Jericho Is Destroyed
"Jericho was bolted and barred shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one could enter or leave.
2 The Lord said to Joshua, “I am about to hand Jericho, its king, and its warriors over to you. 3 All the soldiers will march around the city once a day for six days. 4 Seven
priests will carry rams’ horns ahead of the ark. But on the seventh day
you must march around the city seven times while the priests blow their
horns. 5 When
you hear a long blast on the horn, all the troops must shout very
loudly. The wall around the city will collapse. Then the troops must
charge straight ahead into the city. ...12 Joshua got up early in the morning. The priests carried the Lord’s ark. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns were ahead of it. The priests blew their horns as they went. The armed men were ahead of them, and the rear guard followed the Lord’s ark while the horns blew continually. 14 They went around the city once on the second day and returned to the camp. They did this for six days."
(Joshua 6:1-5, 12-14 GWT)
God had made it clear that our journey to reach your heart would be like Joshua's battle for Jericho. We will have to march around your heart multiple times, and eventually the Lord will cause the walls around it to tumble. I praise Him--He heard my surrender...saw my white flag waving...and today, He was faithful to reveal something new about this tired revelation and renew my strength to keep marching!
I was so frustrated with Him these past few weeks. Couldn't He see how I was hurting? Why was He allowing the enemy to speak against me with yours and others' "lying tongues"? To "surround me with hateful words"? Why was He allowing you to "fight against me for no reason" and "in return for my love, [allow you to] accuse me" even though "I pray for [you]"? Was my reward to be evil instead of good? Your hatred instead of love? (Psalm 109).
Today, He answered me:
No. But I needed to bring some things to the surface so I could fully heal you before you can be used to help Me heal Lucy.
Boy, did He. The enemy used you to play on my fear. Anger was just the symptom. But by the Power of God's grace that is so much stronger and greater than our Adversary, I let go of my fear today...fear that I'm losing my happy family...fear that God would abandon me and His Promise for you...fear that I wasn't cut out for this task He's given us. And I found freedom in the forgiveness of those satan used throughout my life to birth and feed that lie, including you, that had left my heart out in the cold to bleed alone.
He was there when my heart was breaking; every single time that it broke. His was breaking, too! And My God, Who cherishes me, was not going to allow my heart to remain broken. Just as any loving Father would, He's been aiming to mend it. And, in the most backwards way, He used you to do just that.
So, back to the "something new" He revealed about this account in Jericho.... Seven priests were instructed to carry rams' horns ahead of the ark, blowing them continually. I've glossed over this detail so many times. What that meant and why they had to do this was beyond me, so I suppose my brain clung only to the parts of this story I could relate to or understand. The Holy Spirit revealed to me exactly what this was about and why it had to be done.... The rams' horn (also known as the Shofar) was used by the Israelites to signify their waging of war. And for the believer in Jesus, it represents the shout of God's victory (see: Meaning of the Shofar)!
Yes, God is requiring we continue this march around your heart. He knows we're exhausted. We are undoubtedly waging war, not against flesh and blood, but against these spiritual forces that grip you (Eph. 6:12). But He is also commanding us to shout His victory! To send our praises out ahead of us!!! Hence, I thank Him now for delivering you. I thank Him now for the freedom you will find in Christ. I thank Him right now, in the middle of this battle, for the "Angel of Light" you will be for so many others trapped in darkness. You didn't rename you "Lucy"...God did. I praise Him in advance for the woman you are going to become and the force you're going to be against the very enemy that's losing his grip on you as I type.
Victory is the Lord's!
