Walls Fall

PHOTO CAPTION: Sometimes walls need to come down and other times something needs to be built. Either way it is always good to have someone to help you.

Have you every tried to do something and felt like you were making very little progress? Or maybe you have tried to bring up a problem at work or with your child and felt like you were talking to a wall. No one was hearing you. As the old saying goes, you felt like you were hitting a “brick wall.” I know I have felt that way before and I think that I may even be part of the problem. There are problem areas of my life that I feel like I just can’t seem to fix. I make changes. I ask others for advice. I come up with what I think is a plan and yet, I keep hitting that brick wall that I can’t seem to get through or around.

One of those problem areas for me, is my office. I know I need to clean it, sort through things and organize so that I can actually work in there, but I just can’t seem to get it done. I’ve started on it numerous times. Most recently, I made a lot of progress. I was switching rooms around and needed to move my office to another room. I boxed up things, sorted through and got rid of a ton of stuff and somewhat organized what I had left. I moved what I had left to the room that was going to become my office and that is as far as I have made it. I hit a brick wall. I still have too much stuff to really fit in the room in a functional way. Top that off with a family emergency that arose and I still have a very messy office with no room to work. This job looms large before me. How will I ever get it all done?

Another brick wall I have run into is an attitude wall. There are certain things that just get under my skin. I’m not even sure why, but they do. One of these things is being asked how I am feeling. I don’t know why that bugs me. You would think I would appreciate knowing that people care enough to ask, yet when someone asks how I am feeling, I don’t even want to answer. Usually I do give people grace and I mumble some kind of courteous answer. But when my hubby asks, though he’s trying to be nice, I tend to get a little cranky. I know he is asking because he cares and wants the best for me, yet every time he asks, I cringe. I can’t seem to break this wall down. I don’t even know why I have this wall in the first place. I just know that I do. Thankfully, he gives me grace too.

Joshua and the Israelites came up against a big wall when they entered the land God had promised them. That wall was around the city of Jericho. They knew that God wanted them to go in and take the land starting with Jericho, but how were they supposed to get around that wall? They could have let that wall defeat them and keep them from what God had for them, but they didn’t. You see, God gave Joshua a plan and Joshua and the Israelites followed that plan. They didn’t question if it was the right thing to do. They didn’t question how in the world marching around the city was going to cause the walls to fall. They simply did it and God took care of the rest. It probably helped that Joshua, their leader, was a man of faith. He believed that if God said it, then it would happen. Nothing can stop God!

That brings me back to the walls in our lives – your life and mine. Whatever they are, God has a plan. Don’t give up. Believe that God will help you, get others to join with you in prayer and keep marching.

The Israelites marched together. They did what Joshua commanded. They marched silently for six days and then on the seventh day, when the priests gave a blast on their trumpets, they were allowed to shout. With the trumpet blasts, their shouts and the mighty power of God, the walls fell. It’s an interesting battle plan isn’t it? But then we have an amazing God. He can and will break down the walls in your life too, don’t give up, that’s exactly what the enemy is hoping you will do. But God has a battle plan tailor made for you.

PARENT PRAYER:
Father God,
Yes, I have some walls in my life that I can’t seem to break down. Some of those walls are things I would rather not talk about, but you know what they are. I am not hiding them from you and probably not from anyone else either. Lord, I’m tempted sometimes to just give up, to use the excuse, “That’s just the way I am! This wall is too big for me.” Yet I know these things are not too big for you and so I give them to you – every single one of them. I know that walls can fall and will fall under your power. There is nothing too hard for you. You can change my attitudes, heal those wounds in my spirit where I have built walls to keep others from getting too close and yes, you can even give me a plan for my office. Thank you God, for the walls you have already broken down in my life, I trust you and more than anything, I want to live boldly for you. I want to go in and take that which you have already given me. I pray also for my kids, friends and readers, break down walls in their lives too. Break down walls of debt, addictions, unhealthy habits and unhealthy thought patterns, low self esteem, anything that the enemy has tried to raise up against them. Teach us to pray by ourselves and with others. Lord, break those walls down so that we will be all you created us to be. Amen

RANDOM MUSINGS
* God told Joshua that the Israelite army was to march silently around Jericho for six days although the priests were allowed to blow their trumpets. Marching silently insured that they didn’t complain or discourage one another or alert the enemy of their intent. Marching silently meant that they were marching in unity and it probably gave them time to focus on God and pray.
How long has it been since I have been silent before God? How long since I have just listened?

* The seventh day, they marched around silently six times and the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpet blast and Joshua commanded, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” they did and the walls fell.
When God breaks down our walls in our lives, it’s time to shout!

BREAKING DOWN OUR WALLS
* As you can, identify your walls. Ask God to reveal to you any areas that are holding you back from being all you can be, all He wants you to be.
Pray about these things, Ask God to give you a plan and the strength to follow that plan.

* Unite with a trusted friend or mentor to join you in prayer and hold you accountable. Identifying your wall may help you decide who you approach to mentor you. EX: If your wall is breaking unhealthy eating habits, then a health coach might be what you need or a friend who also is working on eating healthier.

* Keep marching! Don’t give up if you fall down or fail to break through your wall the first time, ask God to help you get up and try again.

* Praise God for small victories. Begin to shout, before you see the walls fall.

Kid’s Section

STORY: Walls Fall – Joshua 6:1-23
After the spies reported to Joshua, the Israelites got ready to cross over the Jordan River and go into the land that God was giving to them. They crossed over the river on dry ground because God was with them. They camped near Jericho, but Jericho was a big city with BIG walls. How were they going to be able to get into Jericho? How could they defeat their enemies? It looked like a very hard job, but God had a plan.

God told Joshua, “March around the city with your army once every day for six days. Don’t say a word, just march. Tell the priests to march in the front carrying the Ark (Holy Box). Then on the seventh day, march around the city seven times and tell the priests to blow the trumpets as they march. When you hear the priests blow a long blast on their trumpet, all the people are to start shouting and the walls of the city will fall down.”

That might have seemed like a funny plan, but the Israelites did what God told them. For six days they marched around Jericho not making any noise. Then on the seventh day, they all marched around again – not just once or twice, but seven times. The priests (pastors) blew the trumpets and all the people shouted. Guess what happened? The walls came down just like that.

All the walls fell down except for where Rahab’s house was. The wall by Rahab’s house was still standing. Rahab and her family were safe inside. God saved Rahab because she trusted Him and helped the spies. Because Rehab trusted God and His plan, her family was also saved.

God gave Joshua a plan for defeating Jericho. God’s plan was a good plan and God’s plan for us is a good too. When we follow God’s plan like Joshua and the Israelites did, then we know that God will be with us. He can tear down walls, heal sick people, stop storms and help us to defeat any enemy that comes our way. He is a good God. He takes care of us and our families, when we listen and follow His plan.

MEMORIZE: Joshua 2:11 NIV – (Hands as if holding a book.)
… For the Lord your God – (Point up.)
Is God in heaven above – (Reach up as high as you can.)
And on earth below – (Reach down low.)

PRAYER:
Dear God,
I know that you can do anything and that you rule over everything. Please help me to remember that you know what is best for me and you have a plan. Help me to listen and follow your plan. I am trusting you. Thank you for my family too. Amen

KNOW: God has a plan and His plan is always best.
TALK ABOUT: God rules over everything. He knows what is best for me.
ASK: Who rules over everything? God rules over everything.
AND DO… I can trust God’s plan, because He knows what is best for me.

FUN IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK 
* March around the house with your child. While you are marching, think of things to praise God for. You may even wish to act out the story, marching around the house once each day and the last day seven times.

• Make plans to do something fun with your child this week – go out for ice-cream, invite a friend over to play or go to the park – whatever you decide to do, remember that God has good plans for you. Ask Him what His plans are for you each day.