Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.
Joshua 6:1‭-‬2 ESV

Walls. When Joshua’s physical eyes looked at Jericho, that’s what they would have seen– fortified, seemingly impenetrable walls. No people. No movement. Just one big wall behind which the people of Jericho were hiding.  (And I must insert here the irony of God’s comment “mighty men of valor,” for those “mighty men of valor” had heard of the God of the Israelites, and they were afraid! They were so terrified they hid themselves behind a wall!)  Unfortunately, by hiding behind the wall, the men of Jericho were also erroneously placing their trust in that wall. “Surely,” they must have thought, “those Israelites will never get beyond our walls.  No human being on earth could get beyond our borders.” And in a way they were right. The Israelites could not penetrate the fortified city, but God could.  Yes, God could–for no wall is ever too big, too fortified, or too impenetrable for God.

So while the men of Jericho looked with their eyes and assumed the wall before them would protect them, God saw the truth–and He invited Joshua to join Him in seeing the truth–to join Him in looking beyond the physical–to “see” the victory God had already given.  God invited Joshua to believe, to trust, and to have faith that with God all things are possible.

And Joshua believed. When God pointed to the seemingly fortified city and said, “See,” Joseph saw. He saw the victory. He saw that wall with the eyes of faith–a faith that breathes and thrives on what is not seen.  He saw the promise fulfilled. Joseph saw by faith what God had promised.

And it was with this faith he acted.  It was by this faith “…the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days” (Hebrews 11:30).  Joshua wasn’t afraid of the wall–or the “mighty men of valor” cowering behind the wall.  Joshua didn’t trust in the Israelites’ physical or mental prowess to take down the wall. He didn’t analyze the wall for some kind of weakness. No. While his physical eyes gazed at a wall, his eyes of faith saw its fall.

And that, my friend, is the faith I desire–a faith that circles the walls in my life with confidence that God has already brought them down.   True faith is indeed “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith gives us the ability to “see” with our spiritual eyes what is not yet visible in the earthly realm.  Faith looks at the cancer and sees healing.  Faith looks at death and sees heaven.  Faith looks at the for sale sign and sees “sold.” Faith knows that it knows that it knows that He who promised is faithful–that the One who put the world into motion is more than able to tear down that wall that looms in the distance.

I’m not sure what your wall is today–an uncertain future, a house needing to sell, a dream seemingly shattered, an unexpected bill.  I’m not sure, but God knows.  God knows the very wall before you, and He is inviting you now to see.  See the victory. See its fall.  See that He has delivered the enemy into your hand.   See that with God all things are possible–yes, “all things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23).