These walls must fall!
I believe we are entering a whole new season of experiencing God’s goodness, but first these walls must come down! Your threshing floors will again be piled high with grain, and your presses will overflow with new wine and new oil. [Joel 2:24] But before you can sing of a lush and prosperous place flowing with milk and honey, you must first find a way to conquer the tall and intimidating walls of the Jericho blocking your way. Why? Because on the other side there is prepared for you multiplied HARVESTS, great outpourings, wonderful victories, and massive overflows, BUT FIRST THESE WALLS MUST COME DOWN! If you’re going to enter this season it is imperative for you to understand what the will, purpose, and instructions of the Lord for this place is!
‘Jericho is not yours its Mine!’ said the Lord.
---> Jericho was the first of ten cities conquered by Israel after crossing the Jordan River and occupying the Promised Land. Jericho could not be bypassed, gone around, or forgotten. It was the doorway INTO Canaan as well as a doorway OUT OF the wilderness. It had to be conquered. It had to be overcome. There was no other way to get into the FULLNESS of GOD’S PROMISE except through this city.
The significance of Jericho still holds many from encountering the fullness of God’s overflowing abundance and blessings, because it challenges every adoration, self-centred idea and carnal desire humanity has. I heard the Lord say: Where are My people positioned in this hour of faithfulness and worship? There are many that have come to this place called Jericho and thought the door was closed. Many have walked around Jericho and thought what God was asking for is too difficult and expensive. Many have come right up to the place of fullness, blessings and promotion, but they hit a wall… they ran into a stop sign… they saw a fortress… and they complained: ‘ I can’t! I can’t get through! I cannot do this! ’ But the Lord said: Yes, you can! With Me you can! … The door is closed BUT it’s not locked! … This wall is not meant to stop you … it’s meant to prepare you!
Jericho could not have been as locked, invincible, or impossible to breach as it seemed. Why can I say that? Simple… How can anything withhold, or stand between, the blessed and their blessing? Who can keep God’s children from His blessings? It was God Himself that called these people blessed and vowed that this land already belonged to them… His children, and that everywhere His blessed ones placed their feet would be theirs by inheritance, but there was one important thing… first they had to LET Jericho fall. They had to LET God take Jericho. They had to LET God occupy their faith. They had to learn how to trust God and LET Him lead the way. They had to understand what God’s and what’s theirs. They had to seek first the Kingdom of God before pursuing any of other things beyond the wall! [Matthew 6:33] This is a very important principal for anyone wanting to live in the FULLNESS of God’s promises. God must always be FIRST!
God said: ALL I ASKED OF YOU IS THAT YOU ABIDE IN ME fully AND KEEP ABIDING IN ME and I will give you all that I promised!
How do you think you would ever enter the place I prepared for you without ME… the ONE who prepared it? Surely you know you will by no means inherit this land flowing in beauty, goodness and promise until you learn how to come to Me first. Have I not commanded you to Trust Me… Believe Me… Obey Me… Follow Me… and I will bless you and give you a good life! See! I have given Jericho into your hand. [Joshua 6:2] It this is true…
Why are there still so many standing on the plains of Jericho dreaming about their promised land somewhere beyond a wall and wondering when they will ever eat its grapes, drink its wine and feast on its harvests?
Why is it taking people so long to get through Jericho?
When will people allow the Jericho’s standing between them and their land of milk and honey fall?
When will we deal with our walls to consecration?
After traveling so long with the Lord… why are there still so many things between where you are and where God has called you?
Jesus said: ALL I ASKED OF YOU IS THAT YOU ABIDE IN ME AND KEEP ABIDING IN ME!
Jericho asked the ABIDING question. Will you seek God first and then put Him first?
Thinking about Jericho we should clearly see that it was the FirstFruit entrance offering into living the abundant life God had promised. The bible says: Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD… Do not take any of the things set apart for the Lord, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. But ALL the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the house of the Lord. [Joshua 6:17-19] Jericho was a place of FirstFruits! It was true worship! It was valuable! It was not about them and what they could get out of it. Jericho and all that was in it belonged to the Lord! Nobody survives or prospers taking what belongs to the Lord. Everything about Jericho was a test of worship, trust, and faith. God, and God alone, must be honoured with FirstFruit.
Jericho was meant to set a pattern and be an example for how the people were supposed to live in worship before God! God wanted them to understand what living in the land of blessings looked like. It was a lesson in consecration and blessing! Honor the Lord with your possessions (mehonehka -wealth, substance and labours), and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. [Proverbs 3:9-10] How easy would it have been if this was only talking about money, but it’s not. It speaks of silver, gold, vessels of bronze and iron, crops, products, wine, labour, and time. It covers all that is in our life, because we want the blessings of God to cover all that we have and do. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [Matthew 6:33] The blessing of the LORD brings [true] riches, And He adds no sorrow to it [for it comes as a blessing from God]. [Proverbs 10:22]
The sad reality of our times is that… There are still too many Jericho’s standing, too many doors still shut, too many enemies still rejoicing and too many of God’s children living in sadness... All because of what’s happening to God’s FirstFruits! God thought it was important for the people not to miss this revelation of abundant life. Just listen to what the Angel replied when Joshua asked him who he was doing this for:… Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “NEITHER” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What do you want your servant to do?” [Joshua 5:13-14] You know this is important when God sends an angel to remind people they have entered on holy ground and that this was going to be a significant moment. The Angel wanted them to know what they did next was extremely important.
Could God be sending a message to His children again at this time saying… take note you’re standing on HOLY GROUND… this is important? Isn’t it due time to re-establish God as first in your lives again? We’ve allowed our world to build so many WALLS and OBSTACLES to intimacy with God that too many cannot see, touch or experience God’s presence anymore. There are people that go to church, but because of these walls are not encountering God. There are folks that have covered every road in their life with Jericho’s, walls, and hindrances making real encounters with God rare.
God said if you give Me the firsts of your new life, I will bless the rest. If you honour Me with your “SEEK FIRST” than I will open the doors to this new land, and it will go well with you. There is no shortcut to the ABUNDANT life. This is a work of God… not of man! By faith in God the walls of Jericho fell down [Hebrews 11:30] The walls came down not by military might, wise schemes or human power… it did not come down by great need or heavy pleading… NO, IT CAME DOWN BY FAITH! BY OBEDIENCE! Faith in God means LETTING God do it His way. Jesus said without ABIDING we can do nothing. [John 15:5] David said all God: My LORD keeps my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. In His strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. [Psalm 18:28-29]
Are you still hovering around the plains of Jericho in your life? -maybe it is time you ask God what He wants your FirstFruits to look like, because all life in God gives Him glory! FirstFruit is the beginning of abiding!
Is there anything you’ve been withholding from God?
Is it worship?
Is it prayer?
Is it time?
Is it faithfulness?
Is it fellowship?
Is it putting God first ABOVE all other things?
Many Jericho’s have still not fallen! Why is it taking so long? There is such a wonderful life beyond the wall.
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