Title: “How to have a Jericho Day”
Introduction: When is the last time that you had a “Jericho Day?” This is a day when you sense that your enemies have been defeated and that God has been greatly glorified through your life. Are you living your life in Victory?
Here are five Bible principles that will help you to live a successful Christian walk:
1. Begin with Morning Devotions.
Note that the victory of Joshua Chapter Six began with the last few verses of Chapter five. As the newly appointed leader of Israel, Joshua is surveying the City of Jericho for the upcoming warfare. He sees a man with a sword drawn in the open field. This man is none other than Christ himself. Joshua is told to take the shoes off of his feet for he is standing on holy ground. Christ calls himself the “Captain of the Lord of Hosts.” Joshua worships Christ. Only God accepts worship.
If you are going to have a “Jericho Day,” you will need to begin your day in worship. How is your daily devotional life?
2. Have a mind to work.
Jesus tells Joshua to have the people of Israel up and ready early every morning. They are to put on their armor and priestly garments. They are to walk in arranged file around the fortified City of Jericho.
If we are to have a victorious day, we must have a mind to work. We cannot be lazy. We must get out of our little comfort zones and “walk around our city.” Even if no one seems to take notice us, we must continue to let our “lights shine before men!”
This thought reminds me somewhat of what I have seen time again and time again in my hometown during the summer months. Undoubtedly, I will see two Mormon missionaries youths dressed in white shirts and dark pants walking around my city. I am certainly not an advocate for Mormonism, but, would to God that some of Bible believing Christian had a mind to work, as they seem to have. Has not God told us to “Go into all of the world, and to preach the gospel to every creature?”
3. Follow the Book.
Just as the children followed the priest who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan River, they were also instructed to follow the Ark once again as they walked around the City of Jericho.
Within the Ark of Covenant were the Tables of Stone. These tablets represented to the people of Israel the essence of the Word of God. We are to be a covenant people, claiming the promises of God.
We are a people of the Book. We are following God’s plan, not our own. Everything that a Christian does, should be in accordance with his steps,
4. Keep your thoughts on the things above.
The children of Israel were told “not to make any noise with your voice.” When I read that statement I thought of how many times the children of Israel had followed the leadership of Moses complaining and murmuring all the way.
Certainly, those who obeyed the command of Joshua to walk around the city of Jericho once for six days, and then to walk around the City on the seventh day seven times, would have had a tendency to complain. The plan does not make sense!
God told them to remind quiet. They only noise to be heard was from the sounding of the trumpets blown by the priest. May the sound of praise be heard from our lips. May we put away all negative thinking and live by the promises given to us in the world of God.
5. Stay with the plan.
God has never called his people half way into anything. It may be that you will not know the victory of the Christian life until after you have heard the shout. For the people of Israel that shout came on the day that the walls of Jericho would come tumbling down flat.
We too, are awaiting the sound of the trump. The rapture of the saints must surely be soon. On that day, we will experience the total victory that we have in Christ.
Until then, the challenge that I place before you is to: Have morning devotions. Keep walking. Follow the Book. Hold unto positive thoughts, and to Stay with the plan!
Have a “Jericho Day!”
