Worship Before the Win

Main Scripture

Joshua 6:1–20

Additional Scripture References

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” Isaiah 43:2
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him…” Psalm 37:23–24
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” Proverbs 3:5–6

Main Idea

Victory doesn’t always come from fighting harder. Sometimes it begins with lifting your voice in worship before anything changes. God’s plan might not always make sense, but when we choose obedience and praise, that’s when doors to breakthrough begin to open.

The Wall Isn’t the Problem — It’s Part of the Process

Scripture

“Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.” Joshua 6:1

Overview

The wall looked like a barrier, but in reality, it was part of God’s plan. Jericho was already afraid of Israel before a single stone fell. What looked like a roadblock was actually proof that God was already moving.

Don’t let what looks like a blockage distract you from what God is building.

Question

What “walls” in your life feel like problems right now? Could God be using them as tools to grow your faith?

Deeper Dive

When the Israelites saw the wall, they assumed it meant God’s promise was out of reach. But God was already speaking in victory terms: “I have delivered Jericho into your hands.” Notice that He didn’t say “I will” but “I have.”

This shows us something about how God sees things. We look at barriers. He looks at finished victories. The wall wasn’t there to discourage them. It was there so God could set the stage for a miracle.

Think about your own life. Maybe your “wall” looks like debt, sickness, broken relationships, or fear. It’s easy to assume God has forgotten you. But what if that wall is really an invitation to trust Him more deeply? The wall doesn’t just test your patience. It tests whether you believe God’s Word even when everything around you feels impossible.

Sometimes God’s Strategy Won’t Make Sense — But It Will Work

Scripture

“March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.” Joshua 6:3

Overview

The plan didn’t look like a plan for battle. Warriors were told to walk silently around a wall. No weapons. No noise. Just obedience. That’s often how God works. His strategies might not make sense to us, but they always put the spotlight back on Him.

If you need to understand everything, you’ll never obey anything.

Question

Why do you think God sometimes asks us to do things that feel uncomfortable or strange? Can you share a time when His unusual strategy worked in your life?

Deeper Dive

From a human point of view, this plan looked absurd. Soldiers are trained to fight, not walk in circles. But that was the point. Obedience doesn’t always follow logic. It flows from trust.

Every lap around Jericho was an act of surrender. Each day of silence was a reminder that God—not Israel’s strength—would win the battle. Think about how often God’s ways seem backward to us. He tells us to forgive instead of holding grudges. To give instead of keeping. To love enemies instead of seeking revenge.

Why does He work this way? Because He’s not just changing the situation. He’s shaping us in the process. The marching wasn’t tearing down walls. It was building up their faith. If the walls had collapsed on the first lap, Israel might have thought their effort was enough. After six days of silence, they knew beyond doubt that only God deserved the credit.

When His strategy feels confusing, it forces us to lean on Him completely. And when we lean, His glory shines all the brighter through our obedience.

Step Into Praise While the Wall Is Still Standing

Scripture

“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted… the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:20

Overview

The shout came before the wall fell. Worship wasn’t a reaction to victory. It was the very thing that triggered it. Praise has power because it changes the atmosphere. It speaks faith even when nothing around you has shifted.

Sometimes, you have to worship like it’s already done.

Question

What’s one area in your life where you need to start praising God before you see the outcome?

Deeper Dive

The Israelites shouted before the wall moved, not after. That’s a bold lesson. Faith worships in advance. Real faith doesn’t wait for visible proof. It acts like the promise is already fulfilled.

Their shout wasn’t noise. It was a declaration. It said, “God, we believe You’ve already done it, even though we don’t see it yet.” That kind of worship calls heaven into the middle of our situation.

For us today, this means praising God in the hospital before the diagnosis changes. It means worshiping when finances are still tight. It means choosing gratitude even when your life feels stuck.

God waited until the very last lap to move. Why? Because He wanted His people to see that victory doesn’t depend on timing, walls, or circumstances. It depends on His power, which comes alive through faith-filled praise.

When you worship in advance, you place yourself in the perfect spot for breakthrough. The sound of your faith can shake the very foundations of whatever wall you’re up against.

Summary

Walls come down when God’s people obey and lift their voices in worship. The walls in your life may look like obstacles, but in God’s hands they are opportunities. Opportunities to trust His process, walk in His strategy, and declare His victory through praise.

Call to Action

Don’t wait for things to change before you worship. Praise Him now as if the breakthrough has already happened. It may be that your shout of faith is exactly what God uses to bring the wall down.

Prayer Prompts

• God, help me see my walls as part of Your process, not just problems in my way.
• Teach me to trust Your strategy even when it doesn’t make sense.
• Give me the courage to praise You before the breakthrough comes.
• Strengthen my faith so that my worship is louder than my worry.