Trust the God Who Wins!

INTRO – WHO DO YOU TRUST?

Have you ever had to do something that made no sense, but you still had to trust the person telling you?

Discussion Questions:

Can you think of a time your coach/teacher/parent asked you to do something that didn’t make sense at the time… but later it did?

What makes someone hard to trust?

What makes someone easy to trust?

➡️ Today’s passage is all about trusting God before you see the outcome.

Quick Intro — Who Is Joshua? What’s Happening So Far?

Joshua isn’t just a random leader — he was Moses’ assistant, trained to lead God’s people after Moses died.

God chose Joshua to take the Israelites into the Promised Land 

— a land God had promised many years earlier to Abraham.

The book of Joshua is all about God keeping His promises:

Chapters 1–4: God tells Joshua, “Be strong and courageous — I will be with you.” Then He parts the Jordan River, just like He parted the Red Sea - so this time they could cross into the promised land - modern day Israel.

In our passage today: As they entre this new land, They face their first big challenge: Jericho — a huge enemy city with strong walls.

So the big question is: Will they trust God and obey Him — even when the battle looks impossible?

1. Joshua Meets Someone Unexpected

Joshua 5:13–15 NIVUK

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ 14 ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ 15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.

Joshua is preparing for battle… but instead he meets a mysterious man with a sword.

Joshua asks, “Are you on our side?”

The man says, “Neither — I come as commander of the LORD’s army.”

It’s a really interesting answer.

Joshua wants to know who’s side God is on,

and he’s put squarely in his place.

God is not on anyone’s side - he’s not on our team.

We are on God’s team.

God is in control of everything.

and so Joshua falls down in worship.

Joshua recognises that This is God himself - appearing in human form so he worships him.

And God is showing Joshua: “I’m the real leader. You follow Me.”

Discussion Questions:

What are some ways we might incorectly ask God who’s side he’s on?”

How should we think of God?

📌 Key Point: God doesn’t join our team. We’re meant to join His.

2. God’s Strange Battle Plan

Joshua 6:1–5 NIVUK

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March round the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Make seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march round the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, make the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.’

Jericho’s walls are huge. The city is locked tight. Joshua expects a military plan — but God says:

“March once a day for six days. On day seven — march seven times, blow trumpets, then shout — and I will bring the walls down.”

Discussion Questions:

If you were Joshua or one of the Israelites, would you find it easy to obey?

Why do you think God chose such a strange way to win the battle?

📌 Key Point: God wants them to see:

Victory doesn’t come from our strength — but from His power.

3. The People Obey

Joshua 6:6–20 NIVUK

6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and make seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.’ 7 And he ordered the army, ‘Advance! March round the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.’ 8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forwards, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, ‘Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!’ 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried round the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. 12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forwards, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched round the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched round the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time round, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.’ 20 When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

There’s no argument. No complaints. They simply obey.

Round and round they go - for a whole week!

On the seventh day — they walk seven times — the trumpets sound — they shout —

and the walls collapse! Not by human strength — but by faith and obedience.

Discussion Questions:

What do you think this show us about obedience?

Why is obeying God sometimes difficult?

Can you think of any commands from God that feel uncomfortable or difficult today?

📌 Key Point: Real faith isn’t just believing in our heads — it shows in our actions.

4. God Saves Rahab

Joshua 6:22–25 NIVUK

22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, ‘Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.’ 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

In the middle of God’s huge judgment on Jericho… one house is saved.

Rahab trusted God and helped the spies who had viisted Jericho in advance to see what it was like.

She wasn’t an Israelite. She had a messy past.

But her faith saved her — and her whole family.

Later, she even becomes part of Jesus’ family line (Matthew 1)!

Discussion Questions:

What makes Rahab different from the rest of Jericho?

What does this teach us about God’s heart?

Does anyone need to be afraid they’re "too bad" for God to save?

📌 Key Point: Judgment came — but God saved anyone who trusted Him. He still does today.

5. HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US?

a) Trust God — even when life doesn’t make sense

Sometimes God’s commands and instructions in the bible feel hard:

The most important command of God is to Repent and believe in Jesus if you want to avoid the same judgement Jericho faced!

Do you repent and believe in Jesus - if not - why is it hard to trust Jesus.

What happens to people who don’t repent and believe? (Think of Jericho)

b) Obey God’s Word — because He takes it seriously

Real faith isn’t just saying “I believe and repent.”

If we believe that then it will be shown in how we live:

kindness when others are cruel

choosing honesty over popularity

turning away from things that lead to sin,

following Jesus when your friends don’t

Discussion Questions:

Do you think obedience to God is easy or difficult for most Christians?

What does disobedience show about our faith and what should God do about it?

What must we do if we are disobedient?

Repent again, trusting in Jesus,

Ask for help - strive to obey God in the strength he gives

c) Praise God — because He saves!

Just like Rahab — anyone who turns to Jesus will be saved. Doesn’t matter what you’ve done. Doesn’t matter how far you feel from God. If you trust in Jesus — you belong to Him.

But just saying it isn’t enough. You need to believe it truely, and respnd in obedience.

Not perfectly, but persistently.

Discussion Questions:

Do you ever feel “not good enough” for God?

What does Rahab’s story show us about God’s grace?

What might it look like to praise God this week?

FINAL CHALLENGE — WHICH TEAM ARE YOU IN?

There were two types of people in Jericho:

Those who trusted God — and were saved - God’s Team

Those who ignored God — and were destroyed - Not God’s team

Which group are you in?

Do you obey God only when it’s easy — or will you trust Him even when obedience is hard?

The God who brought down Jericho is the same God who raised Jesus from the dead. You can trust Him. He is powerful. He is faithful. And He saves.

Join and stay in His team

PRAY