06(Joshua 06)Turning Valleys into Victorys

Read Joshua 6:1-20 (p. 180-181)

There comes a time in everyone’s life when you’re faced with an impossible task, situation or problem.

1.       Meeting a financial need.

2.       Recovering from a deadly illness.

3.       Rebuilding a relationship.

4.       Rebuilding your life.

All of these have great walls or obstacles to overcome – the Jerichos in your life. When these happen, we should search for deliverance in scripture.

Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

These great accounts were not given to give the pre-scholl something to draw-

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

I.    Victory begins with Worship (5:13ff)

A.    Why is Joshua out by Jericho? (survey, pray)

B.    The Lord shows up in our worship – our seeking Him.

1.       Moses’ great victory began on holy ground.

2.       Elijah found rescue in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11)

3.       Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; …

4.       James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

5.       1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

C.    The Lord did not show up to take sides – But to take over.

1.     You discover that the issue is no longer be about your problem – but His will.

II.  Victory is won through obedience. (6:2-5)

A.    The significance is in the obedience.

1.     The logic of the instruction is not important.

Illus: What would you do: end of game, 4th down, 80 yards to go – hand off.

2.     How it relates to the problem is not even important.

        Illus: Naaman the Leper (2 Kings 5:9-12).

B.    If you try to reason God’s instructions against your great intelligence, no victory.

1.     Who do you trust?

2.     Will you do whatever He tells you to do?

C.    See the victory beyond the walls.

1.     Strongholds fall when God’s Word declares victory.

2.     His Word gives us the vision for victory – we must obey His Word.

III. Give Praise Before the Victory (6:20).

A.    Be assured that they shouted to the Lord.

1.       Psalms 66:1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!

2.       Psalms 98:4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

B.    Nothing to shout about? The walls were still there when they shouted victory.

1.       James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

2.       Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

C.    We are already Conquerors in Christ.

1.       Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

2.       1 Corinthians 15:54-57 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."  "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Know in your heart-

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.