BEGIN
It is here at Jericho, Israel must begin this new life of
living in the Land. Israel must confront the enemy and
destroy the obstacles that stand in their way. The Christian
life involves a starting place where we move forward at the
Lord‘s leading.
Deuteronomy 2:24 Rise ye up, take your
journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given
into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his
land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
BEGINNING IN REALITY
“Now Jericho”, so this is the way Joshua chapter
six begins? Impenetrable walls, foreign armies, enemies,
obstacles! Jesus said,
“this world hath hated me and it will hate you”,
so there are opposing forces who are against the Christian
life. We are taking spiritual territory that Satan has long
laid claim to. There will be fights and struggles, it is a
fact. The song writer said, “It is a battle field brother,
not a recreation room, it is a fight and not a game, so run
if you want to run if you will but I came here to stay”. One
can not get discouraged when confronted with barriers. They
are obstacle courses by which the Lord wishes to propel us.
Joseph was taken to the throne in Egypt through seemingly
many set backs of bondage, slavery, prison. Yet, God was
using the obstacles to fulfill Joseph’s earlier dreams. We
cannot put our hands to the plow and then turn back because
of hardships. This is life and it is the Christian life.
We must begin this life in Reality!
BEGINNING IN SIMPLICITY
Simple Orders: It will take no military strategist to
figure out these plans. They are so simple. “Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”
Is that not simple? Soldiers are to go first, then the
Priests with the ark-of-the covenant, and then the people
following. All are to march around the walls of Jericho
blowing trumpets and shouting on cue. If we are to navigate
through our obstacles, if we are to defeat our enemy, we
must use God's plan, not our own. What is God plan? It is to
trust His power, not our power. Believe His Word, not human
and fleshly idea. Rely on His strength, not human weakness.
I say again it is simple. Living in this land will not
be difficult if we allow it to be simple.
Simple Obedience:
A good place to start is to simply obey. It will keep us
on course and out of self-imposed disasters such as: Achan’s
fiasco of disobedience that brought unnecessary harm.
“Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in
Jesus but to trust and obey.” Just obey. It is
the simple life, nothing complex.
BEGINNING WITH VICTORY
Joshua 6:2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have
given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the
mighty men of valour.
Victory is A gift imparted: If there is no victory in
the beginning then certainly there will be none at the end.
It has been said, “We do not fight for the victory but
we fight because we have the victory!” “But thanks
be unto God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Victory is A gaze of insight: Something is being said to
Joshua. Romans 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the word of God”. Something must be said
by God for faith to take hold. Also, Joshua must be able in
the beginning to see what has been said. To see what
has been said would seem to be an oxymoron, a
contradicting statement, yet if you never see it with the
spiritual eye then you will never believe it. If you
never believe it, by faith, then you will never experience
it. We know the end of the matter because we have seen
what the Lord said!
Victory is A goal
implemented: The goal is not of gaining victory, but
the goal is living in that victory that is already ours and
then acting upon that truth: Being more than conquerors
through Him.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him that loved us.
I John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith.
