The Most Often Missing Ingredient in Faith
Has God ever told you to do something that crazy?! I have. It seems that God loves to tell us to do something in the most inopportune and inconvenient and worst times! Start a business in a recession. Go pray in the middle of a meeting. Stop what you are doing and pray for that person.
Let’s consider the story of Jericho. Jericho was the first city God told the Israelites to take after the first generation died in the wilderness. Studying Joshua preceding the attack is a fascinating picture of a man that learned from Moses’ mistakes and operated in strong wisdom! He knew not to send 12 spies but only sent 2 secretly. He and the new generation knew to keep their mouths shut if they felt any doubt. And they learned to follow directions exactly!
Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor!” (Joshua 6:1-2).
How God sees things cracks me up sometime! In His view the city was served to Joshua on a platter. What Joshua saw was a city with walls so thick chariots could drive on them! He saw thick gates that were impossible to break open. But he doesn’t say a word. God continued.
“You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.” (Joshua 6:3-5)
The reason God told them to march around the city in silence is because He knew they would begin to murmur and complain forfeiting victory. Remember this:
THERE ARE BATTLES FOR PROMISES YOU WILL ENTER INTO THAT NO AMOUNT OF HUMAN STRENGTH, SMARTS, OR ABILITY WILL GIVE YOU VICTORY OR ACCESS. It will take an OUTRAGEOUS, RIDICULOUS STRATEGY FROM GOD. And what the heck? You can’t do it anyway. It is during these times that you will wonder if you heard from God, if things will ever change, and if you made a mistake. You must win the battle in your thoughts. Follow God’s directions. And be quiet if you have nothing to speak in faith! Then once you feel faith, RELEASE YOUR SOUND!