Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its fighting men. March around the city with your army once a day for six days”…

On the seventh day they got up at dawn and marched around the city, just as they had on the days before. But on that day they marched around the city seven times.The seventh time around the priests blew their trumpets. Then Joshua gave the command: “Now, shout! The Lord has given you this city.”

Joshua 6:2, 15-16

Sometimes God’s plans seem unusual—perhaps even foolish. The Israelites had experienced God’s power; they had been rescued, led through the desert, and protected. The soldiers knew that walking, blowing horns, and shouting couldn’t possibly cause walls to collapse, but they trusted that their God WOULD! They knew He kept His promises. So when God told them what to do, they did it. While the people inside the walls of Jericho got more and more anxious anticipating the Israelites’ attack, the soldiers simply walked around, blew horns, and shouted. That’s when the walls came tumbling down.

Some days we feel like the soldiers: emboldened, empowered, ready to conquer our days and meet every challenge. Those are the days when we feel God’s presence, when we trust that we can only succeed with His plans, His way. Other days, we feel a lot more like those walls, just waiting for everything to go terribly wrong, anticipating our inevitable collapse. Then when the “horns are blown”, we end up in a heap of dusty rubble. But God always goes before us; He fights our battles! The problems come when we head into battle without Him. When we are stressed and jump out ahead of God, we don’t get to witness His power.

What is your “Jericho”? As a believer, your victories will not come through your own power, your intelligence, your over-preparedness, or your strength. They will come through Jesus. They will come when you understand that He goes before you, fights your battles, and keeps every promise. So give your “Jerichos” to God. Then start walking, blow a few horns, and shout a little! Those walls will come tumbling down at just the right time! You are loved!