Pastor Brent Cobb

     On Sycamore Street in Clarkston, Wizard Auto's east wall collapses; that's the end of Wizard Auto at that location.  China's Great Wall is 4,000-plus miles long, averages 25' tall, and is 15-30' wide; yet it failed to keep out enemies who bribed guards and got in.  Germany's Berlin Wall separated the German people. 

    Relationship ‘walls' separate us - walls as real as the Continental Divide that separates rain drops falling an inch apart, sending them in opposite directions.  It takes God's help for our relationship walls to fall and our relationships to be restored.  Hebrews 11 features the faith of people who are sure of the things they hope for - Joshua, his spies, and Rahab - an army general, espionage agents, and an "insider."

 1^st, See some strange strategies to cross rivers and make walls fall

     Moses has died; Joshua, Moses' right-hand-man for 40 years, must fill his sandals and bring 3 million plus people across the Jordan River into the ‘Promised Land,' and lead them in conquering many enemies.  God assures Joshua:

• "I will give you every place where you set your foot" (Josh 1:3)

• "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Josh 1:5)

• "You will lead these people to inherit the land ..." (Josh 1:6)

• "Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (Josh 1:9)

 2^nd, See spies slip into an enemy stronghold and get ‘inside' help

     Joshua sends two spies across the Jordan River to Jericho.  They slip into the fortress city and secure lodging at "Rahab's Bed-and-Breakfast."

     Someone reports them.  Police come and order Rahab to turn them over.  She ‘covers' for them, saying they just left the city, but they can catch them if they hurry.  Rahab goes to the spies she's hidden away; she tells them that all of her people are quaking in fear of the Israelis. She helps them escape out a window in the city wall, repelling down a strong red rope.  They hurry to report to

Joshua what they're learned.

     God tells Joshua it's time for all 3 million plus Israelis to cross the Jordan, now at flood stage.  That's more than twice the population of Idaho.  How will they get across?  

     God gives Joshua a strategy: the priests are to go ahead of the people, step into the river, and "its waters ... will be cut off" (Joshua 3:13).  Joshua and all the people follow God's instructions and cross on dry ground.  Many divine interventions will be needed for them to take possession of the Promised Land.  

     The next intervention must be Jericho with its indestructible walls.  What strategy will God give Joshua for wall demolition?  Jericho is shut and locked tight as a drum to keep the Israelis out (6:1).  Hear Joshua 6:2-5 -

 "Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and 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 all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

     Does this plan seem odd of God?  The people will shout!  Shall we use this strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan?  What happens at Jericho?  On the 7^th day outside the massive walled city; the trumpets blast; the people shout; the walls collapse; and the Israelis charge in and take the city (6:20).

     Hebrews 11:30 shows faith in God to have been the key: "It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down."

    Do I believe this?  Yes!  Human ‘might' cannot drive out the enemy, but a shout, "Jesus!" can.  He can give us victory over our enemies!  Every day in our world enemies, In Jesus' name, are driven from spiritual strongholds in people's lives.  Do you face some ‘wall' that needs to fall, some darkness that needs to be dispelled, or some enemy you can't defeat on your own?  Call out to Jesus.  His Spirit is far mightier than any enemy you face.

     God helped Rich Kennedy defeat his enemies - stealing, drugs, alcohol, and more - and helped him become a champion for Christ.

     Will Bromley went to Papua New Guinea's Jimi Valley to take Jesus to people in demon darkness.  He came up against a stronghold of evil.  Among the people for 7 years, he treated their illnesses and told them about Jesus, but not one came to Jesus.  He rang the bell on his tiny chapel for 7 years, but no one came - 7 years.

     The 7 years remind me of the Jericho stronghold where they marched around the city 7 days - 7 times on Day 7.  Seven priests blew their trumpets, all the people shouted, and the walls fell.  In Papua New Guinea for 7 years Will Bromley followed God's strategy before the 1^st person came to Jesus.  Then, within a short time, scores more came; then hundreds.  Today, Jesus Christ has a ‘stronghold' in the Jimi Valley.

       "What do Will Bromley, General Joshua, and the spies say to me?" you ask. Good question!  Do you face any ‘enemies' or any ‘walls'?  Let Bromley, Joshua, and the spies attest to you that with God nothing is impossible.  

     Overwhelming victory is yours through Jesus Christ the Lord.

  3^rd, See how to get in on God's "now" & forever-after salvation plan

     Heb 11: 31 - "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient."  An alternate translation has the word, "unbelieving."

     What were they unbelieving about?  Before 9-1-1, people were unbelieving that an evil enemy would launch an attack on New York City.  The people of Jericho were unbelieving that Israel's God could get them past Jericho's walls.

     Joshua 2:11b-14 lets us listen in on what Rahab says to the spies as she's helping them escape:

 "The LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death."

     Rahab desires to be saved from destruction with her unbelieving people, and she asks for mercy that will spare her life and the lives of her family members.  "Our lives for your lives!" they say. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land."

     God specializes in helping people who ask for a way out of an otherwise hopeless situation.  Kim is a modern-day example.  Cambodians, Kim and Sharon, Kim's small daughter, desperately needed to escape from the "Land of the Killing Fields" where the Khmer Rouge was unleashing a holocaust against their people.  Kim cried out: "O God, if you exist please help us!"

     Her husband was studying abroad.  No one could help Kim and Sharon except this unknown God to whom she cried, hoping He exists, that He cares, and that He'll get them thru the jungle, past corpses, across streams, to Thailand, and into a refugee camp.

     God does care; He does get them safely to Thailand.  In time, He gets them reunited with Kim's husband, Sharon's daddy, in Long Beach, California where they come to know Jesus.  The Lord calls them to serve their own people back in Cambodia.  Marty and I work alongside them in Long Beach, and later in Cambodia, after the Khmer Rouge are out of power and Kim and family are missionaries to the own people.  Only God Almighty could save them; and He did!

     You ask, "What do they and a woman like Rahab, a prostitute, have to say to me?" Good question!  Their lives say: seize the salvation God makes available to you; He not only can get you thru your present ‘hopeless' situation, He wants to work you into His salvation plans for others.  

     The genealogy of Jesus, the family line leading to the birth of the world's only Savior, includes Rahab.  God has a way out for us.  Seize the salvation He provides, and He'll work you into His life-saving, life-lifting plans for others.

     In any situation you find yourself, you may ask Jesus to break down walls, no matter how huge, and He will.  He'll get you through - triumphantly.  His love can break down any barrier!

     You may want to pray about walls that need to come down.  Before praying, think about the words of an old hymn "Just As I Am," stanzas 1 and 5.

 
 Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am! Thy love unknown
Hath broken ev'ry barrier down.
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come! I Come!

 
    What good news; God is able to help you cross any river, remove any barrier, and overcome any enemy you face!