The Not-So-Stronghold

(Define Strongholds historically and spiritually today)

In 1882, the song was published in Jubilee Songs by M. G. Slayton and in A Collection of Revival Hymns and Plantation Melodies by Marshall W. Taylor.

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho. Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.

1 You may talk about the men of Gideon; you may talk about the men of Saul; there's none like good old Joshua, at the battle of Jericho. (Refrain)

2 Up to the walls of Jericho he marched with sword in hand. "Go blow those ram's horns," Joshua cried, "for the battle is in God's hands." (Refrain)

3 Then the horns began to bellow, the trumpets began to sound, and Joshua commanded the children to shout, and the walls came tumbling down.

This song and this scripture beloved is the tale of the people of God having faith in God to fight their enemies and achieve complete liberation from their oppressors and possessing the promise of freedom; freedom to worship God without restraint, freedom to be fully functional in a just society, and freedom to self-determine under the leadership of Yaweh the God of Israel.

The same holds true today. God wants his people to be free from sin, free to worship him, to be free in this unjust society, and to serve Him in his Kingdom advancement project. And just like in Joshua’s time there are some things that must first come down before we can possess the promise. There are some walls that need to be dealt with before the people of God and our people can possess the promises of God. Personal sins, Social sins.

1. Faith in God’s Promise & Prescription (v.1-5)

God made the promise for victory to Joshua, for sure, but God made the promise for victory Abraham many generations prior. (preach, its mine for the taking because God said I could have it. My ancestors prayed, my family prayed, my church prayed.

The Promise was bigger than Joshua.

Joshua didn't originate this promise.

God had been talking about this land for generations.

— God calls Abraham. Genesis 12:1–3

— God promises Abraham the land. Genesis 13:14–17

— God establishes the covenant concerning the land. Genesis 15:18–21

— God says, “I will give to you…all the land of Canaan.” Genesis 17:8

— God promises to bring Israel into a good and spacious land. Exodus 3:8

— “See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession…” Deuteronomy 1:8

Joshua is standing in a place somebody prayed about before Joshua was born.

That's worth preaching!

Joshua is not just receiving a promise; he's walking into a promise that has been traveling through generations.

Hebrews 11:30 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.”

2. Have Patience during the Process (v.8-15)

The meantime can be a meantime. This is where the rubber meets the road for your faith. Will you do the unusual to receive the unexpected.

The real test is whether you will keep walking when the walls haven't moved.

We love the promise.

We love the victory.

But we don't always love the process.

The process asks:

“Do you still believe God when you don't see evidence yet?”

Because sometimes God will give you an instruction that doesn't make sense until you see what happens after obedience.

Noah built an ark before rain.

Abraham left home without knowing where he was going.

Moses stretched out his staff before the Red Sea.

David faced Goliath with a sling.

And Israel walked around Jericho.

3. Praise God for Victory and Preservation (v.16-20)

3. Praise God for Victory and Preservation (v.16-20)

Here is a good place to teach some language there are three different words used for horn and trumpet in the text. The two with most significant value are the qeren and shophar. (Teach)

We shouldn’t just praise God when victory is realized we should praise God before. We are victorious as believers.

Now the story and the sermon takes a turn from Israel’s victory to a Cannenite’s salvation. There is a woman in the walk waiting there for the salvation of the LORD. She has demonstrated saving faith in the God of Israel and received her own promise. That in spite of who she is, and what she had done, because she has trusted in God she will be saved.