My Shout

This Sunday my pastor, John Velsor, of North Star Community Church preached a sermon on prayer and fasting.  Specifically, he talked about persisting in prayer and fasting even in the face of opposition, hopelessness, and despair.  The sermon was great, you can check it out here (“Deep Change”).  Pastor John also made a quick reference to the story of The Wall of Jericho.  I heard this story countless times as a child and know it well.  But lately every time I hear about it from the pulpit, I gain a whole new perspective. 

Quick recap of the story (skip to the next paragraph if you know it): Jericho was a large and very powerful city surrounded by a wall that was an engineering marvel.  God commanded for Joshua to lead his army to march all of the way around the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day.  After completing the seventh lap they were to blow the horns and shout a loud shout. The messenger from the Lord told Joshua that the wall would fall flat and the army could then easily overtake the city.  A paragraph doesn’t do it justice, you should read it (Joshua 6).

This week, I am astounded by the faith of Joshua and the Israelites.  I imagine the people inside the city were probably laughing at them, thinking they sent the whole army just to search for a weak spot in an impenetrable wall.  I would imagine at least one Israelite grumbled at the ridiculous suggestion by day two of marching.  And to get up extra early, just to do the same thing SEVEN more times!  How is 13 a magic number?  It is not like most projects where you can see the progress as you work, counting the small victories.  They are literally just marching in circles with nothing to show for it.  After marching for an entire week and NOTHING has changed, Joshua faithfully declares “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city.” (Joshua 6:16)  And the people SHOUT! Faithfully, they shout with full expectance that that wall is going to fall flat- and it did.

Many of my close friends and family know that I have been facing a battle of my own for over half of a decade.  In so many ways I feel like I have marched in circles.  Myself and others (not quite a whole army, but I’m definitely not alone) have put in the hours, time, money, and other resources and in so many ways, I feel like we are right back where we started.  Yes, I do see victories. I do see progress.  But in other areas, I feel like the wall has grown even taller. I have marched… and marched… and marched.  I do believe that God CAN take down the wall we are circling.  But this week, I began to ask- “What does it look like for me to shout now, even before the wall falls?”  To stand here looking right at this wall and shout, when I see no signs of it giving way.

Through prayer and fasting, I have reached this conclusion: For me to shout, is to declare not only that God can take down this wall, but that He WILL take it down. It WILL fall flat.  I proclaim that my God is good and benevolent.  His word tells me that the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective (James 5:16), and believe me I have prayed.   He hears my prayers (Jeremiah 29:12).  I know what God has already promised me a LONG time ago, back when this wall was much shorter.  God WILL redeem this situation!  He WILL bring complete healing and restoration!  He WILL use this entire situation for his glory and his honor!  Not only have I marched long enough to see how impossible it is, but I am going to have a front row seat when this wall falls flat and everything I have been promised WILL be devoted to God!

This is my shout. What’s yours?