Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NIV)
Have you ever faced an obstacle that seemed impossible to overcome?
In Joshua 6, we read about the Israelites who faced the mighty walls and secure gates of Jericho, which made them think they would not be able to break through those barriers that surrounded the city to conquer it. However, they chose to trust God as their Commander in Chief. They took His advice and, using His strategy, they won the war!
Let’s read how the Bible sets the scene and see God’s war-winning strategy. Joshua 6:1-5 (NIV) says, “Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.'”
It's important to note that God’s way of doing things often looks different from our vision of how to win in life. But His thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). God has infinite wisdom. He knows what He’s doing. When we choose to side with Him, we always win!
Pastor Charles A. Tapp preached a sermon years ago based on that same story found in Joshua. His sermon had a lesson point and exhortation that still resonates with me today. He said, “Shout now!” because God has already won the battle you’re facing (emphasis added). It’s important to note that Pastor Tapp didn’t advise the congregation to only shout after winning the war; he wants us to shout now as we’re facing the battle because we know that, with God’s help, we will be victorious. With Him on our side, we can conquer anything. This lesson reminds me of a song I encourage you to listen to: Tasha Layton and Chris Brown of Elevation Church's “Worship Through It".
Layton opens the song by saying how a situation in her life looks impossible, but then she reminds herself that, with God, all things are possible. She acknowledges Him for that truth. She sings about remembering how God has always been faithful to her throughout her life. Layton uses that as an encouragement to come boldly before the Throne of God (Hebrews 4:16) and requests a miracle. She expresses faith that God will come through for her now just like He did in the past. She believes that God can do anything. Therefore, she decides to worship Him through the problems she is facing and to keep praising Him until she receives her breakthrough!
Brown joins the performance singing about how God can make a way out of no way. He sings how when chaos surrounds him, God whispers peace into his heart. Just like Layton, he puts stock in the fact that God has come through for him in the past so he has full confidence God will do it again!
When I listen to this song, I think of situations in my own life that have not been resolved—the kind that keep me awake at night. But I realize now that God wants me to worship Him as I prepare for the breakthrough only He can give. It's very easy for us to become overwhelmed by our problems or situations, but to this, Jesus Christ says in John 16:33 (NLT), “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Nobody is exempt from experiencing problems in life, but the hope is that when you experience Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you know that help is on the way. It may take days, weeks, months, or years to receive our breakthrough, but we are to worship God while we wait on Him. We are to trust that He will always show up right on time. And we can rest in the fact that Jesus never leaves us to face those sleep-depriving situations alone. He is always by our side. Christ may seem silent sometimes, but we can trust that He is always working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
Let’s Pray:
Dear God,
Thank You for always being here for us. Thank You that You are the one God who can make what the world sees as impossible completely possible for us! Help us go to You first for the wisdom we need to win every war. Thank You for never leaving us nor forsaking us. We love You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/franckreporter
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Originally published Tuesday, 12 November 2024.
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