Be Still, Advent Day 9: That Wall That’s Standing In Front of You

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites, Joshua 6:1

There was a massive wall standing between Joshua and the city God had promised him. No one went out and no one came in. The wall was massive, and the gates were not moving.

What God had promised now looked like an impossibility.

Walls don’t fall by staring at them. But Joshua learned that the biggest walls do crumble—not with effort but with trust.  This ancient story holds the truth of what happens when you think God has disappeared. The power in waiting, listening and trusting.

Joshua’s Challenge

Jericho’s towering walls could have been a sign to Joshua that God wouldn’t give him the prize after all. Was this a lesson in learning to live with disappointment? Or would this be a lesson in learning how God can break down barriers?

Joshua could have thought he had misunderstood God. He could have misread the situation. He could have said, “Maybe God’s giving us a sign to leave.”

Instead of giving up hope, Joshua trusted God to show him a way through the wall.

How Did He  Know to Stay and Fight?

So the question is, how did Joshua know that God wasn’t taking the dream away? How did Joshua know to stay and march?

The answer is that Joshua didn’t want to leave. He wanted to take that city. He didn’t want to quit.  God had put the desire in Joshua’s heart to take the city.

But now the question was, were the massive walls and barred entry proof that God had “closed this door?”

No. Joshua knew that God would see him through. Yes — the walls were there… a definite obstacle. But he chose to believe that God would find a way. Faith isn’t always about seeing immediate evidence; it’s about trusting in the promise and the character of the One who made it.

“What if the waiting isn’t a sign to leave but a call to trust?”

That’s the question Joshua had to wrestle with as he marched his army around Jericho’s towering walls.

When it came down to it, God was more interested in Joshua’s choice than he was in taking the city. God could take the city on His own without Joshua’s help. What God really wanted was Joshua’s heart. The choice to obey wasn’t just about taking a city—it was about trusting God completely.

The Conflict of Faith

When it looks like your “doors have closed,” and you are ready to pack in your dream, why don’t see it as a personal challenge, like Joshua did, as a challenge? “Ok, God, show me what you can do. And I’ll do my part — whatever you ask.”

Someday, this struggle will be a victory you tell for years to come—one that you share personally with your God.

Trust in Action

For six days, Joshua led the Israelites in marching around Jericho, once each day, in silence. Nothing was happening, no cracks in the wall, nothing to suggest progress. Again — Joshua could have left, believing this job was for someone better than him. But instead,  God called him to march. To be still. To wait.

Waiting isn’t wasted time. It’s part of God’s process. This rhythm—the quiet repetition of faith—built Joshua’s trust.

The Breakthrough

Finally, on the seventh day, everything shifted. After marching seven times, trumpets blared, and the silence gave way to triumphant shouts.

Faith has a rhythm, too. It often starts in quiet obedience, requiring us to act even when we don’t see evidence. And then, suddenly, the breakthrough comes. The walls fall. But only if we persist through the silence.

The Lesson of Faith

Why was this faith-building exercise so critical for God to give them such a test of faith?

Jericho was just the beginning. More battles were coming—Ai, Gibeon, and the coalition of Canaanite kings. These were bigger battles to come. God needed to build Joshua’s strength here so that he would be strong enough to handle the battles that were coming.

The victory at Jericho was a declaration: If you trust My Word, no enemy is too great.

By starting with a miraculous, faith-dependent victory, God showed them that their strength lay not in military might but in their relationship with Him. Each future battle would require the same trust and obedience they learned at Jericho.

The miracle of the walls falling down declared to the world that Israel’s success was not by their own hand but by the power of their God.

Your Jericho Moments

Instead of giving up when you face those walls, call them your “Jericho moments.” God is asking for Big Faith. He’s preparing you for something great. And the road to get there will likely—always include waiting in silence—and obedience. You may not be called to march for six days, but you will be called to Be Still—and, most importantly, to trust Him and move to a place of faith.

Despair? That’s for tomorrow…