Shout! For the Lord Has Given the City (Joshua 5:13-6:20)
Joshua 5:13-6:20
Familia, as Christians God has given us an inheritance to possess (Joshua 6:2; 2 Chronicles 20:11). He has given us our family, our well-being, our health, provisions, purpose in life, our ministry, people that we want to see come to Jesus, promises that has to do with every aspect of your personal life and mine. These are God’s possessions and He wants to give to us to receive and inherit. Today we read about this incredible story about the walls of Jericho and the fact that it fell, and the city was given to the Israelites. When it comes to experiencing a breakthrough in peoples lives and mine, how does it happen? I know that God does it, He brings the breakthrough and that the Bible says that He does. I know that He has done it in the pass and is doing it today. But when it comes to God’s deliverance in people’s lives, how does it really happen? What are some of the elements to experiencing God’s miracle breakthroughs. Adding to some of the things we have learned in the last several weeks regarding this subject, let us look at other things that I think characterizes people who experiences God’s blessings in their lives.
Understanding what it is that God has purposed for my life. (v. 1-2)
- It is understanding the things God has really given and provided. But understanding what? It is discovering what God has promised us personally. It is understanding what really belongs to me that Jesus purchased with His precious blood. What is it that you have the right to believe God for and contend for because the Lord has already said it is yours. It is ours in Jesus Christ. What is it that Jesus has promised for your life, family, ministry? I believe that you and I will never experience breakthroughs until we discover what God wants for you and for me.
Knowing the importance of obedience. (v. 3-6)
- To possess all that God has intended and purposed for our lives will require obedience to His plan. In Joshua chapter one, God tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous” several times. Why? So that he can and will do the will of God. This is true for us. We need to be strong and courageous so that you and I will obey and do what God says. This is important because when we face insurmountable situations, we always come up with a plan on our own. When troubles and difficulty come my way, one of the first thing that I do is I will think through in my mind how I am going to handle and fix the issue at hand. I begin to think of how I am going to work the situation out. Now, if you are honest with yourself, I think you would say the same thing. We come up with our plan and what we think will be the remedy to the situation. God is saying for us not to do this. Whatever we are facing, God already knows what He is going to do. He has a plan. Now I need to obey. His ways may not make sense to us, but we need to wait on God and follow Him. Obedience is not something that is very easy to do but somewhere along the line I need to decide to obey Him.
Breakthrough comes to people of faith. (v. 5)
- It is not in our nature to do things we don’t completely understand. God’s instruction to Joshua and to the Israelites is an unusual way of doing things in a battle. It seems ridiculous to yell before the victory. I think it is not in our nature to praise and thank God before we experience the promises God said we can have. We don’t normally praise (yell) before the victory, before the breakthrough, before the walls come down in our lives. But faith is confidence in God. It is believing God to do what you and I could never do. Why did the walls fall down? Was it because of the huge crowd? Or maybe the shout? Was it the trumpets? No, the walls of Jericho fell because of their obedience to God’s words, to His instructions, to His plan.
Most important is relationship with Jesus. (Joshua 1:1-9; 5:13-15; 6:6-13)
- Breakthroughs can’t happen without a relationship with Jesus Christ. Many of us desire breakthroughs in our lives but live in rebellion towards God. We must come to repentance from our rebellion and allow Jesus to be King and guide. Jesus will go before us and make a way.
