How can we trust God's timing in overcoming obstacles, like in Joshua 6:20? The scene at Jericho Joshua 6:20: “So when the trumpet sounded, the people shouted. And at the sound of the trumpet, when the people heard it, they raised a mighty shout, and the wall collapsed; then the people charged straight into the city, every man straight ahead, and captured it.” What God’s timing looked like • Six silent days of marching once around the city (Joshua 6:3–14). • The seventh day: seven circuits, then a long trumpet blast (Joshua 6:15–16). • Only then—after every God-given instruction was completed—the walls fell. • No shortcuts, no alternative plans, no early breakthrough. Why the delay mattered • It proved that the victory was entirely the Lord’s (Joshua 6:2). • It tested Israel’s obedience one day at a time. • It prepared the people to “shout” in unified faith, not in self-reliance. • Hebrews 11:30: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched for seven days.” Lessons for trusting God’s timing today • God schedules breakthroughs for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28). • Every obstacle has an appointed season—“For everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). • Waiting is never wasted; it grows perseverance and maturity (James 1:2-4). • His thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). • Delay does not equal denial—“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise” (2 Peter 3:9). • Endurance positions us for harvest—“in due time we will reap” (Galatians 6:9). Recognizing modern “Jerichos” • Chronic illness, job loss, strained relationships, spiritual stagnation. • Walls of addiction, fear, or doubt that seem immovable. • Cultural opposition to biblical convictions. • Personal dreams that appear shut in by impossibility. How to walk in step with God’s timetable 1. Start with a clear word from Scripture; Joshua marched because God had spoken (Joshua 6:2-3). 2. Obey immediately in the small, daily steps—silent laps count. 3. Cultivate expectant worship; the trumpets sounded before the walls moved. 4. Keep unity with fellow believers; Israel shouted together. 5. Speak faith, not frustration—“Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous” (Psalm 27:14). 6. Celebrate each act of obedience as progress, even when nothing seems to change. 7. When God signals “now,” respond boldly; hesitation forfeits momentum. Encouragement for the journey • Every obstacle is smaller than the God who schedules its collapse. • God’s timing may stretch us, but it never fails us. • The shout of victory is prepared in the silence of waiting. |
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