Walls Gone

Hebrews 11:30-31 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
 
FORTY years had passed since Israel’s walk through the Red Sea. They entered the Promised Land when they in faith they walked through the flooded Jordan River, held back for their safe passage. (Joshua 4) We note this second walk  through water was “headlines news” among other leaders: Joshua 5:1 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.
   Rahab knew about God’s people, too: Joshua 2:9 Rahab said to the spies, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.” In faith Rahab knew God’s power and his plan. She knew she had to turn from her old life to be safe under God’s care. By faith, Rahab knew life is believing God.    
   By faith Joshua and his soldiers followed the Lord’s most unusual strategy reported in Joshua 6. As soldiers trained for war, it would be very difficult to understand God’s orders to walk around the city once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. How could the conquest occur when the main weapon was the priests’ trumpets and shouts from the army? When did a loud sound win a war?
   It did the day Israel faithfully followed God’s commands. Again, the Lord glorified his name. God commanded. Israel obeyed. Because the army completely relied on God’s orders, the LORD God Almighty added to Israel’s faith.
   God didn’t need the nation Israel to fulfill his redemptive promise. But he formed the nation to faithfully fulfill God’s laws, so they would testify of God’s righteousness, mercy and love to the other nations. God’s will was to use Israel to glorify his Name over all the earth.
   Now the Spirit has formed the church to faithfully testify of God’s righteousness, mercy and love. Words do conquer. We are called and commanded to shout for the Lord. God’s Word collapses sin’s walls. Satan’s kingdom will not withstand God’s faithful church on the march, sounding the trumpet of salvation in Jesus Christ. You, too, can be a conqueror for Christ.
 
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.