Walls Don’t Just Keep Things Out—Sometimes They Keep God Out Too

Some walls are obvious. Others we’ve lived behind for so long, we forget they’re even there. They either hide what’s inside or keep things from getting in or out. Spiritually, emotionally, relationally—walls can protect, but they can also imprison. And the story of Jericho in Joshua 6 reminds us of just how real those walls are. If Israel was going to enter the Promised Land, Jericho stood in the way. And it wasn’t just a city. It was a fortress.

What Do You Do When What You See Doesn’t Match What God Says?

Joshua 6:1 says Jericho was locked up tight. No one in. No one out. The people inside were afraid because they’d heard what God had done for Israel—how He split the sea and defeated Pharaoh.

Then verse 2 hits us with a surprise: “See, I have given Jericho into your hand.” Wait, what? The city is shut down, sealed off. And God says they’ve already won? That’s a powerful tension. When reality looks like defeat, but God declares victory. What do you do when what you see contradicts what God says?

Your View of God Shapes Your View of the Wall

The answer lies in perspective. If your view of God is small, your walls will always look massive. But if your view of God is big, those walls start to look like rubble waiting to happen.

Jericho wasn’t huge, but it was heavily fortified. Walls 12 to 25 feet high. Six feet thick. Built on a hill. A fortress by every standard. Sometimes our lives feel like that too. We build walls of protection. Walls from trauma, from heartbreak, from fear. We say, “I’ll never be hurt like that again,” and up goes another layer. But walls that start as protection often become prisons.

God Speaks in Past Tense About Battles We Haven’t Even Fought

Back to verse 2. “I have given Jericho into your hand.” Did you catch that? God speaks in past tense about a battle Joshua hasn’t even fought yet. This is a gospel principle. We don’t fight for victory. We fight from victory. Jesus has already secured it.

God’s Strategy Often Doesn’t Make Sense

Joshua was a general. He knew how to fight wars. So when God told him how they’d take the city, he probably expected something brilliant. Ramps. Siege towers. Fire. Something epic.

Instead, God gave him the worship team. March. Blow trumpets. Don’t say a word. Do it for six days. Then march seven times on the seventh day and shout. This wasn’t about strategy. It was about submission. It wasn’t military—it was spiritual.

What If They Had Given Up on Day Six?

The soldiers didn’t know the plan. Scripture doesn’t say Joshua shared the seven-day strategy. They walked in silence every day with no visible results. Imagine day four. A soldier goes home and his wife asks, “Did you fight?” “Nope. We walked again.” How many times have you felt that way? “Lord, I’m praying. I’m showing up. I’m trying. But nothing’s changing.” “How many laps do I have to take?”

By day six, they knew there was no human way to win. Six represents man’s effort. It reminded them, we can’t do this on our own.

Then came day seven. Seven in Scripture is the number of completion. God’s number. And on that day, God brought the walls down.

Only God Can Bring Some Walls Down

These walls didn’t fall because of Israel’s strength. They fell because of trust and obedience. This wasn’t a military victory. It was a spiritual one. And some of us need to hear this—there are walls in your life that only God can bring down. Trying harder isn’t going to do it. Fixing yourself won’t fix the problem. If your plan for 2026 is “I’ll fix me,” you’re missing the gospel. If you could fix yourself, what did Jesus die for?

Success Is Faithfulness and Obedience

In a personal moment, the pastor shared how he’d been praying through the idea of success. What does success look like in God’s eyes? The answer: faithfulness and obedience.

Not results. Not numbers. Not recognition. Just walking in trust with God, step by step, lap by lap, even when you don’t see results.

What’s Your Jericho?

We all have one. What’s the God-sized obstacle standing in front of you that He’s asking you to walk around in trust? Think back to what led the people of Israel at Jericho—it was the Ark of the Covenant. The presence of God went ahead of them. When they crossed the Jordan? God went first. When they circled Jericho? God stayed in front. And when the walls fell? They were worshiping in His presence.

Keep God in Front in 2026

That’s the challenge. Keep God in front this year. Don’t lose sight of Him.

• Worship when nothing changes.
• Walk when you don’t understand.
• Trust even when it looks like defeat.

Because your Jericho is not stronger than your God. And He is still in the business of bringing down walls. So as we step into this year, we do it with faith. We do it with obedience. And we do it knowing that God goes before us. He is good. All the time. And all the time, He is God.