“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, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’
He said, ‘No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the Lord.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, ‘What has my lord to say to his servant?’
And the captain of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet feet, for the place you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” —Joshua 5:13-15 NASB
Shed Your Shoes
your
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” —2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NIV
“I have discovered this principle of life––that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” —Romans 7:21-24 NLT
“Thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord.” —Romans 7:25 NLT
for your
“And the captain of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” —Joshua 5:15 NASB
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” —Philippians 2:13 NLT
through
“But the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See I have handed Jericho over to you, with its king and the valiant warriors.” —Joshua 6:2 NASB
“God will put their kings in your power, and you will erase their names from the face of the earth. No one will be able to stand against you, and you will destroy them all.” —Deuteronomy 7:24 NLT
through prayer, God reminds us of His promise and reveals His process
“And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days.
Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight ahead.” —Joshua 6:3-5 NASB
Discussion Questions
In Joshua 5:13 through 6:5, the Israelites received divine guidance on how to conquer Jericho. How does this passage illustrate the importance of seeking God’s will through prayer before taking action in our own lives?
In 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, Paul talks about the spiritual battle and the weapons of warfare that are not of the flesh. How can prayer serve as a powerful weapon in understanding and realizing God’s promises in our lives?
Ephesians 6:17-18 speaks of the importance of the “sword of the Spirit” and “praying at all times.” How does prayer enable us to wield the Word of God effectively in pursuing His promises and discerning His will?
In Joshua 6:2-5, the Lord provides specific instructions for conquering Jericho. How does seeking divine guidance through prayer enable us to remember God’s promises and discern the steps we should take in following His will, even when the path seems unconventional?
Consider the significance of the Israelites’ reliance on God’s instructions in this passage. How can we apply the principle of seeking God’s guidance through prayer when faced with challenges or when trying to remember and claim His promises in our own lives?