Joshua 16:1-27: Tearing Down Strongholds, Written by my Husband & Let the Strongholds Fall (Song), Written by Me

 

Joshua 16:1-27: Tearing Down Strongholds, Written by my Husband (Mel)

When Joshua led the armies of Israel into the promised land, they were instructed by the Lord to drive out the inhabitants of the land. When the Israelites saw Jericho, it must have seemed intimidating, the walls surrounding the city were so wide that chariots rode on top. But Joshua trusted in the Lord, and he knew that his God was much bigger than those walls. God instructed the Israelites to have seven priests carry trumpets in front of the ark. The armies of Israel would follow the ark of the Lord, and they would circle the city once for six days, and on the seventh day they would circle the city seven times. When the priests would do a long blast on the trumpets, the armies of Israel would give a loud shout, and the walls would collapse, and the armies would go in. In the same way that Joshua trusted in the Lord for victory over his enemies, we should also have faith that our God is bigger than the walls of fear, doubt, or sin, in our lives. Let us also shout in faith and bring those strongholds down!  

Many Christians feel unworthy or incapable of ministering for Christ, therefore they limit their spiritual potential. Satan's desire is to establish walls or mountains of fear or doubt in our minds to render us useless for the kingdom of God. Quite often people that we know will discourage us from pursuing a ministry that God desires to use us in. The key to being effective for God is to conquer our fears with faith, as well as to bring every thought captive into the obedience of Christ. The entire world is a mission field, and a person does not need a degree in theology in order to share their faith. The other day, I was going for a walk with our dog, and I stopped to visit with a man on the trail. I used the opportunity to share my faith. My wife and I have also witnessed to people in Wal-Mart, grocery stores and elsewhere. I always pray that the Lord will bring divine appointments my way. If you are willing to be used by the Lord, he will use you according to your level of faith.

(2 Corinthians 10: 3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 

Not only are there spiritual strongholds within our minds, but there are also strongholds of sin that will jeopardize our relationship with God. Many people within the churches struggle with addictions to alcohol, pornography, cigarettes etc. and deliverance seems impossible to them. But with God all things are possible, and by relying on the power of God's Holy Spirit accompanied with faith, a person can be set free from all types of bondages. Fasting, accompanied with prayer, is a powerful weapon against sinful bondages. When a person goes on a fast, they are giving something up to show God how serious they are about their prayers. Fasting is normally the giving up of food for a period of time, but it may also include giving up anything that you enjoy, in order to seek God for a breakthrough. When Christ's disciples could not cast out demons they asked Christ, why.  He replied, "This kind only comes out with prayer and fasting."(see Matthew 17:14-21) Fasting is a time-honored principle that will bring results to seemingly impossible situations. 
 

(Joshua 6:1-27) Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, "See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him...

And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them... 

And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, "Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout."

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, "Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city..."

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city... So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

This is a song I wrote when Mel and I were praying about the strongholds in our lives. It goes well with the above article on Joshua written by my husband.

Although I have written many poems, I have not put actual music to them in about 21 years. However, when I was praying alone, the words and music just poured out of me, and I wrote this in about five minutes. When I say, "wrote a song", that is quite an understatement; I don't mean I composed a piece of music, just a basic tune in my head.

Let the Strongholds Fall

Let the strongholds fall,

Let the storm be still,

Let the heavens call,

Lord, we’ll do Your will.

Let the trumpet sound,

Let the angels sing,

Let the enemy be bound,

Let Your fire rain.

Lord, we hear Your voice,

We will worship You,

And with all our hearts,

Let our praise be true.

Let Your Spirit come

Purify our hearts,

May our hands be clean

As we bow our knees.

Lord, we seek Your face,

Lord we humbly pray,

May You send us out,

Let us work Your fields

Let the strongholds fall,

Let the storm be still,

Let the heavens call,

Lord, we’ll do Your will.

Let the trumpet sound,

Let the angels sing,

Let the enemy be bound,

Let Your fire rain.

-Julie Ludeke 11/22/17