And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with his sword drawn in His hand: And Joshua went to Him, and said to him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” Joshua 5:13 NKJV
The Hebrew children had finally made it — they had traversed the Red where they could see the Promised Land. The only problem was that Sea, spent forty years in the wilderness, and crossed the Jordan, from standing between them and the inheritance God had promised them was a city called Jericho. Jericho’s walls were 13 feet high and five feet thick. It also had a 28-foot wall of protection around its water supply; thus, it was nearly impossible for intruders to overtake this city and its resources.
Joshua stood staring at the wall, probably overwhelmed with thoughts about how impossible it would be to invade that great city. However, as Joshua’s eyes rested on Jericho, the captain of the host of God appeared in his line of site with his sword drawn. “Are you for us or our enemies?” asked Joshua. To his relief, the angel responded, “I am here to help you.”
What is your Jericho? Are your eyes fixed on how much weight you need to lose, the training you need to finish in order to move up in your job, the breach in an important relationship, or the disease from which you desire to be free? Do you want something badly, but in your eyes the walls are too high to get over and too thick to plow through? If so, God will help you if you are willing to listen to his wise counsel.
I’m certain that when the men under Joshua’s leadership heard they were to march around the walls of the city, they thought what they were being asked to do would only invite ridicule, which it did. As the men standing on the wall looked down and saw the ragtag team of misfits marching around their city, they were highly amused. Who could imagine that the vibration of those men marching around the city and blowing their horns, added to the weight of all the people on top of the wall having a good belly laugh as they watched would be enough to bring the walls crashing down?
It’s time to take your eyes off the problem and accept God’s help. He has the solution for you; all you have to do is ask.
