Walking Through the Bible: A Look at Giant Killers

 

Lesson Title: “When Walls Fall: Joshua and the Giant of Impossible Barriers”

 

Background / Devotional Passages

Joshua 1:1–9
Joshua 5:13–15
Joshua 6:1–20

2 Peter 1:2-4
Hebrews 11:30
2 Corinthians 10:4

Romans 4:17

 

Key Scriptures

Joshua 6:2 
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.”

Joshua 6:20 
“So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet… that the wall fell down flat.”

Hebrews 11:30 
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

 

Key Terms

1. Jericho – A fortified city in Canaan known for its massive walls and military strength. It symbolized an obstacle that appeared impossible to conquer.

2. Fortified Walls – Defensive structures built to protect cities. In a spiritual sense, they represent barriers, opposition, fear, and systems that stand against God’s promises.

3. Obedience – Trusting and following God’s instructions even when they do not seem logical.

4. Faith – Confidence in God’s word and promises before the evidence of victory appears.

5. Divine Strategy – God’s method of victory that often differs from human reasoning.

 

Central Verse

Joshua 6:2 (KJV)
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho…”

Notice something important: God speaks of the victory before the battle even begins. The Lord declared the outcome before the process unfolded.

 

Introduction

Throughout the Bible, God raises up leaders who face what appear to be insurmountable giants. Some giants are people like Goliath. Others are systems like Pharaoh’s empire. But sometimes the giant is not a person at all—it is a wall.

 

The story of Joshua stands at a critical moment in Israel’s history. Moses had led the people out of Egyptian bondage, but Joshua was appointed to lead them into possession of the promise. His leadership represents the transition from deliverance to inheritance. While Moses confronted Pharaoh and wilderness struggles, Joshua faced fortified cities, powerful enemies, and the psychological barriers of fear and uncertainty.

 

The early chapters of Joshua reveal that the conquest of the Promised Land was not merely a military campaign but a spiritual journey requiring faith, consecration, and obedience. The giants Joshua faced were not simply people; they were systems, barriers, and intimidating circumstances standing between God’s people and the fulfillment of God’s promise.

 

In our own lives, Jericho represents the barriers that stand between us and God’s promises.

 

These walls may take many forms: financial hardship, broken relationships, ministry opposition, emotional wounds, systemic injustice, or spiritual discouragement.  Sometimes the giant we face is not an enemy—it is a situation that seems impossible.  The story of Jericho teaches us a powerful truth: God specializes in bringing down walls that we cannot tear down ourselves.

 

Discussion

1. God Declares Victory Before the Battle

When God spoke to Joshua, He said something remarkable:

“See, I have given into thine hand Jericho.”

The city was still standing. The army was still strong. The walls had not moved. Yet God spoke as if the victory had already occurred.  This reveals an important spiritual principle: God often speaks from the perspective of completion rather than process.  What God promises, He already sees as finished.

 

In daily life, many believers struggle because they measure God’s promises only by what they can currently see. If the situation looks unchanged, they assume nothing is happening. But faith requires trusting God’s word even when circumstances have not shifted yet.

You may be praying for a breakthrough in your family. You may be asking God to move in your career, your ministry, or your health. Just because the walls are still standing does not mean God has not already declared the victory.

Faith begins by believing God’s word before the walls fall.

 

2. God’s Strategy Does Not Always Make Sense

God’s instructions to Joshua were unusual.

Instead of attacking the city with weapons, the people were told to march around it once each day for six days. On the seventh day they would march seven times and then shout.

From a military standpoint, this strategy seemed illogical.

No ladders.  No battering rams.  No siege warfare.  Just walking.  Sometimes God intentionally gives instructions that stretch our understanding. This is because victory is not meant to come through human strength alone. God wants His people to know that the breakthrough came from Him.

 

Many believers miss their breakthrough because they want God to work through methods that feel comfortable or logical, but God’s ways often challenge our expectations.

For example:

• God may instruct someone to forgive when their instinct is to fight or hold a grudge.

• He may instruct someone to wait when they want immediate action.

• He may instruct someone to serve faithfully in a small place before opening a larger door.

• Joshua teaches us that obedience matters even when the instructions seem unusual.

• The people marched exactly as God commanded. Their obedience became the pathway to their miracle.

 

3. Silence Can Be a Weapon

During the first six days of marching, the Israelites were instructed to remain silent.

Joshua 6:10 says the people were not to shout or speak until the appointed time.

This is significant because many battles are lost through words spoken prematurely.

Imagine the temptation they faced while walking around Jericho.

Someone might have whispered, “This is ridiculous.”
Another might have said, “These walls are not moving.”
Someone else might have questioned Joshua’s leadership.

But God commanded silence.

There are seasons when God calls His people to guard their words. Negative speech can undermine faith. Doubt spreads quickly through conversation.

In daily life, many believers unknowingly reinforce their obstacles by constantly speaking defeat:

“This will never change.”
“Nothing ever works out.”
“It’s impossible.”

Joshua’s strategy reminds us that sometimes faith requires quiet perseverance.

You may not need to argue with every critic or explain every step of your journey. Sometimes the best response is simply continuing to obey God until the appointed moment arrives.

 

4. Unity Releases Power

The entire nation participated in the march around Jericho. Priests, soldiers, and ordinary people all moved together.  There was no division in the ranks.  Unity is one of the most powerful forces in the kingdom of God.  Psalm 133 reminds us that where unity exists, God commands the blessing.

 

Many spiritual walls remain standing because of division within families, churches, or communities. When people are fighting each other, they lose focus on the real battle.

Joshua understood that conquering Jericho required collective obedience.  This principle still applies today. Churches become stronger when members support one another. Families grow stronger when they pray together. Communities improve when people work toward common goals.  Unity does not mean everyone thinks the same way. It means people move together toward God’s purpose.  When believers align themselves with God and with one another, spiritual momentum begins to build.

 

5. The Shout of Faith

On the seventh day, everything changed.  After marching around the city seven times, the priests blew their trumpets and Joshua commanded the people to shout, and when they shouted, the walls fell.

Notice the order:

1. First obedience.

2. Then endurance.

3. Then the shout.

The shout was not just noise. It was an expression of faith and victory.  Sometimes God calls His people to lift their voices in praise before the miracle appears. Praise shifts our focus from the obstacle to the God who is greater than the obstacle.  Many believers discover that worship becomes a powerful weapon in spiritual battles.  When we praise God in difficult seasons, we declare that the problem does not have the final word.  Praise reminds us that God is still sovereign, and just like Jericho’s walls collapsed under the power of God, spiritual barriers begin to crumble when God’s people worship Him in faith.

 

Conclusion

The story of Jericho teaches us that giant killers do not rely solely on their own strength. They rely on God’s word, God’s strategy, and God’s power.

Joshua did not defeat Jericho through military brilliance. The victory came through faith-filled obedience.

 

Walls that had stood for generations collapsed in a moment because God intervened.

In our own lives, we all encounter Jericho moments—situations that seem immovable and overwhelming. But the same God who brought down Jericho’s walls is still working today.

He still gives direction.  He still honors obedience.  He still brings victory through faith.

When we trust Him, walk in unity, guard our words, and follow His instructions, the barriers standing between us and God’s promises cannot remain forever.

At the appointed time, the walls will fall.

 

Key Takeaways

• God declares victory before visible evidence appears. Faith trusts God’s word even when circumstances have not changed.

• Obedience is more important than understanding. God’s instructions may not always make sense, but they are always purposeful.

• Perseverance leads to a breakthrough. The Israelites marched day after day before the walls fell, reminding us that victory often follows seasons of steady faithfulness.

• Unity strengthens God’s people. When believers work together with a shared purpose, they position themselves for God’s blessing.

• Praise shifts the atmosphere of the battle. The shout at Jericho shows that faith celebrates victory before the evidence appears.

 

Declarations

1. I declare that every wall standing between me and God’s promises must fall.

2. I declare that God is giving me divine strategy for the battles I face.

3. I declare that my faith will remain strong even when circumstances seem unchanged.

4. I declare that obedience will lead me into victory.

5. I declare that the barriers in my life, family, and calling cannot withstand the power of God.

 

Closing Prayer

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for reminding us through Jericho that no obstacle is greater than Your power. Help us trust Your word even when we cannot see the outcome and give us strength to walk in daily obedience. Teach us to speak faith instead of fear and unite us with others in Your purpose.

We praise You in advance for the victory.  Whether the walls represent personal struggles, family challenges, or spiritual opposition, we believe that You are able to bring victory.  We give You praise in advance for what You are about to do.  In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.