Facing the Impossible

“I can’t do it!”

We’ve all said it, felt it and have been overwhelmed with it. Defeat. Small or big, we hate failure. It is disheartening and discouraging.

What makes matters worse, is that we aren’t prepared for failure. From a very young age, we are taught the axiom, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” We are told, “you can be and do anything you want.” “Pick yourself up by the bootstraps” and “get ‘er done!”

We think we are being trained to be self-reliant, but find ourselves ill equipped when we fail. It’s part of being human, to fail. It’s human pride to think we can do everything on our own. But sooner or later, we will be faced with something immense, to big for us to handle. It’s in these moments that prove the manner of person we are.

Facing the Impossible

Consider Joshua in the Old Testament (Joshua 5:13-6:27). Joshua was one of two spies who went into the Promised Land and believed God would deliver on His promise (Numbers 13). Because of his faithfulness to God and support of Moses, God chose Joshua to be Moses’s successor in leading the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 31). 

The conquest of the Promised Land requires that Israel has to encounter the city of Jericho. Jericho was one of the oldest and largest cities in the world. It had the strongest fortifications and a large army gearing up for a fight against Israel. Destroying this city was Joshua’s objective. This task would be like getting a peewee football team to beat the defending Superbowl Champions, the New England Patriots.

Not only is the task before him huge, the provisions have dried up. For forty years in the wilderness, God had provided manna each morning for food. Yet as they approached Jericho, the manna stopped coming (Joshua 5:12). They couldn’t go back or just wait, because there was no more manna. They had to control the land. Joshua faced an impossible task with one option, go forward or die.  

Personal Encounter

The text doesn’t give an abundance of details about what happens next, but it is my opinion that Joshua was alone on a walk trying to figure things out. He was after all the general, possibly surveying the lay of the land and considering his attack strategy. Maybe he was struggling with worry or anxiety. Probably was thinking, “why me?” or “I’m not the right guy for this task!”

He looks up and sees a man with a drawn sword. This was not just any man, as we read later, this was the pre-incarnate Christ. This was an appearing of Jesus, the Son of God, in the Old Testament before He came as a baby. He is the commander of the army of the Lord.

Joshua asks, “are you on my side?” Jesus’ response was simply, “No.”

Submission, the Posture of Success

Joshua fell on his face before Jesus and worshipped Him.

This is so critical for Joshua’s success. God does not pick sides. He does not play favorites. The question is, are you on God’s side. It’s not about your agenda; it’s about God’s agenda. Will you be faithful to your call?

As Joshua realizes that he is not the one in control, but Jesus is; he falls down and worships. He spends time with Jesus. Before engaging in the impossible task, Joshua has a personal encounter with Jesus. This is huge. He is now in the place to hear directly from God what he is supposed to do.

Radical Obedience

Jesus’ strategy made no sense from a military strategists perspective. “You will march around the city, blowing trumpets and singing praises. I will give you victory.”

No supply of weapons. No military tanks or trebuchets. No atomic bomb. Just marching and signing orders. And the seventh day, do it seven times.

What went through the minds of the people when Joshua stood up and said, “thus says the Lord…we are going to march in circles and sing!”

Yet Joshua did march around. He led the people and they followed him. Their obedient march of praise and worship to God resulted in the crumbling of the walls of Jericho. God won the victory.

Joshua’s encounter with God, surrender of his will and obedience led to one of the most powerful statements in Scripture: “So the Lord was with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). No task is impossible when you are with Jesus.

How About You?

Today you might be facing an impossible task. It could be school, exams, job, finances, relationship, future…you name it. You might be tempted to give up. You might not feel qualified. You might feel trapped.

Learn from Joshua.

Seek a personal encounter with Jesus. John 15 tells us that Jesus want to spend time with you. He wants an intimate friendship with you. Think about it…God Almighty wants to spend time with you! Seek His face and ask Him to move in your situation.

Surrender your will to His. Let go of your worry, anxiety and frustrations. Lay them at cross and trust His plan for your life. Trust that He knows better then you do. Even when it doesn’t seem to make sense, God’s way is better.

Obey what He tells you through His Word, through prayer and through other godly people. Obedience leads to victory and overcoming the impossible. You CAN do ALL THINGS through Jesus Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13).

What if Joshua disobeyed? What if he decided to try human wisdom and do it his own way? Jericho may never have been defeated, Rahab may never have been rescued, and the line of Jesus would have been radically different.

Yet he did obey. He showed us a pattern to follow. Will you follow it? What will God do through your obedience?