Personal Walls of Jericho

Personal Walls of Jericho

Most of us are very familiar with the walls of Jericho story in Joshua 6:1-26.  Affectionately, we recall the lyrics of the Sunday Church School song, “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down.”  This passage offers powerful personal meaning as we face daily challenges.  Just as the walls of Jericho were demolished, the fortresses of our personal problems, internal dilemmas and spiritual obstacles can be demolished.

Archaeologists posit the outer wall of Jericho was twenty-eight feet wide.  There were a second and a third inner wall, which were one hundred feet and two hundred and sixty-five feet wide.  These walls were wide enough to build houses on the top of them.  People in the Ancient Near East world probably marveled at the height, depth, aesthetic and engineering of these walls.  Metaphorically, we stand in awe of the length and substance of our personal challenges.  Why does this problem linger for so long?  Why can’t I overcome it?  Will I ever experience victory over this problem?  Personal walls actually imprison us to self-centered fear and other character defects. 

I offer five suggestions for destroying your personal walls of Jericho.  First, explore the problem.  Joshua sends a reconnaissance mission ahead to prepare for battle.  He carefully analyzes the forthcoming struggle.  He does not lunge into fighting without considering his odds of victory and possibilities of defeat.  He determines his needs of resources in order to win.  Often, we rush for the solution without fully knowing what the problem is.  Denial additionally factors in your inability to determine the exact nature of the problem.  Nonetheless, the first step in resolving any challenge is defining as specifically as possible what it is.

Second, encounter the “Captain of the Lord of Hosts,” who is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  In traditional church parlance, “Take it to the Lord in prayer.”  If we ask Him, Almighty God graciously grants divine guidance and insight to resolve our problems.  Practically speaking, prayer is the spiritual discipline of lifting our heartfelt concerns to our Heavenly Father for His assistance and empowerment.  Moreover, prayer immensely aids us in examining our motives.  Perhaps, we are enjoying some of our problems.  Others of us relish in the “familiarity of pathology.”  Prayer and meditation usher us into the presence of God.  That encounter empowers to face “the living of these days.”

Third, we should expect to win!  Negativity defeats a lot of people.  They go into negotiations, difficult conversations, conflicts and other challenges doubting their abilities or the strength of their positions.  Rather, maintaining a positive attitude is essential to winning in anything.  However, this requires completing the “5 Ps” in advance.  “Prior preparation prevents poor performance.”  Part of the preparation is the development and maintenance of a positive perspective.

Fourth, extend your very best effort.  Joshua and the people marched around the wall six days.  On the seventh day, they marched around the wall seven times.  The biblical number, seven, represents wholeness.  They could not win until they were willing to fight to the fullest extent of their will and resources. 

Finally, experience the victory.  They shout on the seventh round.  They shout with the voice of triumph and victory.  They praise God for His favor and faithfulness.  I pray this familiar passage of scripture encourages you as your personal walls of Jericho come tumbling down.