The walk of Faith that brings down walls

When we spend time in God’s presence—reading, praying, worshipping—we’re reminded that nothing is impossible for Him. Yet, as we walk out our faith day by day, the simple disciplines can sometimes feel mundane or even frustrating. We may wonder if our prayers and obedience are making any difference at all. Looking to the story of Joshua and the Israelites at Jericho, we see a powerful reminder that God’s promises always precede our performance. Before a single sword was lifted, God declared, “I have given Jericho into your hand.” The victory was already spoken, even as the walls still stood tall.

The Israelites’ journey was marked by years of walking—through the wilderness, through rebellion, through waiting. But when the time came to face Jericho, God’s instruction was simple: walk around the city in silence for six days, then seven times on the seventh day, and shout. No military strategy, no siege engines—just obedience. Their faith was not in their own strength, but in God’s word. Sometimes, faith means walking in silence, pressing on when nothing seems to change, and trusting that God is working even when we can’t see it.

The fall of Jericho wasn’t about the volume of the shout, but about the faith and obedience that preceded it. The walls fell because God had already given the victory, and the people trusted Him enough to walk and to shout before they saw the breakthrough. In the midst of judgment, God’s grace was extended to Rahab and her family, showing that His mercy reaches anyone who believes. The treasures of Jericho were devoted to God as firstfruits, reminding us that every victory belongs to Him, not to us.

As we face our own “Jerichos”—the impossible walls and circumstances—we are called to keep walking, keep praying, keep believing, and keep praising. The victory is already won in Christ. Our role is to walk in faith, obey God’s voice, and give Him the glory for every breakthrough. Let every testimony in our lives declare, “The Lord is with me,” and let our obedience and praise become the shout that signals the miracle.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Promises Precede Our Performance Before the Israelites ever lifted a finger against Jericho, God had already declared the victory. This teaches us that God’s word and promises are not dependent on our efforts or circumstances. We are called to trust that what He has spoken over our lives is already settled, even when we have yet to see the evidence. Faith begins with believing God’s promise, not with seeing results. [06:44]
• 2. Obedience in the Mundane Unlocks the Miraculous The Israelites were asked to do something simple—walk around the city in silence. It was not a grand gesture, but quiet, persistent obedience that opened the door to God’s power. Often, it is in the daily, seemingly insignificant acts of faithfulness—prayer, reading, serving—that God prepares us for breakthrough. The miraculous is often hidden in the mundane, waiting for our obedience. [17:36]
• 3. Faith Walks When Sight Fails For six days, the Israelites saw no change in the walls of Jericho. Yet they kept walking, trusting God’s word over what their eyes could see. True faith is not deterred by silence or lack of visible progress; it presses on, believing that God is at work behind the scenes. When we walk by faith and not by sight, we align ourselves with God’s reality, not our own limitations. [20:55]
• 4. God’s Grace Reaches the Least Likely In the midst of judgment, Rahab—a woman with a questionable past—was saved because she believed and acted in faith. God’s mercy is not limited by our history or reputation; it is available to anyone who trusts Him. No one is too far gone for God’s grace, and our prayers for others should reflect that boundless hope. [26:50]
• 5. Every Victory Belongs to God Alone When Jericho fell, the treasures were devoted to God as firstfruits, and the victory was attributed to His power, not Israel’s might. We must guard our hearts against taking credit for what God has done. Every success, every breakthrough, is an opportunity to glorify Him and to testify to His presence in our lives. Let our lives point others to the God who brings down walls.
  
  ** [29:56]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:39] - The Power of God’s Presence
• [02:00] - When Faith Feels Mundane
• [02:41] - Joshua’s Encounter on the Hill
• [04:30] - Facing Impossible Walls
• [06:01] - God’s Promise Before the Battle
• [08:56] - Israel’s Journey of Walking
• [10:02] - Distinct Identity in Christ
• [12:48] - Joshua’s Preparation and Leadership
• [14:51] - A New Generation’s Simple Obedience
• [16:21] - God’s Unusual Strategy
• [17:36] - Silent Obedience and Faith
• [20:00] - Walking by Faith, Not by Sight
• [22:19] - The Walls Fall by Faith
• [25:35] - Rahab: Grace in the Midst of Judgment
• [28:46] - Devoting the Victory to God
• [30:36] - God’s Presence and Our Testimony
• [31:44] - Faith, Obedience, and Praise
• [33:36] - The King on the Battlefield
• [34:10] - Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Joshua 6:1-25 (ESV) — (You may want to read the whole passage as a group, or focus on these key verses below.)

> 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.
> 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days.
> 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
> 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”
> ...
> 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.
> ...
> 22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.”
> ...
> 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Hebrews 11:30-31 (ESV) — > 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
> 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV) — > 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Observation Questions

1. What did God declare to Joshua before the Israelites ever began marching around Jericho? ([06:01])
2. What specific instructions did God give the Israelites for taking Jericho, and how did these differ from normal military strategies? ([15:20])
3. How did the Israelites respond to God’s instructions—was there any record of complaining or questioning? ([18:23])
4. Who was Rahab, and what happened to her and her family during the fall of Jericho? ([26:05])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God chose such a simple and unusual strategy (walking in silence) for the Israelites to conquer Jericho, instead of a more conventional approach? What might this teach us about how God works? ([16:21])
2. The sermon says, “God’s promise preceded Israel’s performance.” What does it mean for God’s promise to come before our actions, and how does that change the way we approach challenges? ([06:44])
3. The Israelites had to walk around the walls for six days without seeing any change. What does this reveal about the nature of faith and obedience, especially when we don’t see immediate results? ([20:00])
4. Rahab was saved because she believed and acted in faith, despite her past. What does her story show us about God’s grace and who it is available to? ([26:50])

Application Questions

1. The Israelites were asked to do something that seemed mundane and even pointless—walk around a wall in silence. Are there spiritual disciplines or acts of obedience in your life right now that feel mundane or ineffective? How might God be using these “small” acts to prepare you for breakthrough? ([17:36])
2. Think about a “wall” or impossible situation you are facing. What would it look like for you to keep walking, praying, and believing even when you see no progress? Is there a specific step of obedience God is asking you to take? ([20:31])
3. The sermon said, “Faith walks when sight fails.” Can you share a time when you had to trust God even though you couldn’t see any evidence that things were changing? What helped you keep going? ([20:55])
4. Rahab’s story shows that no one is too far gone for God’s grace. Is there someone in your life you’ve given up praying for or believing God can reach? How can you renew hope and prayer for them this week? ([27:17])
5. When God brings victory or breakthrough in your life, how do you make sure to give Him the glory instead of taking credit yourself? Are there practical ways you can point others to God’s work in your life? ([29:56])
6. The Israelites devoted the treasures of Jericho to God as firstfruits. What does it look like for you to give God your “first and best” in your current season? ([28:46])
7. The sermon encouraged us to let our testimony declare, “The Lord is with me.” What is one area of your life where you can share a testimony of God’s faithfulness with someone this week? ([31:00])