The Key to Living a Victorious Life (Joshua 6: 1-27)

For an ad-free version of the podcast plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month and also help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;
patreon.com/JeremyMcCandless

Subscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.
https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

Welcome Message:

Welcome to The Bible Project Daily Podcast! In today’s episode, we explore Joshua 6, one of the most famous stories in Scripture—the fall of Jericho.

Many of us struggle with personal strongholds—things that hold us back spiritually, emotionally, or relationally. But what if I told you that God has already given us the key to overcoming them? The victory has already been won, but we must step out in faith to claim it.

Join us as we uncover the essential principles of:

• Identifying your "Jericho"—the strongholds that stand in your way.
• Trusting in God’s plan—even when it doesn’t make sense.
• Walking in obedience and faith, the key to spiritual victory.
• Understanding that true victory is not achieved through human effort, but through trust in God’s power.

Let’s discover how faith, obedience, and perseverance can bring down the walls in our lives.

Episode Notes:

Key Themes in Joshua 6:

1. The Problem: Jericho as a Symbol of Strongholds (Joshua 6:1)
2. God’s Strategy for Victory (Joshua 6:2-7)
3. The Obedience of Israel (Joshua 6:8-19)
4. The Victory and Its Aftermath (Joshua 6:20-27)

Practical Takeaways:

• Identify your Jericho. What stronghold is preventing your spiritual growth?
• Trust in God’s plan. His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
• Obey even when it doesn’t make sense. Faith is expressed in action.
• Victory is already promised. God had given Jericho into Israel’s hands before they even began marching (Joshua 6:2).
• Remember Rahab’s story. No one is beyond God’s grace; salvation comes through faith.

Final Thoughts:

The fall of Jericho teaches us a powerful truth: Victory in life comes not through our own strength, but through faith and obedience to God.

No matter what walls you face today—fear, addiction, sin, broken relationships—God has already won the battle. The question is: Will you trust Him enough to obey, even when it doesn’t make sense?

Let’s walk in faith and watch God bring down the walls.

Faith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!
Breaking down faith, culture & big questions - a mix of humor with real spiritual growth.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Chapters

• 8:46 [Ad] Faith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!
• 9:33 (Cont.) The Key to Living a Victorious Life (Joshua 6: 1-27)

Transcript

The Key to Living a Victorious Life (Joshua 6:1-27)

 Transcript:

 Most of us don’t think of ourselves as exceptional Christians, like everyone you know your own weaknesses and your struggles. And if we don’t there is something seriously wrong with us.

But as I reflected on this idea, I realized something that we may not be the perfect Christian, but we can know the key to living a victorious life.

I don’t mean to say that we always apply it, or that we never fail. I certainly do. But we can know the key, and I think if we can know it and have it in our possession, so to speak we then my on occasion be able to use it.

That’s want I want to do this morning, to try and pass on to you that key.

Maybe you won’t use it this week. Maybe you won’t even think about it until you come up against a closed door in your life. But when you do, I want you to have this key in your pocket and hopefully be ready to use….

So, what is the key to spiritual victory? How do we overcome the obstacles that stand in our way? How do we break free from the strongholds that hold us back?

I believe Joshua 6 gives us the answer. It tells the story of one of the most famous battles in the Bible—the fall of Jericho.

The chapter today is divided into three parts:

1.   The Problem (v.1) – The obstacle that stood in Israel’s way.

2.   The Plan (v.2-7) – God’s instructions for victory.

3.   The Performance (v.8-27) – The obedience that led to triumph.

Let’s begin by looking at the problem.

Jericho was an impossible fortress.

“Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.”

(Joshua 6:1)

Jericho was the first city Israel encountered in the Promised Land. It was also their gateway to further victories. If Joshua and his people were going to take the land, they had to conquer Jericho first.

But Jericho was securely fortified. Its walls were thick and high. Its gates were shut. Guards were stationed at every entrance. No one was coming in, and no one was going out. The people inside were terrified of Israel, but they were locked in safe behind their walls.

This was Joshua’s problem, but it is our problem too.

Before we can move forward spiritually, we all have a Jericho standing in our way.

Maybe it’s a sinful habit that you’ve struggled with for years.

Maybe it’s a fear that keeps you from stepping out in faith.

Maybe it’s a wound from the past that you can’t seem to heal from.

Maybe it’s a relationship that needs restoration.

Whatever your Jericho is, it didn’t appear overnight. It’s been built over time.

Just as Jericho was constructed over years, the strongholds in our lives have been built over time—layer upon layer, stone upon stone. And just as Jericho was securely fortified, these barriers in our lives can feel impossible to overcome.

No matter how hard we try, we can’t knock them down on our own.

So, what do we do?

This is where God’s plan comes in, God’s Strategy for Victory

Before we move forward, we need to understand something about how God works. His ways are not our ways. If Joshua had been thinking strategically, he might have just devised a military plan:

Lay siege to the city.

Build battering rams.

Cut off their food supply.

But God had a different plan. A plan that seemed foolish from a human perspective. A plan that requires faith. And that is the key to victory, trusting and obeying God, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense from a worldly point of view.

So what is your personal Jericho?

For some, it might be an addiction. Maybe alcohol abuse started as a casual drink, but over time, it took hold of your life—affecting your job, your family, even your health.

Maybe your Jericho is something else, anger, bitterness, resentment, or even something as simple, yet just as destructive, like an uncontrolled tongue.

Perhaps your struggle isn’t external but an internal, a habit of gossip, a lack of self-control, or a battle with fear and anxiety.

I remember my own Jericho. When I became a Christian as a teenager, I had a habit that had been so ingrained in me that I didn’t even realize how much it controlled me. I swore all the time and I loved dirty jokes at school. Every morning, classmates would share the latest crude jokes with each other.

When I gave my life to Christ, in my early teens, I immediately felt convicted—I knew this wasn’t something I should continue. But breaking free from that habit wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Even though I had a dramatic conversion, that particular stronghold wouldn’t budge overnight. It took time, discipline, and a conscious effort to remove that part of my speech. (Expand)

Your Jericho may not be mine, but you have one.

There is something standing in the way of your spiritual progress—a stronghold, deeply entrenched, built up over time, seemingly impossible to overcome.

If you could just tear down that one stronghold, the rest of the life before the victories that God intended for you—might come more easily.

So, the question for us all is how do you take your Jericho?

Joshua needed a strategy, and God gave him one. But it wasn’t the kind of military plan anyone would have expected.

Let’s look at Joshua 6:2-7:

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” 6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

(Joshua 5: 2-7)

This was God’s plan—walk around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day, march around seven times, blow the trumpets, and shout—then the walls would come crashing down…. That’s it.

No siege tactics. No battering rams. No military maneuvers. Just obedience. From a human perspective, this plan made no sense. But notice what God said: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand.”

God speaks in the past tense, even though the victory hasn’t happened yet. To God, the battle is already won.

At some point, we all face battles that require us to trust in something beyond human reasoning. Someone people struggling with bitterness, weighed down by resentment find that the bible tells them, “You need to forgive.” They respond, “Forgive? That’s the most irrational thing I’ve ever heard! Do you know what they did to me?”

Someone overwhelmed with fear and anxiety who can’t sleep at night. The bible says, “You need to trust in the Lord and surrender control.” People’s response is often. “That’s not practical! I need a real solution.”

To them, obedience sounds illogical. But that’s the whole point of faith. God’s plans often seem foolish by human standards, but they work because they depend on Him.

I can imagine Joshua standing before his army, explaining the plan. “Men, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to walk around Jericho once a day for six days. Then, on the seventh day, we’re going to march around seven times, blow trumpets, shout really loud—and the walls will fall.”

Can you imagine the reactions?

“That’s it?” “We’ve trained for battle, and you want us to take a walk?” “Don’t you think we need a better plan?”

But Joshua didn’t argue with God. He simply obeyed and that’s the key to victory in our own lives.

Taking Your Own Jericho

When God gives us instructions, they may not always make sense to us. But victory comes not by logic, but by obedience.

You trust when it doesn’t make sense.

You obey when you don’t see immediate results.

You walk in faith even when the walls seem unshakable.

God had already given Jericho to Joshua. But Joshua and his people still had to march.

The same is true for us. God has already given us everything we need for victory—but we have to step out in faith, obey His commands, and trust His timing.

What stronghold is standing in your way today?

Is it fear? Anxiety? An addiction? Is it a relationship that needs healing? Is it bitterness or unforgiveness that keeps you trapped? Whatever your Jericho is, God has already given you victory. But the question is—will you walk in obedience?

If you want to see God work in your life, start walking—even when it doesn’t make sense.

Victory is already yours. Now it’s time to take it.

As the Israelites prepared to march around Jericho, I imagine the people inside the city watching them with confusion. They must have thought, “What are these fools doing? Are they trying to intimidate us by walking in circles?”

But let’s put ourselves in Israel’s position for a moment. Imagine what they must have been thinking. We’re supposed to just march? We’re exposing ourselves! The soldiers on the walls could hurl spears or rain down arrows. We’re sitting ducks!”

Yet they obeyed. And here’s a critical truth: God’s plan will always expose us to the risk of personal vulnerability.

Jesus said in John 12:24, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” God’s way is never about self-preservation. It’s about surrender of self.

When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He calls us to lay down our lives. He says in Matthew 16:25, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”

God’s plan will always go against our natural instincts. We want security. We want control. We want to protect ourselves, but God’s way is about faith, about stepping forward in obedience, even when we don’t see the logic.

For Joshua, that meant following a plan that defied every military strategy he knew. For us, it may mean forgiving someone who has deeply wronged us. It may mean trusting God with our finances. It may mean surrendering our pride and seeking reconciliation with someone we hurt.

God’s ways are always different to human wisdom—and that is where victory is found.

8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. 12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

(Joshua 5: 8-14)

In verses 8-11, we see their obedience on the first day. The order of the march was carefully structured—armed men first, followed by priests carrying the Ark, then another group of armed men at the rear. Trumpets were blown as they marched, but otherwise, they were silent.

Imagine that scene: thousands of men walking in total silence, apart from the constant blast of ram’s horns. For six days, they did this. They marched around the city. They then returned to their camp. They waited. Nothing happened.

God often calls us to walk before He moves.

He definitely calls us to pray, even when we don’t see answers right away.

He calls us to forgive, even when reconciliation isn’t immediate.

He calls us to trust Him, even when everything in us wants to take control.

Faith isn’t proven in the moment of victory, it’s proven in the days of walking before the victory, when we keep going even though nothing seems to be happening.

In verses 15-19, we come to the seventh day.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted[a] to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

(Joshua 5: 15-19)

This time, the Israelites marched seven times around the city. After the final lap, Joshua commanded the people to shout—and they did.

What happened?

"When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.."

(Joshua 6:20)

Think about that for a moment. The Israelites had done nothing to physically weaken the walls. They hadn’t battered them. They hadn’t attacked. They simply obeyed and God did the rest.

There’s a lesson here for us: when we obey in faith, God fights the battle.

Some of us are trying to tear down our Jericho’s with our own strength. We strategize. We stress. We strive. But the victory doesn’t come until we surrender to God’s way.

21 They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. 22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. 26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

“At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations;

at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”

(Joshua 5: 21-26)

In verses 21-27, we see that after the walls fell, the city was destroyed.

That troubles many people today. They wonder, “Why did God command the destruction of an entire city?”

The answer lies in God’s justice.

Jericho wasn’t just any city. It was a stronghold of deep wickedness. Archaeologists have confirmed that Canaanite cities like Jericho at that time practiced child sacrifice.

They were filled with sexual immorality and idolatry.

Remember God had given them over 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:16), yet they had only grown more corrupt. This was God’s judgment—just like He judged Sodom and Gomorrah.

Some might argue, “But isn’t God loving?” Yes, He is. But true love includes justice. A God who never punishes evil is not truly good. But in Jericho’s case, their sin had reached its limit. And God, in His righteousness, said, Enough.

But there’s another lesson here:

The walls of sin will always come down. A life of rebellion may seem secure for a time. A stronghold of sin may feel impenetrable. But God always brings judgment.

The only ones who were spared in Jericho were those who trusted in God’s mercy, simply put, Rahab and her family.

And that brings us to the final lesson.

At the end of this story, we see two kinds of people:

Those who perished with the city—the people of Jericho who resisted God until the very end. Those who were saved by faith—Rahab and her family, who trusted in the Lord’s mercy.

The same choice is before us today. Will we cling to our Jericho, holding on to our sin, only to face destruction in the end? Or will we trust in God’s plan, surrender in faith, and receive His mercy?

The walls of Jericho will fall. The question is—on which side will you be standing when they do fall?

Remember God already declared Jericho defeated before Israel even started marching.

The same is true for you.

Your stronghold—your Jericho—is already defeated in Christ. The victory has already been won, but you still have to walk in obedience. The question is, will you?

Amidst the destruction of Jericho, God’s grace shines through. 

Even in judgment, God shows mercy. Rahab, a Canaanite, a prostitute, and a resident of a doomed city, was spared—not because of her status, but because of her faith. When the spies came to Jericho earlier, Rahab declared: "The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." (Joshua 2:11)

She believed in the God of Israel, and because of that faith, God saved her and her household. These closing verses clarify that when they rescued  Rahab out, they also rescued her father, mother, brothers, and all who were with her.

The destruction of Jericho was absolute—but God’s grace was available to those who would receive it. And this is a powerful picture of the gospel.

We all live in a world that is under judgment, just like Jericho. Our sin condemns us, just as the sin of the Canaanites condemned them. But God, in His grace, offers a way out—through faith in Him.

Rahab’s past didn’t disqualify her from salvation. Neither does yours. No matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve done, God’s grace is greater than your sin.

Jesus said in John 6:37, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away. If you turn to Him in faith, He will save you.

Rahab’s story doesn’t end here. She became part of God’s people, she married into Israel, and was grafted into the very lineage of Christ. Her name appears in the family tree of Christ listed in Matthew 1:5. One of only four women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy, by the way.  Her story is proof that God can redeem anyone.

Verse 24 tells us that after the walls fell, Israel burned the city to the 

The destruction of Jerico was complete. Nothing was left. The wealth of Jericho—its silver, gold, and valuable metals—was consecrated to the Lord. This was the first city taken in the Promised Land, and as such, it belonged to God as first fruits.

But why was Jericho destroyed so completely? Jericho wasn’t just another city—it was a stronghold of idolatry, immorality, and child sacrifice. God had been patient for hundreds of years, but now judgment had come.

This is a sobering reminder: Sin will always be judged. Rebellion against God always leads to destruction. Those who reject His mercy will ultimately face His justice.

But there is always a choice.

Rahab chose faith, and she was saved. The rest of Jericho chose defiance, and they perished.

The same choice stands before each of us today. The curse on Jericho is a warning to the Future

Joshua cursed anyone who would try to rebuild Jericho. This wasn’t just about the physical city—it was about what Jericho represented. It was a city of sin, and God didn’t want it restored. 

Years later, someone will defied this. 1 Kings 16:34 records that a man named Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. And just as Joshua had prophesied, his firstborn son died when he laid the foundation, and his youngest son died when he set up the gates. God’s Word was fulfilled exactly.

When God declares something sinful, it remains sinful—no matter how much time passes. When God warns of consequences, they will come—even if people ignore them. Trying to rebuild what God has condemned leads only to death and loss. Hiel thought he could ignore God’s Word. He was wrong.

How many people today try to rebuild their Jericho—going back to old sins, thinking they can escape the consequences? But sin always brings destruction. The wise person learns from the past and leaves their Jericho in ruins.

Look at the final verse, Joshua 6:27:

"So, the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country."

Why did Joshua succeed? Because he obeyed. He didn’t try to modify God’s plan. He didn’t rely on human wisdom. He simply did what God commanded, even when it didn’t make sense, and God gave him the victory.

That’s the key for us, too.

If you want God’s blessing…

If you want to live a victorious Christian life…

If you want to see walls come down in your life…

Then you must walk in obedience.

Even when it doesn’t make sense.

Even when the world mocks you.

Even when it costs you something, personally.

Victory comes not through human strength, but through faith-filled obedience.

Some skeptics try to explain away Jericho’s fall. They say it was an earthquake or a natural disaster. But those explanations miss the entire point of the story.

This wasn’t natural—it was supernatural.

This was not the power of Israel. This was the power of God. And it’s the same power available to us today.

God still brings down walls. God still fights battles for His people. God still delivers those who trust in Him.

The question is—will you trust Him?

Jericho was the first obstacle standing in the way of God’s people. Once it fell, the rest of the land was theirs for the taking.

What is your Jericho?

What is the stronghold in your life that seems impossible to overcome?

Maybe it’s: A sin you can’t seem to conquer. A fear that keeps you trapped.

A habit that has enslaved you for years. A relationship that needs healing. Whatever it is, the strategy is the same:

Obey God completely, even when it doesn’t make sense. Trust in His power. It’s not about your strength, it’s about His. Keep marching. Even when the walls seem unmoved. Shout in faith. Victory comes when we trust Him fully. The walls will fall—not by your might, but by God’s hand.

In Hebrews 11:30, the New Testament tells us why the walls fell.

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days."

This verse unlocks the real secret behind Israel’s victory. It wasn’t just obedience. It wasn’t just discipline. It wasn’t even their perseverance.

It was faith, a faith that expressed itself in obedience.

·        They believed that the God who had parted the Red Sea…

·        They believed that God who had dried up the Jordan River…

·        They believed that it was God who had promised them victory…

So, they marched, and they waited, and they trusted and at just the right moment, the walls fell flat.

Here’s what I want you to take away from this passage:

Faith, expressed in obedience to God’s Word, is the key to victory.

Let me say that again:

Faith, expressed in obedience to God’s Word, is the key to victory.

This is critical. If you only focus on obedience, the Christian life will feel like a burden. It will become legalism—a constant struggle to follow rules, to try harder, to be better.

But if you understand that faith precedes obedience, everything changes.

If you believe God’s promises then obedience stops being a burden and starts becoming a natural response to faith.

Because if you believe what God says then obedience takes care of itself. That’s how faith works.

Many Christians struggle with obedience because they don’t truly believe what God has said. They know what the Bible teaches, but they still cling to their own understanding. They hesitate. They second-guess and as a result, they never experience victory.

If there’s a Jericho in your life—some stronghold you just can’t seem to overcome—let me ask you:

Many Christians attempt partial obedience. They try to fight sin in their own strength. They commit to self-improvement plans. They set goals and make resolutions. But in the end, they fail—because they haven’t really trusted in God’s power.

The story of Jericho teaches us that victory does not come from effort. It comes from faith and true faith leads to obedience.

Israel didn’t tear down the walls of Jericho. They didn’t storm the city in their own strength. They simply obeyed what God told them to do—because they believed He would do what He said, and He did.

Faith is also how you overcome temptation, it how you conquer strongholds and it’s how you live a victorious Christian life.

Not by trying harder.

Not by making promises to yourself, not by relying on sheer willpower.

But by believing what God has said—and acting accordingly.

So let me ask you again:

What is your Jericho? What stronghold do you need God to bring down? What area of your life have you been trying to fix on your own, instead of trusting in Him?

Faith, expressed in obedience to God’s Word, is the key to victory.

Do you believe that? Will you trust Him enough to obey, even when it doesn’t make sense?

The walls of Jericho didn’t fall because Israel had a great military strategy.

They fell because they believed God.

And He did the rest.

And He can do the same for you.

So what will it be?

Will you keep trying to fight your battles on your own? Or will you trust in the God who has already promised the victory?

Your own personal Jericho can fall. Not by your power—but by His.

The only question is… will you trust Him enough to walk, to march in obedience towards it and allow him to bring it crashing down?