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A FAITH THAT BRINGS DOWN WALLS

INTRODUCTION

In the Bible there are many men and women of God who did great things for God in their days.

In Hebrews 11, which is known as “God’s Hall of Faith,” we find God’s people doing great things for God’s glory and in every instance they did it “By Faith!”

It is, and always will be, the principle of “By Faith” if anyone accomplishes anything for God.

It only makes sense then, that if we want to accomplish anything for God, then we must do it “By Faith!”

In order to know just what effective faith involves (and by effective I mean faith that gets things done–that is, a faith that works), we need to study God’s examples of folks who did things by faith. That is what we want to do today. We want to take one of God’s examples in this “Hall of Faith” and see what that faith involved.

Read the Scripture. Hebrews 11:30; Joshua 6:1-5

Let me ask you this, do you have some hindrance to your Christian walk that you would like to see removed in your own life?

The Bible says that, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” What was involved in this faith that brought these walls down?

I.         IT WAS A FAITH THAT INVOLVED CONFIDENCE IN THE WORD OF THE LORD! (RELIANCE!!!) (Vs 1-2)

Someone came up with the acronym F-R-O-G. You see a lot of merchandise in Christian book stores with that acronym. It stands for “Fully Rely On God!”

            A.        The Children Of Israel Had A Promise From The Lord.

                        Deuteronomy 34:1-4; Joshua 1:3-4; 6:2

            B.        The Children Of Israel Had Directions From The Lord. (Vs 3-5)

                        1.         They Were To Compass The City. (Vs 3)

                                    a.         All the men of war were to march around the city.

                                    b.         They were to go around it once a day for six days.

                        2.         The Priests Were To Take Part. (Vs 4)

                                    a.         By bearing the ark of the covenant.

                                    b.         By bearing before the ark seven trumpets of ram’s horns.

                        3.         The Seventh Day was To Be The Climax. (Vs 5)

                                    a.         They were to compass the city seven times on the seventh day.

                                    b.         They were to blow the trumpets, and make a long blast with the ram’s horn. At the sound of the trumpet the people were to give a great shout.

                                    c.         God said, Then the walls of the city would fall down flat, and the people would ascend up, every man into the city.

            C.        They Had God’s Track Record To Rely Upon.

                        1.         The Red Sea Was An Obstacle, But The LORD Parted It!

                        2.         The Waters Of The Jordan River Were An Obstacle, But The LORD Parted It!

IT WAS A FAITH THAT INVOLVED CONFIDENCE IN THE WORD OF THE LORD.

            Our Faith Must Be The Same Way:

            1.         We Have The Promises Of God.

            2.         We Have The Direction Of God.

            3.         We Have God’s Track Record.

II.       IT WAS A FAITH THAT INVOLVED COMPLIANCE TO THE WORD OF THE LORD. (OBEDIENCE!!!)

            “Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

            A.        The Success Of The Operation Was Based On Each Person Doing His Part.

                        Unity was an essential ingredient to accomplish the will of God.

                        1.         Joshua Was Called To Perform His Part. (Vs 2, 6-7)

                        2.         The Priests Were Called To Perform Their Part. (Vs 6, 13)

                        3.         The People Called To Perform Their Part. (Vs 7, 10)

            B.        God’s Word Was To Be Carried Out In An Orderly Fashion. 

                        1.         God’s Word Is To Be Carried Out In God’s Time.

                                    It would take seven days to accomplish His will.

There was no way to shortcut. Someone once said, “When you try to shortcut, most times you end up getting cut short.”

                        2.         God’s Word Is To Be Carried Out In God’s Way.

                        3.         God’s Word Is To Be Carried Out Fully.

                                    a.         The City Was To Be Taken On The Seventh Day.

                                                (Vs 15-16, 20-21)

                                    b.         Rahab Was To Be Spared. (Vs 17, 22-23, 25)

                                    c.         The Wealth Of Jericho Belonged To The Lord. (Vs 18-19, 24)

                                                What a wonderful lesson! What the Lord redeems is His!

                                                They did not win the battle, the Lord did!

                                                When God saves us, likewise, we are not our own.

IT WAS A FAITH THAT INVOLVED CONFIDENCE IN THE WORD OF THE LORD. (RELIANCE)

                        Promise, Direction, Track Record.

IT WAS A FAITH THAT INVOLVED COMPLIANCE TO THE WORD OF THE LORD. (OBEDIENCE)

                        Unity and Order.

III.      IT WAS A FAITH THAT INVOLVED CONTINUING IN THE WORD OF THE LORD. (PERSISTENCE)

            A.        Persistence In Spite Of Business.

            B.        Persistence In Spite Of Ridicule.

            C.        Persistence In Spite Of Apparent Failure.

IV.      FAITH BROUGHT THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD!

            The instructions were clear.

            There was no room for human reasoning, human schemes, or approved military tactics.

            All was ordered of the Lord and Joshua and the people were to obey by faith.

            Hebrews 11:30 tells us Jericho fell “by faith.”

            They believed God and showed it by their actions.

            A.        Do You Believe That The Word Of God Is Beneficial To You?

2 Timothy 3:16-17–“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

            B.        Do You Believe That The Effectual Fervent Prayer Of A Righteous Man Availeth Much? (James 5:16)

            C.        Do You Believe That The Gospel Of Christ Is The Power Of God Unto Salvation? (Romans 1:16)

            D.        Do You Believe That Faithful Church Attendance Is Important?

                        (Hebrews 10:25)

            E.        Do You Believe That God Expects Us To Tithe And Give Offerings?

Malachi 3:10–“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

If there aren’t as many blessings in our lives as we’d like, could it be because our obedience is lacking!?

            Could it be because we have no persistence in the things of God?

V.        WHAT IS THE ATTITUDE OF FAITH?

            Faith is taking God at His Word, it means “Forsaking All I Trust Him!”

            What should be the attitude of our faith?

            A.        Faith Reckons.

                        The word reckon means to take inventory.

Romans 4:20-22–“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.”

            B.        Faith Responds.

We are to yield our bodies and our spirits to the Lord, and we are to respond to His promises in complete acceptance for ourselves.

                        This is what Israel did as they compassed the walls.

                        They were obeying the commands by faith.

Romans 6:13–“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

            C.        Faith Receives.

Hebrews 11:1–“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:6–“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Having reckoned and responded in an act of trust and full expectation, then we will receive by faith.

            D.        Faith Rests.

John 15:4–“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

We are to abide in Christ, that is we are to rest in Christ continuously. . .for pardon, for power, for abundant life.

CONCLUSION

The walls of Jericho stood between the Israelites and the abundant life in the Promised Land that the LORD promised them.

What stands between you and the abundant life that Christ has promised you?

John 10:10–“. . .I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

The walls of Jericho came down “by faith.”

We need the same kind of faith that they had! May God help us to have. . .

A Faith Founded On The Word Of The Lord.

            God’s Promises.

            God’s Commands.

            God’s Track Record.

A Faith Shown By Obedience.

            Unity–Every person doing their own part.

            Order–Doing Things In God’s Time, In God’s Way, Fully.

A Faith Carried Out With Persistence.

            In Spite Of Business.

            In Spite Of Ridicule.

            In Spite Of Apparent Failure.

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!