“20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.” Joshua 6:20 ESV
Can you resist the urge to fight when the enemy is right before you? Imagine how the children of Israel may have felt knowing that the great walled city of Jericho was on the horizon. First, they were in an unfamiliar land that they had never seen before, and now they are faced with a mighty obstacle that has the ability to keep them from reaching the destination that God promised them to reach.
Human nature tells us “fight or flight” when confronted with an enemy that appears superior. You either roll up your sleeves or take a fighting stance to protect yourself, or you turn and flee, trembling in fear. The Apostle Paul reminds my brothers and sisters that ‘God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.”
So why did the Israelites respond differently? First, the Lord gave clear instructions of what to do when they reached the enemy’s stronghold. Like the Israelites, the Lord speaks unto his people today through his written word. Yet the question remains will you yield to the flesh, or will you “do what he says?”
To the people of Jericho, it looked ridiculous as the army walked around the city, seemingly doing nothing. They may have laughed at them and mocked them from time to time. However, the enemy didn’t know that the Israelites were “walking in obedience to the word (instructions) of the Lord.” When we do it precisely as the Lord instructs, the obstacles on our journey that seem impassable or insurmountable will fall. So do what he says!
~Written by: Pastor Walter Robertson, III
