Obedience confirms Victory!

Elder Daniel Eng preaching an encouraging Word

19 Jan 2014 by Natasha Kim CM-

Acts Central has officially launched its new Sunday 4 PM service, on the 5^th of December, at the Main Gallery, Summit USJ. Many of their church members, along with their friends came to support them for their hard work and efforts that made the service a reality! It was a great start to the New Year for the ever-growing Acts Church through God’s fulfilling grace. Those who agreed with the Word of God, received it into their lives. It was a sight to behold as they raised their hands and their voice up to the Lord with such soulful pizazz!

But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39)

After the praise and worship, Elder Daniel Eng stood up to preach in front of the room filled with people, and talked about the battle of Jericho as cited in Joshua 6:1-12. Joshua is a perfect example of humility before God. As Moses’ apprentice, Joshua learnt first-hand that he wouldn’t always be able to understand the ways of God’s, but he was strictly obedient despite that. At every turn, Joshua would do exactly as he was told and the Israelites prospered under his leadership. According to the battle story, the fortified city of Jericho was so secure that the people would hide behind its walls but God promised that Joshua and his people would have victory over those walls.

God told Joshua to have the armed men march around the city once each day, for six days. The priests were to carry the ark while blowing trumpets, but the soldiers were to keep silent. On the seventh day, the assembly marched around the walls of Jericho seven times. Joshua told them that by God’s order, every living thing in the city must be destroyed, except Rahab and her family. All articles of silver, gold, bronze, and iron were to go into the Lord’s treasury. At Joshua’s command, the men gave a great shout, and Jericho’s walls fell down flat! The Israelite army then rushed in and conquered the city and gained their victory. Joshua’s strong faith in God led him to obey, no matter how illogical God’s command might be. Joshua also drew from the past, remembering the impossible deeds God had accomplished through Moses.

Elder Daniel praying for brothers and sisters-in-Christ

Main Principles to Remember

1) Perception (Faith)

“It’s very important to start the year right, and to have the right perception,” shared Daniel. Not only did Jericho have a fortified wall, they also had men of valor inside. Jericho was a big city that was surrounded by humongous wall. When God asked Joshua to look at that wall that was in front of him, God wanted him to see not with his natural eyes but with his supernatural eyes. At the start of your 2014, you might only be able to see a huge wall before you that’s holding you back. For example, a couple that’s going to get married might see the bills before them instead of the wedding day. On the other hand, a person might be looking into a business but shudders when all that he sees is the rising prices in the nation. “What you see and the way you see is really important. We must not see with our natural eyes but so often we are affected by what we see in the natural, and that becomes your fortified wall,” he shared. According to how we see it, it shall be done for us!

2) Participation (Work)

In order for God to give you something, you have to be obedient and participate in His plans! Though God had said that He already gave them the city, He still gave them an odd command to march around the walls of Jericho. Simultaneously, God has already given us the breakthrough but we have to participate. Why? Because He wants us to participate in our breakthrough! “God wants us to get involved in the breakthrough of our lives!” he said. The Lord doesn’t want you to sit and wait for your breakthrough; if He has given you the faith to act, then He wants you to rise up and act no matter how silly it may be!

“If you have the sight to see the breakthrough in your life, you will not sit still! Something will cause you to rise up and do something about that faith in you. God is not looking at the strengths of men to overcome the battles because the only way that we overcome is by Him and Him alone!” shared Daniel. There could be many types of explanations for something, but don’t go out and waste time looking for explanations; instead, just plainly obey the Lord.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good^[^a^] is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Eventhe demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ²³and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (James 2:14-24)

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (Joshua 1:3)

3) Perseverance

According to scripture, the Israelites walked six times around the city and on the 7th day, they had to walk seven times. “Altogether, they marched around 13 times. Don’t you think that the Lord could have given them the victory on their first march? He could but I want to encourage you… No matter how hard or no matter how long it has been, don’t ever give up! Because you’ll never know when your 13th time is!” he said. Persevere and you will be able to see your ‘walls of Jericho’ come down before your eyes! Do not give up and do not give up half-way like most people do. Go all the way! Do you trust God with your life? Do you remember how he brought you through your past troubles? God has not changed! His promises will be with us until the end of time. An ongoing theme in the Bible is when God’s people obeyed, they did well, and when they disobeyed, they suffered the consequences. The same is true for us today.