So, I’m going to dive a little deeper into the “walls” I talked about in my blog titled ‘Awakening’. I’m going to share a few things the Lord has been teaching me and speaking to me during this time…
The other morning, (March 26th to be exact…) I was praying for a word from the Lord for each of my teammates. It was awesome to pray for each of them and hear from Him on their behalf. As I was praying the Lord directed me to read in Joshua. I thought the passage He gave me was going to be for one of my teammates, but when I turned to Joshua 5 I knew the word was for me.
Joshua 5:13 through Joshua 6:27 tells the story of the fall of Jericho.
The Israelites had just crossed the Jordan River as the Lord held back the waters. They now came up against a strongly protected city called Jericho.
“Now Jericho was tightly shut up 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.'”
Joshua 6:1-2
The Lord commanded Joshua and his men to march around the city for 7 days, carrying the Ark of the Covenant (the presence of God) and trumpets with them. On the 7th day, God commanded Joshua to march around the city 7 times with the priests blowing the trumpets. After the last long blast of the trumpets the army was supposed to shout their battle cry in order for the walls of the city to fall…that was the battle plan. No swords, no running and fighting…just marching, trumpets, yelling and the presence of God.
The Lord promised Joshua the victory. The Lord has also promised us victory. Some of the sweetest victories in life come partially from our obedience, but mostly just from the Lord’s power- just like the fall of Jericho.
Joshua and his armies did as the Lord commanded and just as the Lord had promised, the walls of the fortified city fell at the sound of the trumpet and the shouts of the warriors. As the soldiers plundered the city, they were given direction to keep the silver and gold because they belonged to the Lord’s treasury and they were warned to stay away from other devoted things. Lastly, after the city had been plundered and the people killed, they burned the whole city and declared that nothing shall be built there again.
(Sorry, I can't post any google images of Jericho, so this Bolivian wall will have to do!)
As I re-read the story of Jericho, the Lord began to draw so many parallels between the walls in my heart and the walls of Jericho.
-I have put up walls, a fortress, and inside it I have placed the deep things of me- I have built an ‘inner
city’ that has been hidden and guarded
-Inside those walls there are things in hiding, but there are also things inside that belong to the Lord,
things He wants to reclaim—the silver and gold.
-I see myself outside the walls, standing guard against anyone who wants to come in…but the Lord
has asked me to step away from standing guard and instead march around the walls with Him.
-The Israelites had to carry the Ark of the Covenant in order to bring the presence of Lord with them,
but I already carry the presence of the Lord inside of me
-Some walls can only be broken by our small obedience and His mighty power.
-The place where the walls stood will be burned, never for the walls to be built again
As I prayed that morning an asked for a word from the Lord for myself, these are the words that spilled over my heart and into my journal:
Don’t guard your walls. Step away from them because I am about to knock them down! I will break through to your heart. Join me in walking around these walls. Prepare for and expect change because it’s coming—the walls are coming down because I love you, daughter, and I see that you are willing. Some walls can only come by my power alone. Let’s march!
Breaking down the fortress walls will take time, you have to put the effort in and march with me around these walls. Your act of marching, with my presence within you, shows you no longer have allegiance to the walls or the city you have built within, but you have allegiance to me and you trust me to break through.
It will be a beautiful time of walking together, walking forward towards the same purpose. We will do this together, follow my guidance and move at my command. I am with you and will guide you through this.
Once the walls come down, then we will explore what you have built within, what you have protected in this inner city. Some will be silver and gold- things of me that belong to my treasury. There will also be devoted things, things I ask you to leave behind. I will help you sort through, grieve the things I call you to get rid of, collect the things that are mine, and then we will set it ablaze- bring the city to ashes and dust- never to be rebuilt again. I am the Lord, and I will do this with you, daughter.
Yes, Lord, I receive it and will take on the task of marching with you. One step at a time we will bring this fortress down, these long-standing walls. Yes, you will bring the inner city to ashes, but you will also bring beauty from the dust. You are good and I know your plans for me are good, even when they’re difficult. I know you are beside me and onward I will march with you—let’s tear this down together!
On a separate day, the Lord asked me to pose this question to my team: "Ask the Lord and see what He wants you to leave behind in Bolivia."
-Soon He gave me my answer: Leave your guard post
It's time for my Jericho to fall…Let’s march.
