Joshua 6- Conquest of the impossible

Intro-

There is a biblical truth: We as christians don’t fight or do service to God for victory rather we are able to fight from victory! Jesus has already won the victory!

Sin and life’s issues- anxiety, addiction, stress, depression , loneliness, worry

They’re already defeated!

1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Romans 6:11 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

We are victorious over the world and sin but we still fight. We are able to win because of Jesus! WE WIN OVER SIN

Service to God and what he has called us to do!

Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

1 Cor 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 2:14 “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

Jesus has spoiled every other power! Col 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

We can do big things for God in this world with victory! Our God wins!

Although we have victory promised and assured in our lives sometimes seeing, believing, and living like it can be difficult! Right!?

beating that sin, accomplishing what God has called you to , beating that besetting issue, loving that hard case, reach a city?

defeating that stronghold

We arrive to book of Joshua and there are so many parallels between his life/ Israels adventures in the promised land and the Christian life

People both delivered from slavery by God

Joshua a man with the promise of victory but still had to claim it!

Joshua 1:3 “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”

Deut 31:7-8 “And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

People led and sustained in a strange land by God

People seeking to arrive to a place of rest on the promises of God

Having to believe God’s promises in the face of massive adversity

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Chapter 6)

As you read the Book of Acts, you see how God’s “spiritual army” conquered one city after another by faith. Even the mighty city of Rome fell before the power of the Gospel! Today, God’s people again need to learn how to capture cities, and this chapter tells us how.

In Joshua 6 we see a man who has been told to essentially do the impossible. A man who has been told to lead what seems impossible! Maybe you can relate with Joshua? God may be wanting to do something in and through you that seems impossible!

A dream or calling, victory in life, joy, liberty? ‘

I remind you that my Bible says Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Let’s see how God can do the impossible with and in us!

Joshuas Problem (6:1)

Joshua had a problem! God had told him to take Jericho but the city was shut up! No going in or out.

Remember this: it was cities like Jericho that had scared Israel in Numbers 13!

Maybe there is a task in you life that’s just daunting, seems too big, your challenged by it?

That sin? That task? That calling?

I challenge you to just remember that our God is GREAT at killing giants!

David and Goliath

Deut 20:1 “When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”

He’s always bigger than the biggest foe.

Joshuas plan (6:1-2)

Just know that Joshuas plan came before the battle in a moment or worship! (Joshua 5:14 “And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?” )

The instructions for victory came after close fellowship and worship with God!

When is the last time we just fell before God in worship?

Look what is said about worshiping God in - Psalm 147:1-8 “Praise ye the Lord: For it is good to sing praises unto our God; For it is pleasant; and praise is comely. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite. The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth, Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.”

Psalm 29:2 “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

Worshippers make the best worshippers!

Colossians 3:23 KJV 1900

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Joshua fell before God and called him captain!

We must come to realize that God is in charge! He is the LORD! It’s not our battle but it is HIS!

2 Tim 2:3 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

“God is king we just soldiers”- Ye

Seven Day March of obedience (6:3-15)

They obeyed what God said do in faith

Hebrews 11:30 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

They kept marching in faith

We do too. It may be hard and we may not see an end but we keep on!

2 Cor 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

They obeyed something foolish!

That plan wasn’t sound military doctrine per say but it was of God!

God is good at using the foolish things! Are we obeying?

1 Cor 1:27 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

It may be you having to take a “foolish step”- deleting that app, being nice to that person, having to put what you want to do second, taking some big step, upping your giving

Mark 11:23 “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” - We can trust his plan!

They walked with God’s presence

They kept the ark in the midst of them! ( Joshua 6:13)

They had the Ark of God’s presence there!

Maybe we need to be walking with God!

His presence will never leave us! - Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Silence before God (6:10)

Sometimes we just need to obey in faith, do what we’re supposed to do and be quiet. They just obeyed in silence.

Maybe you’r suffering or obeying in silence and just hurting. Keep on!

Imagine if they stopped on day 4?

“many people don't see the answers to their prayers simply because they have stopped one round short in their conquest of their personal Jericho.”

– Dr Alan Redpath

Exodus 14:14 “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

Ecc 5:1 “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.”

Faith and Patience go together

Patience is a virtue created by faith

learning to expect from God

Shout of victory (6:16, 6:20-21)

They were going to shout like they already won!

Knowing that God has the victory isn’t enough!

Are we BELIEVING it?

Romans 6:11 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Believe

Joshua has a promise (6:2)

We have promises form God too! No enemy it too big!

A promise of victory- 1 Cor 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A promise of his presence- Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

We can see Jericho fall! We must first fall in worship, the follow in faith, and God will finish!

- To those we’ll endeavor to reach

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XIV (Joshua’s Vision (No. 795))

Unconverted men and women, you are our Jericho, we wish to conquer you for Christ. Our desire is to win you to Jesus for your own good and for his glory. Now, what are we to do with you? Joshua was bidden to go round the city seven times. We would preach to you the gospel of Christ, not seven times, but seventy times seven.

Brothers and sisters

Lastly, brethren, we are not only to sound the ram’s-horn of warning, and to bear round and round the sinner’s conscience the ark of Christ’s grace, but all the host must engage in the work. Did you notice that the whole of the people were to compass the city! it would not fall else; and they were to shout, too, at the last. I want you, my fellow members, to unite in our earnest efforts to win souls for Christ.