Winning the Victory

A mother concerned about her son and his wife emailed this request: “God has led me to do a Jericho’ prayer...Would you join with me in “marching around the walls’ this week. I am fighting this battle with praise!”

She was referring to the time Joshua faced a huge challenge—that insurmountable wall of Jericho. In Joshua 5:13, it appears that Joshua had gone to survey the situation. Taking this city looked impossible.

When Joshua stood in the presence of the Lord, the Lord assured him, “See, I have given Jericho into your hands” (Joshua 6:1). But God’s instructions to march and blow trumpets did not appear to be a sure way to victory. They obeyed, though, and after the Israelites marched around and praised God with a shout, the walls of Jericho fell.

It’s not surprising that this week the mother who had fought her battle with praise, emailed, “God has worked mightily.”

When I read “Onward Christian Soldiers” written by Sabine Baring-Gould in 1865, the third line of the second verse caught my attention:

“At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;

On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!

Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;

Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.”

James assures us that if we “Resist the devil...he will flee” (James 4:7).

Thank You, Lord, for giving us praise as a powerful way to resist the enemy.

“I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3).