Sermon: By Faith the Walls Fell Down

Sermon Date: 8/24/2025

Bible Verses:

• Joshua 6

Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley

Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-

Theme: Victory comes by faith, not by force. Spiritual battles are won when we trust God, obey His commands, and consecrate ourselves to His purposes.

Introduction to the Message: “By Faith the Walls Fell Down”

Good morning, church!

Today we turn to Joshua 6, a passage that reminds us of something crucial—faith doesn’t always look impressive to the world, but it’s powerful in the eyes of God.

Israel stood before the mighty, walled city of Jericho. A city built for war. A city humanly impossible to conquer. But God had already declared the outcome: “See, I have given Jericho into your hand.”

From that moment, the battle was no longer about military strategy—it was about obedience and trust.

God didn’t ask Israel to storm the gates. He didn’t call them to catapults or battering rams. He called them to walk, to wait, and to worship—in faith.

This chapter isn’t just ancient history. It’s our story, too.

• Some of you are facing walls today—of fear, addiction, doubt, family struggles, spiritual fatigue.
• Some of you are wondering how to take back ground the enemy has claimed.
• And some of you feel disqualified because of your past.

But today’s message is this: Through faith, the walls can fall.

Let’s open our hearts as we walk with Joshua and the people of Israel around Jericho, and see how God brings victory—not through might, but through faith.

1. Have Faith Because God Has Already Won the War

Joshua 6:1–2

“See, I have given Jericho into your hand…” (v. 2)

Key Idea:
Even before a single step was taken or a shout was raised, God had already declared the victory. Faith doesn’t begin with what we see—it begins with trusting what God has said.

Cross References:

• Romans 8:37 – “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
• 2 Chronicles 20:15 – “The battle is not yours, but God’s.”
• Hebrews 11:30 – “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.”

Application:
Are you walking like the victory is already yours? Faith means walking in obedience before the results.

2. Through Faith Alone, God Will Bring Down the Enemy’s Strongholds

Joshua 6:3–14

God’s battle plan made no worldly sense: march around the city in silence. Blow trumpets. Wait.

But God’s way brings down strongholds when we obey by faith.

Cross References:

• 2 Corinthians 10:3–4 – “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”
• Isaiah 55:8–9 – “My thoughts are not your thoughts… my ways are higher…”
• Proverbs 3:5–6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… and he will make your paths straight.”

Application:
You may face walls of addiction, fear, bitterness, or anxiety—but God tears down what we cannot.

3. Through Faith, God Will Restore Your Spiritual Inheritance

Joshua 6:15–16

“Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!” (v. 16)

This wasn’t just about Jericho—it was about reclaiming the Promised Land, the inheritance that was delayed by unbelief.

Cross References:

• Joel 2:25 – “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…”
• Acts 20:32 – “…the word of his grace… is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
• Ephesians 1:11 – “In him we have obtained an inheritance…”

Application:
Has sin or fear robbed you of what God intended for your life? God restores by faith what was lost through disobedience.

4. Through Faith, Seize God’s Gifts, But Not the Evil Things of the World

Joshua 6:17–19

God gave them the city—but not to plunder for personal gain. They were to devote everything to the Lord and not take the accursed things.

Key Warning: Not everything within reach is meant to be grasped.

Cross References:

• 1 John 2:15–17 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world…”
• James 1:14–15 – “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire…”
• Proverbs 16:25 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Application:
God wants to bless you—but not at the cost of your holiness. Let go of the things He has marked for destruction.

5. Make the Sabbath a Time For Spiritual Warfare

Joshua 6:20–21

The final march and shout occurred on the seventh day—the Sabbath. On a day of rest, God brought the walls down.

Key Point:
Rest is not idleness. Resting in God is a weapon of faith.

Cross References:

• Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you; you have only to be silent.”
• Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”
• Hebrews 4:9–11 – “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… Let us strive to enter that rest…”

Application:
Your spiritual rest is not passivity—it’s trust in God’s power. Set apart time to worship, reflect, and trust Him to fight on your behalf.

6. God Can Use You No Matter How Bad You Have Sinned in the Past

Joshua 6:22–25

Rahab, a prostitute, believed God. She hid the spies. And she and her family were saved.

Not only that—she became part of the lineage of Jesus.

Cross References:

• Matthew 1:5 – “…Boaz by Rahab…”
• Hebrews 11:31 – “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish…”
• 1 Corinthians 6:11 – “And such were some of you. But you were washed, sanctified, justified…”

Application:
Don’t count yourself out of God’s story.
Your past doesn’t define your future—your faith does.

Conclusion:

Joshua 6 isn’t just about walls falling down—it’s about the faith that brings them down.

• Faith walks before it sees.
• Faith obeys when it doesn’t understand.
• Faith honors what God says is holy.
• Faith enters into rest.
• Faith rewrites your legacy.

Final Challenge:

Where do you need to walk by faith?

What walls are standing between you and the next step in your calling?

The same God who brought down Jericho will bring you through.
But He calls for your faith, your obedience, and your full surrender.

Will you walk in faith today?