Like at Jericho, Believers Should Destroy the Wall and Take the Nation

Lately, I’ve been studying out of the book of Joshua.

The other day, I was in Joshua 6 and the Lord began to speak to me about some key strategies for breakthrough. I want to take the liberty to bring a parallel between the city of Jericho and our nation (the United States), pulling strategies for breakthrough and victory out of these passages.

In Joshua 6, the background is Israel preparing to overtake the city of Jericho. Israel has crossed over into the Promised Land, they have been enjoying the food of the land and now the Lord is giving them specific instructions for taking the city of Jericho.

“The day after the Passover, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened bread, and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate from the produce of the land, and the children of Israel no longer had manna. That year they ate what the land of Canaan yielded” (Josh. 5:11-12, MEV).

The people of Jericho’s hearts are already melted as they have heard about the hand of God that has enabled Israel to cross over into the promise land. (Josh. 5:1) The city is “tightly” shut up, none are going out or in to the city because of this overwhelming fear they are experiencing in respect of the inevitable Israelite invasion.

“Now Jericho was tightly secured before the children of Israel. There was no one leaving or entering” (Josh. 6:1, MEV).

Of course the Lord, in His most unpredictable way, has the children of Israel go through circumcision and then the process to be healed before attempting to take the city (Josh. 5:2). Then God’s specific instructions are given. In it the Lord says to take:

1. Seven priests

2. With seven trumpets

3. With a plan for the people to shout after

4. They have encompassed the city seven times

5. On the seventh day

In the process, the people are commanded not to say a word or make any noise until the seventh day and the Lord gives the commands that the people “shout,” for God has given them the city.

“The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho, its king, and mighty men of valor into your hand. All the men of fighting age shall march around the city. Circle the city once. Do this for six days. Seven priests shall carry seven ram’s horn trumpets before the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When they blow a long blast on the ram’s horn and when you hear the trumpet sound, all the people shall shout a loud battle cry. The walls of the city will fall down, and the people will go up, every man straight ahead” (Josh. 6:2, MEV).

This pre-shout silence was key to the victory that was wrought in Jericho.

“Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests picked up the ark of the Lord. Seven priests bearing seven ram’s horn trumpets before the ark of the Lord moved on, blowing their trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard went after the ark of the Lord while the trumpets were blowing” (Josh. 6:10).

If you can see the picture of what is going on for sevem days until the shout there is an enormous revelation hidden in those silent seven days. There was only one sound that was being released during those seven days, it was the sound of the priests blowing the trumpets or the ram’s horns. Imagine this! You are walking around this city for seven days with only the sound of trumpets, ram’s horns blowing, without anyone saying a word.

“So when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing seven ram’s horn trumpets before the Lord advanced and blew their trumpets. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went after them. The armed men went before the priests blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard went after the ark while the trumpets were blowing” (Josh. 6:8-9).

This priestly blowing of trumpets would create quite the “other worldly” experience, much like a sound from heaven being released in the earth. Along with that the people of Israel are being conditioned by the Lord through this trumpet sound upon their hearts also combined with their silence, while the hearts of those in Jericho are also fearing the reality of God’s Presence and certain victory.

This act of silence was building up for a huge release, a shout that would be a massive sound that God was depositing in the hearts of Israel. As the people engaged in this act of silence there was an inner work that God was performing so that when this shout was released the impact would completely annihilate the wall of Jericho. For seven days the people had been walking around the city, absorbing the sound of heaven through these trumpets being blown by the priests.

“Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests picked up the ark of the Lord. Seven priests bearing seven ram’s horn trumpets before the ark of the Lord moved on, blowing their trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard went after the ark of the Lord while the trumpets were blowing” (Josh. 6:12)

After seven days their hearts had been conditioned to this sound so that when it was time to shout, not only where they ready to shout by the mere fact that they have not been able to make any sound for seven days, but also the sound of the trumpets had been embedded in their spirits through continual blowing of the trumpets. All of this with an inner stirring, expectation and faith in their hearts they were made ready. Finally Joshua commanded the people to shout and the walls of Jericho fell down “flat.” It was a full, complete destruction of the walls.

After having studied this chapter, I had noticed we are in the Hebrew year 5777. There is obviously a great personal application here that we can all glean from, but as well I believe there is a significance to this with the upcoming presidential election here in the United States. There is something about the withholding of wasteful words, a dedication to silence, that can cause a greater and more powerful release in our intercession decrees and prayers. There is a divine synergy of God’s power released when we carry the ark of God’s presence, the power of a bridled tongue of wisdom, the power of the trumpet blast and the anointed vocalized shout.

I want to encourage you that as you seek the Lord for this upcoming election to somehow incorporate this key of silence with your intercession and prayers. God has good plans for our nation and our prayers make a huge difference.

However, if our tongue is loose, then we may be doing more harm than good. We should bridle our tongues, take times of silence and shout for God that He may establish righteousness in this nation, that His choice candidate would get the office and that He would also have His way in the hearts of our countries political leaders on all levels. {eoa}

John Belt helps people discover abundant life in God’s presence through intimacy and breakthrough. He is co-founder, along with his wife, Brandi, of Overflow Global Ministries and travels itinerantly through speaking and worship in the U.S. and abroad. John has produced over 30 instrumental and worship albums that create an atmosphere for encounters with heaven and can be found around the world in places such as Bethel Redding, 24/7 Burns, Catch the Fire Toronto, XPMedia, International Houses of Prayer and people’s living rooms. He the author of Overflowing in His Presence, to be released later this year.

For the original article, visit overflowglobal.com.