This biblical teaching is a production of The Walk Ministries with Pastor Jeno Shaw. You can watch the video below, and then read the teaching notes that follow.
Overview
Sounds get our attention, and different sounds can get us to react in different ways. For instance, the sound of a baby can bring out compassion or a certain protectiveness over the baby. The sound of an ambulance can get us to pull over if we’re driving a car. The sound of someone calling your name will cause you to look around. The sound of a dog barking will cause you to give a look of concern and alertness.
Sound can also break glass if it’s high-pitched enough. Sound can also shift dirt, which brings us to this verse:
Matthew 17:20 “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
Moving mountains is done using our voice and faith, but we don’t need science to verify for us, do we?
Even where we live, our voices leave spiritual imprints. Have you ever gone somewhere and just felt like something was wrong? That’s how I felt. I walked around my house and blessed it and all that, but even later, something needed to break off. Something was just a little off. So I went around the house and prayed over each room in the house, each bedroom, each bathroom, everywhere! And, you know, something lifted! I waited about a week and then did it again. Now I can sense peace.
So if you’re praying and you donnot see immediate victory, then pray again until you get that victory!
Sound even tears down walls
The first battle, upon entering the promised land, was at Jericho. Today, if you look at the flags of the Middle East they have moons in them. Oddly enough, the city of Jericho means “city of moon.” The key here for the people of God was obedience, and God was shown to be stronger than any walls in our life.
God commanded Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, to go around the walls of Jericho for six days, and on the seventh day, they were to go around seven times. Seven priests were commanded to blow trumpets with the ark of the covenant in FRONT OF THEM. The number seven means God’s manifest spirit. It also means rest as in ruling and reigning (after conquering, in this situation). It’s also God’s dominion and our hope in Him.
God will always be in front of you when you are obedient.
Canaan was the promised land filled with milk and honey. Interestingly enough, the Canaanites were from the lineage of Ham, who was cursed by Noah, whose descendants also populated Africa and parts of Asia.
God wants to deliver his people.
Exodus 3:7-8 7
“And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; (8) And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.”
So in this promised land, the Israelites had to fight for it.
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, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”
But before this victory, the Israelites had to trust God.
Joshua 1:9
“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.”
In other words, God was telling them not to do things that would limit their faith and that would limit their victory. Don’t be terrified; don’t be discouraged; don’t be afraid. These things will limit your victory and slow you down. The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
The Israelites were in unity and one accord. This was so important that Joshua commanded anyone that was not onboard with this to be put to death. Josua 1:18
God’s fame was being spread throughout the land. People everywhere began talking about how God opened the Red Sea for his people, and people began to be sore afraid because they knew they were coming.
That was a sound as well — the sound of God’s fame being spread throughout the land.
So what was God’s battle plan? God wanted the priests to carry the ark of the covenant while blowing trumpets and walking around the city walls once a day. On the seventh day, they were to walk around seven times and give a great shout, and at that time, the walls of Jericho came down and the Israelite army conquered the city.
So what made the walls come down? It was sound. Actually, obedience and sound, right?
Man would never think of a military strategy such as this. God’s ways are the best ways, amen!
Now, we also see from this that Rahab was a known prostitute. But she was the one who let the spies into Jericho, and she and her family were saved from the destruction of the city. Not only that, but God also rewarded her in a different way as well. God included her lineage in that of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Rahab had a decision to make — to side with the evil people of Jericho or side with God, and she made the right choice.
You see, all this had to do with sound — the power of sound and obedience. Obedience was such a key in this victory, and I’m sure Joshua didn’t always understand what God was telling him. I mean, c’mon, how silly does sounding trumpets before the enemy sound, like why would I alert the enemy of my presence? Man would normally do a surprise attack, not sounding trumpets, but the key here is Joshua was obedient even when it didn’t make sense.
I want to throw this in as well. Today, we sing praises to the Lord. Did you know that praise releases an ultrasonic sound wave?
2 Chronicles 20:21-22
21 “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. (22) And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”
This is an ultrasonic sound wave destroying the enemy.
Fabricated sound
Also, I’ll throw this in here. Speaking of sound, did you know that when you watch a movie and in the very beginning when the lion comes on the screen and it roars? Well guess what? That’s not a lion’s roar! Nope. That’s a tiger! Lions don’t roar like that! Watch it again! See the lies they try to feed us?
Conclusion
Even today, God may be calling you to do something that doesn’t make sense. I implore you to listen to him and simply just do it and use the victory sounds He has given you.
Prayer
Dear God, reveal to me my victory sound. May it be known to me, and I promise to use it for you to know the battles that we face together. I come into agreement with all the plans that you have for me. May I be obedient to everything you ask me to do just as Joshua was obedient to you. I submit myself to your will, your voice, and your ways. Work in me mighty things for the kingdom of God, in Jesus name. Amen!
I truly love you all,
Pastor/Coach Jeno
