Mariah is part of our Redeemer family.
She blogs at Mountain Mover.
You may contact Mariah at mariahsteinman@yahoo.com.
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Since last week I’ve been reading about the Israelites, and their journey out of the desert and into their promised land.
This has been significant to me, since I feel as if I’ve been walking through my own desert, and I am on the verge of entering into what God has promised me.
For forty years these people wandered, lost in the desert, pressing forward through trial and tribulation to make it to their promised land.
Unfortunately, their journey came to a halt, because standing between the Israelites and their promise was a seventeen-foot-high impenetrable wall, the wall of Jericho.
What fascinates me most about this story is how they get past the wall. It wasn't by fighting. They didn't charge the wall and attack it with swords and spears. They marched around the wall, while praising God.
They continued this for seven days, and after doing what God had told them, when they gave a final shout, they watched as God brought down the wall, opening the way to their promised land.
As we go through life the large walls of depression, anxiety, divorce, losing a job, little to no income, and even death, pop up around us and appear to be impenetrable. Often these walls are accompanied by deep pain, suffering, and doubt. On top of this, you're being attacked on every side by heavy warfare.
The situation begins to feel hopeless.
On the other side of this "wall" is everything we have been hoping for. everything we cried ourselves to sleep for, everything we screamed in pain for, and everything we have prayed and cried out to God for.
And now this giant, immovable wall is standing in your way, and there seems to be no way out.
Like the Israelites, there is nothing we can do on our own to bring it down. We beat it, punch it, kick it, and throw things at it, but nothing works. The only weapon we have is the word of God.
The Israelites marched around their wall physically; we march around our walls in faith. We hold firm to what God has promised. We hold firm, even though our eyes cannot see it, and our brains cannot understand it.
Because when we let God in, when we give Him the glory, that causes the walls of Jericho to come tumbling down.
To us, the situation may seem hopeless, but to God, that is where He does His best work, in seemingly hopeless situations.
If you are like me, currently in the midst of facing a wall, and everything you’ve tried hasn’t worked, and you feel that the walls are closing in, don’t give up!
Because God is about to show up, and this is when He’ll do His best work!
Just like in the Chronicles of Narnia, when god shows up, the battle changes!
Keep praising Him despite the doubt, keep rejoicing despite the pain, and keep speaking to that wall, even if it doesn’t look like it’s moving.
It was by faith that Jericho fell, and it is by faith that your walls will fall as well.
Raise a hallelujah! Do the Jericho walk!
“Shout! For the Lord has given you this city!” – Joshua 6:16
