My recent Bible reading has been focused on the book of Joshua. We can learn so much about ourselves and about submission to the will of God. I know that we all want the victory over all our adverse circumstances. We usually want this victory right away too! However there is a process. For everything that we do in Christ, there is a process that is governed by divine principles. In order to conquer every Jericho circumstance that you face, you must pass through God’s process. Let’s look at these five divine steps to conquer!
Step One: Immerse Yourself in the Word of God and be Obedient to Jesus’ Instructions
Joshua assumes leadership of the Israelites after Moses’ death. We can just imagine the pressure! Moses was no longer around to give guidance, but Joshua had the Greatest Counsellor- God Himself! God assures Joshua of complete victory over the Canaanites. God’s only requirement was that Joshua be obedient to book of the law, and to meditate and follow His commandments always.1
Therefore we too must meditate (or deeply ponder) the Word of God. The Word is only effective and exhibits itself in our own thoughts, words and deeds when it has settled deep into our souls and spirits. This is what God requires of us: full attention and obedience to His Word.
You may wonder “What is the outcome of all this obedience?” Well, see Joshua 1:8b: “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Yes, obedience to God’s Word and instructions brings us good success. There is good success and bad success. The former comes from God Himself, the latter from the devices of the devil. I urge us to seek for the good success from Jesus Christ because according to Proverbs 10:22 “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.”
Step Two: Adopt the Divine Posture and All Else will Fall into Place!
God gave a very insistent command to Joshua that we also need to grab on to! He told Joshua to be strong and to be of good courage.2 God also told Joshua to never be afraid or dismayed (depressed). Why? Because the Lord Himself was with Joshua everywhere Joshua would go! The message to Joshua is the message for us: Be strong and courageous! Be fearless! Be happy! Why? Because our Jehovah Nissi goes before us and our victory is assured in Christ Jesus! Hallelujah!3
The Israelites aligned themselves with God’s appointed leader Joshua and with God’s appointed vision.4 Jesus Christ will make the way plain before you. Problems and people will become transformed to your divine milestones and helpers to get your God-appointed visions accomplished. And so it shall be every day of your faithful walk with Christ in Jesus’ name! Amen!
Step Three: Don’t Miss the Move of God!
In Joshua 2 to 4, we see where spies are sent out to survey Jericho. These spies are successful in their quest as they are greatly aided by Rahab. The children of Israel gather at the banks of the Jordan River, which was in its full force. They aligned themselves according to God’s instructions to Joshua.5 The priests, bearing the ark of the covenant, stepped into the river, which immediately parted in two! There was now a clear highway for Israel to pass through to Canaan, the Promised Land.6 No boats necessary, just the power of God!
Recall that when their forefathers left Egypt, they passed through the middle of the Red Sea under Moses’ leadership. That same Red Sea closed upon Pharaoh and his entire army, drowning them all.7 Here they are, 40 years later, at the Jordan River. Again the Lord gives the same miracle of a highway through great waters.
When you are in alignment with the instructions of Christ, you will be ready for His miraculous move. Jesus will give you further divine steps to conquer in your particular situation. You will be empowered to overcome great obstacles. You will pass through the unthinkable and emerge unscathed to the wonder of all around you. However, you must first be in your divinely appointed place, armed with the right mindset, and at the time designated by Him. Whatever you do, don’t miss the move of God!
Step Four: You Must Go Through Your Gilgal Experience to Conquer Jericho
The Israelites must have been all pumped up and excited to just rush in and destroy Jericho! After all, the people of Jericho were already afraid of them! “Yes! Let’s go up and conquer them all!” must have been the feeling of the Israelites.
However this was not God’s plan of action. The children of Israel had to follow His divine steps to conquer, and to be victorious over their enemies. God told Joshua to do a second circumcision on all the children of Israel at a place called Gilgal. Yes, a very painful surgery in the most vulnerable part of a man’s body. Circumcision meant that there would be no activity for some time as the men of war would need time to heal. God required the circumcision as a visible mark of His covenant with Israel as His chosen people.
The removal of the foreskin was important. The act represented the removal of the reproach of the slavery of their forefathers in Egypt. Yes the Egyptians drowned at the Red Sea, but there was a residue that God had to remove from His children.8 The Israelites would only be victorious if they were fully God’s own.
Go Through Your Personal Gilgal in Faith and Patience
Even now you may feel that there are places you need to go; levels you should have attained; things that you should have accomplished. You are likely disappointed that the high you came in with from a past experience or victory isn’t rolling on to another apex. Do not be discouraged beloved of Christ: you are at Gilgal. Do not resist the process of the removal of ungodly residue or tainted dead flesh from your life. Let Jesus get into your vulnerable places, the places of your past, your secrets. Let Him clean you up in the best way. Submit to His disinfection of all aspects of your life at Gilgal. You will emerge better and stronger for it. You will be fully God’s own. Jesus will then dwell in you and work through you.
Once Joshua submitted to the cleansing work of God through the circumcision, and the time of healing, then the Israelites kept the Passover. This was the first Passover in the Promised Land of Canaan. Thereafter God gave Joshua the unconventional battle plan to conquer Jericho.9 The victory over Jericho came not from the sword (self or carnal nature), but through strict obedience to the Word of God (the Sword of the Spirit).
Gilgal is a Place of Restoration
We must give Jesus thanks for this process of restoring us to Himself. We must willingly wait at Gilgal, yes that place of pain and humiliation from our circumcision. Through His power, we transform our Gilgal from pain and shame to healing and thanksgiving for His restoration. We must each wait at Gilgal for the unique battle plans for our lives, for our victory in Christ. Please my friends; let us not be hasty in the process of moving to the next level.
Unless the foundations of our lives are firmly rooted in Jesus Christ, we will not be victorious. Our self-based, self-created works will not withstand the trial by fire, yes the fiery trials of life. We need to make sure that Jesus Christ is our foundation, so that each of our houses, each of our distinct God-given, God-built legacies will stand.10
Beloved of Christ, do not despise Gilgal. Be comforted in knowing that Gilgal is not your final destination. You will pass through Gilgal and come out stronger, better, wiser and fully equipped by Jesus Christ to conquer your Jericho. All Glory to God! Hallelujah!
Step Five: Remain Focused on Jesus Christ in All Things!
God is constant, He never changes and His mercies are new every morning.11 God will not forget you, or His plans to elevate you to the next level. I encourage us to be patient; wait on God; wait for His divine word for each of us; a battle plan custom made just for you.12
Once you have the battle plan, follow every single aspect of it; do not deviate from the plan. Do not improvise, do not second-guess it, or else you will not get the victory at the end. 1 Corinthians 1:25 tells us that: “[T]he foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” The plan that Joshua got from God to march around Jericho, was to our knowledge, very weird. However our God is Omniscient, so whatever He tells you to do, do it! Perform the instructions of God in full measure, and according to His divine timing.
I hope that you have been blessed by these divine steps to conquer in every area of your life. I encourage you to remain focused on Jesus Christ in all things.
Blessings, peace and wisdom upon you,
Sophia.
- Joshua 1:1-9.
- Joshua 1:7&9.
- Please see 2 Timothy 1:7; Psalm 18:33; Habakkuk 3:19.
- See Joshua 1:10-18.
- You can read Joshua 3 for this miraculous account.
- See Joshua 3:9 through to 4:14.
- This account is in Exodus 14.
- See Joshua 5:1-9.
- Please read this account in Joshua 5:13-15 and Joshua 6:1-5.
- Please read 1 Corinthians 3:10-20; Matthew 7:24-27.
- Hebrews 13:8; Lamentations 3:22-26.
- Please find encouragement in: Isaiah 49:14-16; Zechariah 2:8b; Psalm 27:14; 1 Peter 5:6-7; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 10:36.
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