Wisdom of the Word (W.O.W.) Bible Study Lesson

Series:  Walking Through the Bible:  A Look at Giant Killers

 Joshua ~ Giants Don’t Fall Without Movement

 

Background Passages

• Joshua 1–6 – The transition of leadership, divine commissioning, and conquest

• Deuteronomy 31:7–8 – God’s charge to Joshua

• Exodus 14:13–31 – Israel’s earlier experience crossing impossible waters

• Hebrews 11:29–30 – New Testament confirmation of faith-filled obedience

Key Scriptures

• Joshua 1:6–9 – God’s command to be strong and courageous

• Joshua 3:5 – “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you”

• Joshua 3:15–16 – The Jordan River stopping at flood stage

• Joshua 6:2 – God declares Jericho already delivered

• Joshua 6:20 – The walls fall flat after obedience

Central Verse

Joshua 1:9 (KJV) –“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Key Terms

• Ark of the Covenant – The visible symbol of God’s presence, covenant, and authority among Israel (Exodus 25:22).

• Consecration – Spiritual preparation involving purification, surrender, and alignment with God’s will (Joshua 3:5).

• Faith – Active trust that responds to God’s word even when circumstances contradict it (Hebrews 11:1).

• Obedience – Submission to God’s instructions regardless of personal understanding (1 Samuel 15:22).

• Giant – Any obstacle, opposition, or system that resists God’s promise and intimidates God’s people.

 

Introduction

Joshua stands as a bridge between promise and possession. Moses brought Israel out, but Joshua was chosen to lead them in. While Moses faced Pharaoh, Joshua faced fortified cities, internal fear, and unfamiliar strategies of warfare. His leadership reveals a critical truth: every new level of promise introduces a new level of opposition.

 

Joshua did not kill giants with a sling or sword alone. His victories came through faith-driven movement, obedience to God’s presence, and trust in divine strategy. The giants Joshua faced were not merely enemies; they were natural barriers, fortified systems, and fear-based resistance that stood between God’s people and God’s promises.

 

Discussion

I. Crossing the Jordan: Faith That Moves Before Evidence Appears (Joshua 3–4)

The crossing of the Jordan River marks Israel’s official entrance into the Promised Land. Unlike the Red Sea, which parted immediately, the Jordan required the priests to step into overflowing waters before God moved.  The Jordan was at flood stage, symbolizing an impossible situation intensified by timing. God intentionally allowed the obstacle to be greater so His power would be unmistakable.

Key Teaching Points

1. God’s presence goes first – The Ark of the Covenant led the people (Joshua 3:3–4). Victory requires alignment with God’s presence, not human planning.

2. Consecration precedes manifestation – Before the miracle, God demanded sanctification (Joshua 3:5). Spiritual breakthroughs often require internal preparation.

3. Movement activates miracles – The waters did not part until the priests’ feet touched them (Joshua 3:15). Faith that waits for certainty never moves.

Cross References

• Exodus 14:15–16 – God told Moses to move forward before the sea opened.

• Hebrews 11:29 – Faith caused Israel to pass through the waters.

• James 2:26 – Faith without works is dead.

Giant Identified

Fear of transition, uncertainty about the future, and anxiety about stepping into unfamiliar territory.

Questions for Thought: 

What giant-killer or godly characteristics do you notice about Joshua?  Explain.

________________________________________________________________________

How is the crossing of the Jordan similar AND different to crossing the Red Sea?

________________________________________________________________________

Life Application

Crossing the Jordan: Faith That Moves Before Evidence Appears

Many believers want God to remove the obstacle before they move. Joshua teaches that God often waits for movement before removing resistance.

Giants fall when faith steps forward despite fear.  In modern life, the “Jordan River” often appears as a season of transition filled with uncertainty and pressure. Many believers find themselves standing at the edge of a promise—new employment, ministry assignment, educational pursuit, relocation, or season of healing—yet fear stepping forward because the conditions are not ideal. Like Israel, we often wait for circumstances to calm before we move, but God frequently calls us to move while the waters are still overflowing.

 

For example, someone may feel called to pursue further education or a new career path, yet finances, time constraints, or past failures seem overwhelming. Another may sense God leading them to forgive, reconcile, or leave a comfortable but spiritually stagnant situation. The Jordan represents the moment when obedience requires action without guarantees.

Following the Ark in today’s context means prioritizing God’s presence through prayer, Scripture, and spiritual counsel rather than allowing fear, social pressure, or logic alone to dictate decisions.

 

Consecration today may involve letting go of unhealthy habits, limiting distractions, fasting, or reordering priorities so that God’s voice is clear.

Just as the priests had to step into the water before it parted, believers today must often submit the résumé, start the ministry, enroll in the class, have the difficult conversation, or take the first step of obedience before clarity appears. Joshua teaches us that God often waits for movement to reveal direction. The giant of fear does not fall by contemplation—it falls by obedient action rooted in trust.

 

II. Conquest of Jericho: Victory Through Unconventional Obedience (Joshua 5–6)

Jericho was one of the strongest cities in Canaan, fortified with thick walls and guarded by experienced warriors. Human logic would suggest siege warfare or negotiation—but God issued a strategy that required trust rather than tactics.

Key Teaching Points

1. Victory was declared before the fight – God told Joshua, “I have given Jericho into thine hand” (Joshua 6:2). Faith fights from victory, not for victory.

2. Obedience demanded discipline – Marching daily in silence required restraint, patience, and unity.

3. Praise completed obedience – The shout was not random emotion; it was the final act of faith after consistent obedience.

Cross References

• Hebrews 11:30 – Walls fell by faith, not force.

• 2 Chronicles 20:22 – Praise caused the enemy to self-destruct.

• Zechariah 4:6 – Victory comes by God’s Spirit, not human strength.

Questions for Thought: 

What does God’s declaration, “I have given Jericho into thine hand” (Joshua 6:2), reveal about the timing of victory in relation to the actual battle?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

How does the command to march in silence for six days shape our understanding of obedience, discipline, and divine strategy in the conquest of Jericho?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Giant Identified:  Strongholds, entrenched systems, generational cycles, and longstanding opposition.

 

Life Application

Conquest of Jericho: Victory Through Unconventional Obedience

Some walls in our lives remain standing because we abandon obedience too early. Jericho fell not because Israel was strong, but because they were consistent.

Jericho represents modern-day strongholds—long-standing issues that seem immovable despite prayer, effort, and time. These may include generational patterns, addiction, broken relationships, systemic injustice, financial bondage, burnout in ministry, or emotional walls built from trauma and disappointment.

 

In contemporary culture, God’s instructions often clash with societal expectations. Silence in the face of provocation, consistency without immediate results, worship instead of retaliation, and obedience without public validation can feel counterproductive. Yet, just as Israel was commanded to march silently, believers today may be required to restrain their reactions, trust God’s timing, and remain faithful when progress seems invisible.

 

The daily marches around Jericho reflect spiritual disciplines—prayer, study, integrity, forgiveness, and worship—practiced consistently even when change is not immediately apparent. The shout on the seventh day represents a moment of release, praise, and declaration after perseverance has been proven.

 

Many walls in our lives remain standing not because God is unwilling, but because obedience has been inconsistent. Jericho reminds us that victory is often delayed, not denied, and that breakthroughs come when obedience is sustained beyond comfort.

 

Conclusion

Joshua’s giant-killing leadership teaches that God’s promises are accessed through faith-filled obedience, not human reasoning. The Jordan fell when Israel followed God’s presence. Jericho fell when Israel trusted God’s method.  Joshua shows us that giants are not removed to make obedience easy—giants are removed because obedience is exercised.

 

Key Takeaways

1. Giants often stand where promises are closest.

2. Faith moves before evidence appears.

3. Obedience releases supernatural victory.

4. Praise is often the final blow to resistance.

 

Reflection Questions

1. What similarities exist between Israel standing at the Jordan River and modern seasons of transition in a believer’s life?

2. Why do you think God required consecration before allowing Israel to cross the Jordan?

3. How does following the Ark of the Covenant help define what it means to follow God’s presence today?

4. What fears or uncertainties might Israel have experienced stepping into the Jordan during flood season?

5. How does Joshua’s leadership style differ from Moses, and why was that important for this generation?

6. What does Jericho teach us about trusting God when His instructions do not align with logic?

7. Why was silence such an important part of God’s strategy for Jericho?

8. How do consistency and patience function as weapons in spiritual warfare?

9. What role did praise play in completing Israel’s obedience at Jericho?

10. How does Hebrews 11 interpret both the Jordan crossing and the fall of Jericho?

11. What kinds of “giants” today resemble fortified cities rather than visible enemies?

12. Why is it important to understand that faith fights from victory rather than for victory?

13. How does this study redefine what strength and courage look like in a believer’s life?

14. In what ways does delayed victory test faith more than immediate results?

15. What does Joshua’s example teach about leadership, obedience, and trust in God?

 

Declarations

• I move forward in faith even when the way is unclear.

• I am consecrated for God’s next move in my life.

• My obedience activates divine intervention.

• Every wall resisting God’s purpose in my life will fall.

• I am a giant killer walking in God’s promises.

 

Closing Prayer

Gracious and eternal God,

We thank You for the example of Joshua and the reminder that You are still a promise-keeping God. Today, we submit our Jordans and our Jerichos to You—every fear of transition, every wall of resistance, and every giant that stands between us and Your will.

 

Sanctify our hearts, align our steps, and teach us to follow Your presence rather than our emotions or understanding. Give us the courage to move when You say move, to trust when the waters are high, and to obey even when Your instructions stretch our faith.

 

We declare that every wall built by fear, doubt, disobedience, and delay is coming down. Strengthen our faith, sustain our obedience, and release Your power in our lives. We will walk forward, shout in faith, and give You the glory for every victory.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.