Joshua 6 Study Guide

This past weekend, Pastor Doug shared a powerful word from Joshua 6 as we studied the toppling of the walls of Jericho. In this message, we explored the power of faith and obedience to the Lord even when we don’t understand and how faith allows us to share in God’s victories with Him. We also discovered why we all have a Jericho in our lives and how the Lord wants to knock down walls and use us to take ground for His kingdom.

Watch the video below to see a few highlights from the teaching and share it with your friends via social media. To watch the message in its entirety, click here.


For the Note Takers

Faith Allows Us to Share Victory with God (Joshua 6:1–5): God could have done this amazing work without the Israelites. He could have brought down the walls without the marching; He could have taken ground all on His own with ease. But He didn’t. Similarly, the Lord doesn’t need us to be His hands and feet; He doesn’t need us to be His messengers or His ambassadors. God can accomplish the work of bringing people to faith in Jesus without any “help” from us, but, just like with Jericho, He invites us to participate in this amazing work with Him. As a father invites his child to “help” him complete a task (even though he is actually doing all the work) in order for the child to share in the joy and fulfillment of the work with him, God invites us to be His ambassadors in order that we may experience the joy of redemption over and over again with people who are being saved.

We all have a Jericho . . . something that, to our human eyes seems difficult, possibly even insurmountable, but God can conquer on His own. Look to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, ask Him to fill and fuel you, to work in and through you. Make yourself His vessel and He will do the work!

Faith Says “Yes” to God, No Matter What You Feel (Joshua 6:6–13): Can you trust your feelings? No. Our feelings are so fickle, they sway, shift, and change with insane regularity. Can we trust our heart? No! “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV). Instead of living every single day consumed and driven by what we feel, let us look to the Word and seek to understand and obey what God has called us to do and how God has called us to live. Even if it’s uncomfortable, even if we don’t understand, even we don’t feel like it, trusting in the Lord and His plan, walking in His will and His ways, living by faith and not by feeling is the absolute best thing we could ever do. When we walk by faith in obedience, we can experience the full, abundant life Christ came to give us.

Faith Doesn’t Make Sense, Until it Does: No other city had ever been conquered the way Jericho was. For the people, this took faith. Even with all they had seen, even with all they had experienced from the Lord, this still required a great deal of faith. Those walls were considered impenetrable; the people were intimidating, but the time had come to charge. For us, we believe the time is now. We believe God has called us to take ground for His kingdom today.

Faith Takes What God Gives (Joshua 6:21–27): And the moment finally came . . . the people entered into their land. They “took” the city that God had given them. You see, when we walk by faith, we can receive the promises of God. When we walk apart from faith, we are cutting ourselves off from experiencing the fullness of His promises and blessings.

Quote to Remember: We all have a Jericho . . . what’s yours?—Pastor Doug Sauder


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

As you think about this weekend’s teaching, here are a few questions to reflect on and consider on your own, with your family, or in your group.

1. What is the Jericho in your life? How are you walking in obedience and faith in it right now?  

2. Have you ever been in a season where God was calling you to do something or to go somewhere that clashed with your feelings? What did you do in that season? 

3. What are some steps you can take right now to help you walk deeper in obedience? 


VISION 2023: GET IN THE STORY!

Imagine a city filled with the hope of Jesus . . . Imagine schools, businesses, neighborhoods, families, entire communities walking with Jesus, loving one another, living generously, and radiating the truth of the gospel. Imagine South Florida full of people who are connected to God, one another, and to those in need! That’s what Vision 2023 is all about! It’s a city-changing, five-year vision to make 60,000 new, passionate, fully-devoted disciples by 2023.

We believe as God’s people saturate the region with the gospel, generosity grows, stronger families are formed, the elderly are cared for, orphans, addicts, and widows find lasting hope, and true social changes happens.

Do you want to see South Florida changed for Christ? Click here to get in the story today!


A LOOK AHEAD

There’s no other feeling like worshiping the Lord together with other believers. Join us this Wednesday for a powerful and refreshing time of worship and heartfelt prayer as we reflect on God’s goodness and experience His presence together.

Then on the weekend, Pastor Doug will share a powerful, timely message from Joshua 7. Come find out how your sin doesn’t just hurt you and how it won’t stay secret. Discover the importance of true community, accountability, and confession.

About the Author

Danny Saavedra

Danny Saavedra is a licensed minister who has served on staff at Calvary since 2012, managing the Calvary Devotional and digital discipleship resources. He has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling and Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary. His wife Stephanie, son Jude, and daughter Zoe share a love of Star Wars, good food, having friends over for dinner, and studying the Word together as a family.