“Pray for the conquest of the impossible”
Joshua 6:3. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.
OBSERVATION
Summary
God promises Joshua that Jericho will be conquered and teaches him specific ways to overcome it.
Who is God
• God promises a final victory in the war against Satan
• God wants the saints to pray without being discouraged.
APPLICATION
As the first verse says, Jericho closes the door to Joshua and the people of Israel and obeys the Canaanite king. At the Canaanite king’s instruction, they were firmly closing the doors to Joshua and the people of Israel. Joshua portrays Jesus Christ and the King of Canaan, the Antichrist or Satan, and Jericho Babylon. And the people of Israel who follow Joshua represent the church that follows Jesus. Just as Jericho closed its doors to Joshua and the people of Israel, this world is closing doors to Jesus and the people of God.
But surely Jesus and His kingdom will prevail. Joshua and Israelites might have been intimidated and afraid, for Jericho was standing so strong and huge. But God promises that the people of Israel will be indeed victorious. In the same way, saints can sometimes be discouraged by the influence of this world. But the Bible promises that the church that follows Jesus must prevail. Great Babylon is bound to fall, and Jesus will reign as the king of all kings.
How did the Israeli community conquer Jericho? They first had to march around the Jericho wall. The people of Israel would have prayed that Jericho would be conquered during the march. Likewise, even if there is no sign of collapse or surrender, we should continue to pray for the fall of Jericho with patience. We must continue to pray for Jericho to collapse in Jesus Christ’s name and belong to Jesus. Even though Jericho is still standing proudly in front of us, we still have to pray for its surrender with faith. Our prayers must be answered. It was through a steady prayer march of the Israeli community that Jericho collapsed. Just as a weak, shabby earthworm-like Jacob can be used as a sharp new threshing machine, the weak and humble prayers bring victory to destroy great Babylon. Prayers of the upright transcend the capabilities of nuclear missiles.
God wants His churches to open their eyes to this amazing power of prayer. God wants them to wake up and pay attention to how the people of Israel who had no power in the desert conquered the great Jericho. Of course, God did, but He used men. Likewise, God conquers the impossible like Jericho wall standing in front of us. But He needs our prayers. Our prayers have such great power to destroy the greatest wall standing against God. The praying saints win. Don’t give up and pray for the hardened soul as hard as the Jericho to open to Jesus.
- Sin to avoid: Don’t be overwhelmed by seemingly impossible situations, and do not give up prayers.
- Promise to hold: God answers prayers and conquers the impossible like Jericho.
- Action to take place: Do not give up praying for the closed souls like Jericho to open their hearts to Jesus.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, there are people whose hearts are so closed to you, like the Jericho. It looks impossible for them to open their heart to you in human eyes. However, I won’t give up praying for them. If we pray, I believe, you will conquer their hardened heart and win their souls. I decide again to pray in faith for the hardened and closed souls like Jericho wall so that they may open their hearts to you, Lord. Amen!
Pastor Sharon Lee's QT 