In the conquest of Canaan, God had commanded Joshua to take the city of Jericho first. However, the battle plan was like nothing Joshua had ever heard of before. God had instructed Joshua and his army to march around the city for 6 days straight as the Ark of the Covenant was carried before them. The 7 priests constantly sounded the trumpets but the people were to keep silent. On the seventh day they marched around the city 7 times. At the end of that seventh time the priests sounded a long blast on the trumpets which was the signal for Israel to offer to God a mighty shout. Joshua 6:20 tells us: “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city”. With God’s presence with them symbolized in the Ark of the Covenant, they surrounded their enemies with a perimeter of praise. At the shout of praise, the walls fell down and the enemy was conquered.
We are challenged to offer to God the sacrifice of our praise (Heb. 13:15). Praise is fitting to the awesome God we serve. He loved us, He saved us, He provides for us, and He will never leave us or forsake us. I also believe that our praise can be a weapon to defeat our spiritual enemies. Israel marched around the city of Jericho and shouted their praise to God. They surrounded their enemies in a perimeter of praise. We too should do the same with our spiritual enemies and those walls of intimidating problems. Praise His name when you are hurt and wounded, praise Him when you are confused and intimidated. Shout to the Lord during those days of discouragement and those nights of loneliness.
Israel watched the walls of Jericho fall down flat. May we as God’s people today surround our problems with a perimeter of praise. Then we will see like Joshua the walls of our Jericho fall down.
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