Jericho Faith

Jericho Faith
Words of Faith 4-7-26
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2026
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Hebrews 11
[30] By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

The story of Jericho is a great one for children, but it is not a childish lesson. It is a powerful story of faith. The Israelites spent forty years in the desert because of those walls. Do you remember when the twelve spies came back from checking out the land of Promise (Numbers 13‑14)? Ten spies reported that the people in the land were giants who lived in walled cities and could not be defeated. Joshua and Caleb gave a vision of success in the land. The people received the negative report in fear, and God let them stew in the desert until those without vision had died off.

When they finally got there, Jericho was more than a formidable fortress. It was an obstacle that had likely been built up in their minds over the previous 4 decades as impenetrable. It took a great deal of faith to finally face the fortress because it was partly an impossibility of their own making.

The only way to lay siege to Jericho was through complete trust in God and obedience to his plan. The Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men" (Joshua 6:2). Remember? Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Joshua and the people could not see that God had already delivered Jericho, but they were ready to walk by faith and lay siege to that fortress.

God's directions seem almost deliberately embarrassing to us, but they are actually focused on giving glory for the victory to God alone. God could have had them build a battering ram or an explosive device for that matter, but instead, He directed the priests to lead a march playing ram's horns for six days and on the seventh shout at the walls.

Looked pretty silly, didn't it? Well, actually, no more silly than building an ark on land or wiping lamb's blood on a doorpost. The way of God is not designed to make us look good. Making us look cool is simply not one of God's priorities. But what a victory! With a shout, the walls that had seemed impossible came down. This is Jericho faith: The faith to follow God even when it looks silly and watch the walls come down.

One of the interesting parts of the story is that the people inside were actually terrified of the Israelites because they had already heard about the mighty works of their God.

Are there any impenetrable fortresses in your life? Any walls you have built up in your mind? Perhaps it is a stronghold of sin you have convinced yourself you can never overcome? Maybe a person you have said you could never forgive? Ask God what He wants you to do. He may surprise you and call you to lay siege to that fortress. You may look silly, but when the walls come down, you will wonder why you had built things up in your mind so much.

Lord, I want to live in Your promise. I want to obediently enter into what You have for me. Direct me and give me faith to walk in Your directives and lay siege to the fortresses that obstruct Your will. Give me Jericho faith. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2026
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2026 Jeffrey D. Hoy.