Jericho was more than a military victory—it was a prophetic gateway into the Promised Land. Today, the same God who caused the walls to fall is calling you to silence doubt, lift a faith-filled shout, and step into new territory. The blueprint at Jericho can guide you in overcoming obstacles, align with covenant promises, and step boldly into the story He’s writing through your life.

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Hey friend, welcome to the podcast! Brian Del Turco here with Jesus Smart X. Today I want to talk about something I’m calling the Jericho Test—or what I also think of as the explosive Jericho strategy.

It’s a biblical pattern that opens the way to promise. The truth is, each of us will face these kinds of tests as we pursue the promises of God in our personal world, our assignment, and our sphere of influence. Passing them not only glorifies God but also contributes to the greater Jesus story—the unfurling of His kingdom.

Success, God’s way

This is episode 350. Can you believe it? In the last episode—episode 349, Success, God’s Way—I talked about the importance of principles, push, and tact. We need sound kingdom principles, but we also need energy (push) and wisdom (tact) so things don’t derail. If you haven’t caught that one yet, I encourage you to go back and listen.

Facing the Jericho Test

In the Old Testament, God’s people stood at the edge of promise after 40 years in the wilderness. To transition into the land flowing with milk and honey, they had to face Jericho—the first major city in their conquest of Canaan (Joshua 6).

Jericho wasn’t ordinary. It was built on a hill, with two massive walls—an outer wall six feet thick and an inner wall twelve feet thick. Houses were even built into the structure. With no tanks or explosives, cities like this usually took months to conquer. But God gave Joshua and Israel a genius strategy that overturned human expectations.

The Jericho Test reminds us that before we move into God’s promises, there are obstacles we must face in faith.

Patterns and Precedents

Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” The Old Testament is full of patterns and precedents that point to Christ and teach us how to walk in the New Covenant.

The glory of the New Covenant far surpasses the Old. What Israel experienced at Jericho was remarkable, but what we have in Christ is even greater. As Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

Encounter with the Commander

Before the battle, Joshua encountered a man with a drawn sword—what scholars call a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (Joshua 5). Joshua fell on his face before the Commander of the Lord’s armies. Just as Moses had to remove his sandals before the burning bush, Joshua was told he was standing on holy ground.

This encounter shows us something essential: before we face our Jericho, we must position ourselves before the Commander to receive His directives.

Silence, Then the Shout

God’s strategy was unusual: Israel was to march around Jericho in silence for six days, with only the priests blowing ram’s horns. On the seventh day, they were to shout—and the walls collapsed. Archaeological evidence suggests the walls may have been pushed straight down into the ground, opening the way for Israel to ascend into the city.

Why silence first? Because Israel’s downfall in the wilderness was their grumbling and complaining. God shut their mouths for six days to discipline their words. Then, at the appointed time, their shout of faith released angelic activity and brought the walls down.

Psalm 118:15 says, “The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.” When our tents—our lives—are filled with joyful shouting, God’s right hand moves in power.

Four Takeaways from Jericho

Here are four takeaways we can apply today:

1. Seek fresh encounters with the Commander. Make His directives your priority. Position yourself to hear from Him.
2. Audit your signal-to-noise ratio. Filter out external noise from people and circumstances, as well as internal noise from fear and doubt. Amplify God’s true signal in your life.
3. Release your shout of praise. Don’t underestimate the power of declaring God’s promises with faith. Your shout is greater than the noise.
4. Expect God to ascend over your affairs. Psalm 68:1 says, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered.” As your life-shout increases, anticipate God rising over your specific challenges and opportunities.

Stepping Into Promise

As you engage this kingdom dynamic, you’ll progressively possess the land of promise God has destined for you. This isn’t about personal aggrandizement—it’s about His glory and the unfolding of His story through your life.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:3 that we’ve already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. The key is committing to the Commander’s directives and releasing a higher sound that God inhabits and angels respond to.

Closing Thoughts

This has been episode 350 of Jesus Smart: The Podcast. Do you know someone who would be encouraged by this? Share it with them—it could be the spark they need.

And I’d love to invite you to the Smart Edit, my weekly email. It’s a five-minute read designed to elevate your faith and help you make an impact. You can sign up free at JesusSmart.com.

Thanks for listening—I’ll catch you next time.