city had to die. When the word of God instructs you to abolish the strongholds that reside in you, don’t hesitate raise up, and eradicate them from you by His power. Those strongholds must not be allowed to live lest they become stronger to bring you down. Whatever it takes to root out the strongholds in your life, I challenge you to do it today! God will enable you to see those things put to death forever!

Conclusion: As we think about this passage, I am thankful that God was able to give the people of Israel victory over Jericho. God was with them and He gave them victory over all the enemies they faced when they obeyed His words and kept their faith in Him. God is telling the same thing with you today. Have you identified the strongholds that prevent you from going deeper with the Lord? Are you ready to be free of them forever? If you will be, they must be destroyed. The place to do battle with your strongholds is on your knees, before the Lord in humble worship and surrender to His will. If you are struggling in your walk with Him, there is help in the Lord for you to reach a place of victory in your own walk with God. There are strongholds in our lives and in our churches that need to be destroyed. We need to yield to Him, lay our swords at His feet, acknowledge the fact that we can’t but that He can, and follow His plan for victory.

Impossible yet Possible

Impossible yet Possible

Matthew 5:44

One of the most amazing commands of Christ is to love our enemies. In our flesh, we naturally want to retaliate or fight back when we are treated unkindly or persecuted. But our willingness to love and pray for those who persecute or mistreat us mystifies unbelievers, and yet this is the lifestyle to which we are called by God. We are to love all people regardless of how they treat us. Although some may set themselves up as enemies against us, they are people in need of a saving relationship with Jesus and an understanding of His Lordship in their lives. The Word of God instructs us to love them, praying that they might enter into His kingdom! Before reading any further, bring someone to mind whom you would consider to be your enemy. Have your family members do the same. Read, study, apply and pray the truths from God’s Word that your enemies might be drawn to Jesus’ kingdom.

There is a book called “Legenda Aurea,” – the Golden Legend – which extensively deals with the lives of the saints. It’s there that we learn the story of Saint Valentine. According to that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by the Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this Claudius ordered his execution and threw him into the prison in Rome to await his fate.

No one knows how long Valentine spent in the Mamertine before his execution, but it’s safe to say it wasn’t an overnight stay. Against this backdrop of extended, unjust and cruel imprisonment, torture and execution that the Legenda Aurea tells this story of Valentine’s last day:… then he prayed to God, saying: Lord Jesus Christ very God, which art very light, enlumine this house in such wise that they that dwell therein may know thee to be very God. And the (jailer) said: It marveled me that thou sayest that thy God is very light, and nevertheless, if he may make my daughter to hear and see, which long time hath been blind.

The author of “Legenda Aurea,” goes on to say that Valentine’s heart filled with compassion and forgiveness for the jailer and his long-blind daughter, restored her sight through intercessory prayer. Certainly that’s the lesson of the Saint Valentine story. In the face of his unjust and torturous imprisonment and execution, does he call down the wrath of a justice-wielding? No. He took compassion on his jailer and called forth healing mercy to cure the jailer’s long-blind daughter – no strings attached. That’s the lesson held up to us as the model in all the lives of the saints. Divine love and forgiveness is unconditional, and we are all invited to take the spiritual journey to that place in our own hearts.

It is impossible for us to follow this amazing command of our Lord on our own. But remember the very Word of God which says “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). That which God demands, only He can accomplish, including the demand to love our enemies. What is impossible for man becomes possible for those who give their lives to Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts.