Praying Circles Around Your Walls – 19
Subject – The Conclusion of the Matter
by Rick Welborne
Joshua 6:1-2, 15-20 (NLT)
1 Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.
2 But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.
15 On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times.
16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the town!
17 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
19 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.”
20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
1 Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.
2 But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.
15 On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times.
16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the town!
17 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
19 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.”
20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
--Obviously this has been the longest series I have ever preached in the 27 years that I have been a lead pastor. My hope and prayer has been that you have been encouraged to trust God until walls fall…the miracle comes.
--I believe all of us would agree that discipleship is very important in the church and in our own lives. Have you ever asked yourself, who disciples our pastors?
--Many pastors have favorite preachers who encourage them and speak into their lives. They listen to cds or Podcasts and they are challenged to grow and stretch.
--Your pastor has chosen the venue of reading to keep stretching me and challenging me to be more for God. I markup horribly the books I read making notes on almost every page. Very slow and messy.
--Because I am not insecure, I have always tried to give credit to the authors of the books I read and use their material. Some choose to not reveal the source because they want people to think they are that smart.
--Can you imagine preaching at the same church and to the same congregation for 29 plus years and coming up with new and fresh material without reading or studying…I love to study and prepare sermons. 4350 sermons.
Tommy Barnett (School of Ministry) – Please feel free to use any of the material I give you in my books and feel free to use anything you hear me preach because everything I share I have stolen from someone else. Make copies of my material and give it away because it is all about expanding the Kingdom of God.
Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (NKJV)
9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us.
9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us.
--Very few authors have impacted me like Mark Batterson and very few books have impacted me like the “The Circle Maker”. The whole essence of the book is to keep praying until the miracle comes. Until the walls fall.
--I just guess God must have known where I would be at this time in my life and ministry…He knew I would need to be praying circles around my family, my church, my health, my community.
--Going to General Council in 2017 and hearing many of the ministers I honor and respect was such a privilege for me. God filled me with such vision and dreams during that time. It was amazing.
--Coming down the elevator of our hotel and bowing my head and praying a simple prayer…Jesus, I would really like to meet Mark Batterson in person. Thanks, Lord!
--I get off the elevator and walk out the front of the hotel and who is standing just a few feet away, Mark Batterson. I extend a hand and he graciously accepts. I thank him for his impact on my oldest son.
--I tell him I pastor in Florida…He suddenly stops me and I think I have taken too much of his time…He tells me to wait a second and he goes and gets his wife and son.
--He comes quickly back and introduces them to me…This is pastor Rick from Florida…they extend the same grace he had shared. Their kindness and humility told me what I found in his books was real. AG Leadership!
--Don’t you like people who are real…what you see is exactly what you get…people with no ulterior motives. They just want to love God and love people…is that what you want? Is that what you do? Are you real?
--In The Circle Maker Batterson used the example of Honi the circle maker as a springboard to write his book. Honi was a real person who lived in history, he was a Jew, a son of Abraham, a man of faith.
--Honi prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the last time I checked, that is exactly who we pray to. He was not in the Bible but he was a man who had faith in God and God used him to save a generation.
--Charles Greenaway, David and Beth Grant, Hulda Buntain, Hudson Taylor, and other saints are not mentioned in the Bible but all of them could be used as examples of faith. Harriet Browne is right up there with them.
--Honi was just an example of someone who dared to believe God to send rain…He drew a circle around himself and said God I will not leave here until you answer my prayer. We used this parallel verse:
Joshua 6:5 (NKJV)
5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him."
5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him."
--The children of Israel circled the walls seven times…We have heard so many testimonies of those who made a decision to start circling their walls in prayer until they fell…Shawna Cortez.
“Joy unspeakable, faith unsinkable, love unstoppable, anything is possible!” Casting Crowns couldn’t have said it any better. This song came on as I was leaving the courthouse parking lot and it couldn’t have been better timing. In November of 2016 I was faced with the impossible. As a single parent with a young daughter whom I adored, I received devastating news. At the time I had no clue what to do so I prayed. I prayed circles around this situation, every chance I could. I never prayed for what happened today to happen. My prayer was simple, just for the big man upstairs to take control of this situation and his will to be done. In April I received a text message that would forever change my life. Vic and I had only been married for a few months and he was faced with a huge decision. Needless to say there was no hesitation on his behalf, he stepped up the plate and did what any father would. I’m super excited to announce that Kelsie is now a Cortes! Our prayers were answered and surpassed all expectations. Happy Adoption Day KELSIE CORTES!
--Because Victor and Shawna prayed circles around the situation with their daughter…God made the walls fall and they received their miracle! They got custody and were able to adopt! Praise God!
--Today we will wrap up this series and look at what is the conclusion of the matter.
1. When we face our Jericho or the walls that seem unwilling to fall, we must trust God!
--It is impossible to stay in one place as long as I have been here and not see person after person or family after family face oppositions and trials that seemed to be insurmountable.
--There have always been, and I guess will always be, people who face these trials, these tests with faith and trust, and others who face them with anger and doubt.
--Listen to me my brothers and sisters, you may think you know how someone will react when they face these things but you really do not know…you do not know what is in an orange until it is squeezed.
--This is why it is so imperative that we have certain godly patterns in our lives like Daniel. Three times a day he would make it to his upper room, open his windows toward Jerusalem, and pray!
--Are you building such a relationship with God that even if your world seems to be crumbling beneath your feet…you are going to trust Him no matter what.
Proverbs 3:5-8 (NKJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
--This does not mean you trust God when everything is going well, when there is money in the bank, and everyone is healthy in your house.
--It means that we trust the Lord with all our hearts even when everything is turned upside down…it means we don’t have to have everything figured out…we don’t lean on our own understanding and knowledge.
--In all your ways acknowledge Him…In all your ways get to know Him…allow adversity to push you into a deeper intimacy with Him. If this latest trial seems to be the one that takes you under:
Job 13:15-16 (NKJV)
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NKJV)
17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls--
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls--
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
2. We circle the walls of Jericho and pray for the right motivation.
--We pray and circle the walls desiring to see God glorified, not for our own selfishness. God gave specific instructions about what was to be done when the walls come down.
Joshua 6:18 (NLT)
18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
Joshua 7:11 (NLT)
11 Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.
11 Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.
--Achan made the mistake that so many make today about why God does certain things, he thought the miracle of the walls falling was about what he could get, not what he could give.
--God wanted the glory and Achan thought he could take from God what belonged to Him only! Achan and his entire family perished because of his selfishness and disobedience.
--Motivation – why do you want walls to fall? Oh, Pastor, I want healing, I want finances, I want family reconciliation, I want… Shouldn’t the reason we want walls to fall is so God will be glorified?
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
3. Keep on praying.
--What do I do if God doesn’t answer my prayers on my time line? Oh, excuse me, I thought He was the Master and you are the bond slave. You keep seeking His face, not His hand! He is the prize!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NKJV)
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
--When you have done all you know to do…pray without ceasing…pray without stopping and give Him constant thanks. Don’t quench the Spirit but be filled with Holy Spirit and pray in the Holy Spirit.
--Summary – Keep on trusting God no matter what, keep on asking with the right motives, and keep praying!
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