Your Obstacles Aren't Dead-Ends

So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:14-16, 20 NIV)


Defensive walls were built around ancient cities to keep invading armies away, to regulate commerce and for other activities such as a meeting place city elders . The walls built by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks and even the famous Great Wall of China are examples of this. These walls are massive masonry structures. For example, the walls surrounding Jericho, one of the most ancient cities of the world, now part of the of West Bank area in Israel, was composed of two structures, an outer and inner wall. The outer wall was about 6ft thick and 20ft high while the inner wall about 12ft thick and 30ft high. A guarded walkway about 15 feet wide was between the walls. It is said that the walls were so thick that six chariots could race side-by -side on it. Homes were even built along the wall.

In other words, the walls of Jericho were towering intimidating obstacles. They were practically impenetrable by Israel. While Israel's dream, the promised land, lay on the other side of the walls, enclosed. It looked unreachable because of the daunting walls. It appeared that they had reached a dead-end.

However, with God, there are no dead-ends. If he has promised something, no towering obstacle can stop you from entering it when you act on his word. It doesn't matter if the obstacle is a Red Sea, an overflowing Jordan River, a towering wall, opposing giants or a huge mountain. God can make a way to the place he promised you even if it means tumbling down obstacles.

Are you facing an obstacle that looks like a dead-end right now on your path? Do you feel like your God-given vision is enclosed in thick insurmountable walls. A lost one you want God to deliver? A lost community you are burdened about? A mound of insurmountable debt? A sickness? A huge project that intimidates? An endeavor that makes you feel inadequate? The same God that crumbled Jericho's walls is your God and he hasn't changed bit. He's still the mountain-mover, the wall-breaker and the sea-parter. He is the way-maker. Your obstacles aren't dead- ends. There is a path forward in God. Obstacles are opportunities for miracles. Follow Joshua's example. Get an inspired instruction from him regarding the seeming dead-end, and if he tells you to do something foolish like marching, shouting or dancing. Better get cracking because that will be the only way to get the walls cracking.


Decision of the Day

God still brings down walls. I will not see the obstacle on my path as a dead-end but as an opportunity for God to work a way-making miracle