Take the city

This has been burning in my heart for some time now, and I just need to get it out of my spirit and into someone elses. I am not sure who this is for, so if you read this and think that someone needs to hear it, I encourage you to pass it along. 

Often times God speaks to me in pictures, almost like a movie. One Sunday we were singing a song called "Never Once" by Matt Redman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1bXG4WIesA). And there is a verse that says, scars and struggles on the way, but with joy my heart will say never once did I ever walk alone...and I began to see what the story of Joshua and taking the City of Jericho looked like. Now I am under the impression that God really speaks to me through war like images because I come from the lineage of Vikings....I may not look like it, but I am scrappy. I began to study this whole story and God has spoken so loudly to me about this, that it has to be shared. 

Joshua chapter 1 opens with God speaking to Joshua, basically saying, "Moses is dead, it is now your job to take my people into the land that I promised." This is a huge task for someone who relied on another to lead them, now it was his job to lead and there was a battle ahead. But God says something very interesting to Joshua," I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses." and God tells Joshua 4 times in one chapter, "only be strong and courageous." This tells me that Joshua was trying to talk himself our of this task given to him by God and that God was also promising him that he would be victorious all of the days of his life. Long story short, Joshua accepts this task, goes back to the Israelites tells them what is about to go down, and off they march (cliff notes version, you can read the whole thing in Joshua 1-6). The first place they come to is Jericho where the walls were high and the city was in lock down. No one in and no one out. God didn't tell them to climb it and take the city, He tells them to do something totally ridiculous and march around the city. Once around for 6 days, then seven times around the seventh day....Could you imagine being in the city watching this, or even being a part of the army marching around the city. But here is the catch, Joshua told them do not make a sound. Not one word until he said so. So not only were they marching around a big city, but they marched in silence....

Here is where God wants me to take this into your world now. Many of you have been called on by God to "take the city." Whatever that city might be. Is it a literal city? Is it coming against abortion, sex trafficking, pornography, drug smuggling, hunger around the world or abuse? A lot of times we will try to talk God out of calling on us to do it. The walls around these "cities" are so high and it seems like there is no way in and no one is getting out. And a lot of times when we want to get into these "cities" we have to go to war to do it. But the words that were spoken to Joshua are also being spoken to you. "every place where you set your foot, belongs to you." God wouldn't call on you if He couldn't provide a way for you to get into that "city." Here is what I find fascinating. God never told Joshua to tear the wall down. He told him to walk around it. This was a command to see if Joshua would be obedient, even if what Joshua was told to do was strange. When God calls on us, it is our job to be obedient, it is His job to tear the walls down, then it is our jobs to go in and take the city. 

Are the walls tall? yes. Are they intimidating? yes. But the church has the upper hand. We see the wall as an opportunity to be a part of a miracle. Could you imagine being on the other side of that wall? Being one of the people trapped behind it's tall, intimidating walls that are on lock down? That is what the people on the other side of that wall see. They are hopeless, afraid and unable to save themselves because they can't get out and they can't climb over it and they don't know what is on the other side of the wall. They need the walls to come down to be set free. We as God's people have the power and authority to see the walls come down and bring freedom to the bound and oppressed. It can seem too big for us and what if we fail? In Joshua 1:5,6 God says, "No one will be able to stand 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. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them." God has called on YOU to lead the charge and He goes before you, He will never leave you nor forsake you. 

Some of you may have heard the call and started to march, but somewhere along the way you listened to those speaking death over the call on your life and you stopped marching. This is why I believe Joshua told the people not to talk. He didn't want to hear their negative words that would cause doubt and confusion. I want you to know that it's not too late to start marching again. You may need to tell those around you who are speaking death over the call to get in, get out or get run over, because you are moving forward with or without them (in love of course).

Or you might be on day 7, 4th time around the wall and you are wondering, "will this wall EVER come down?" God wants you to know, "yes, the walls are coming down. I am preparing your heart to go into the city, keep marching." 

I want to leave you all with this. There are too many people bound by the enemy, an enemy that has already been defeated by the commander who is leading us. The time has come to answer the call, only be strong and courageous, it's time to take the city.