A Faith That Speaks

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1

Three weeks ago, I woke up and heard in my spirit, “Your Jericho walls are coming down.” Immediately, a surge of faith struck my heart. I opened the book of Joshua and read the entire passage to my family, pausing here and there to make sense of some of the scriptures in direct reference to situations we are facing. From that pivotal moment forward, I began to march instead of walk in the mornings down our long gravel driveway. I hadn’t yet realized the Holy Spirit just enlisted me into His faith bootcamp.

As I read the Jericho story in the Bible over and over, I noticed the discipline of obedience, the process of being under His command, the importance of silence during warfare, the level of concentration to commit to one singular purpose, the power of a submitted trumpet, and so much more. But one thing I couldn’t shake was the distinct difference between a people of hope in the wilderness and a people of faith in the promised land.

This may seem obvious, but the volume of the Bible is always turned all the way up. It’s not a quiet read. In fact, many times after I close it, I can still hear the sounds of those glorious pages releasing truth and triumph. The problem for us is that we live in a culture that’s tried to mute the Bible and the disciples of Jesus. And the problem for culture is that faith has a voice that can never be silenced.

The first morning of my Jericho march, I saw many hopes I’d released in half-hearted prayers suspended in the air above me. There was no movement or direction on them – it was as if I made a wish and didn’t blow hard enough toward Heaven. The sight was almost unbearable and there was more hanging there than just a few. The Holy Spirit was making a separation to show me that hope stalls out on the way to Heaven, but faith always completes the journey.

The second morning, He wanted me not to say a single word for 40 minutes. I learned that my feet could speak to the earth and the earth was responding back. Faith through my footsteps was quieting my fears and steadying my focus on the battle plan He gave us. Faith initiates conversations to bring Kingdom realities into the here and now. It stands outside of time to bring forth answers for those who dare to say today and not someday. And if you listen closely to your marching feet, you’ll hear the steps of God before you, behind you, above you, and beside you.

About two weeks into this march, a crack formed in the wall. I hate to admit that when I heard the wall was coming down initially, I danced a little victory number prematurely. So when the Holy Spirit exposed something hidden in my family and brought it into the light, the layers of darkness that were revealed made it hard for everyone in the room to breathe. I thought the sound of cracking was happening to my heart, but it was Jericho just as much. Then a strange thing happened, while the sound of painful confession filled the air, my spirit began to roar. And as it did, I saw the battle plan laid out before us. There was no time for extreme emotion, because the Holy Spirit was firing off the way out and giving orders to those who’d learned to submit to His command - not just during the march, but during the life that takes place in middle of the battle. War wages no matter if we’re ready or not, but obedience to His voice is how we win.

The wall is getting ready to fall by faith. The instrument of my voice is being tuned and readied for the final cry. Though in this very moment, I’m marching with a bruised heart, I trust the path that bends around this wall and the One who leads the way through it.

I’m sensing many of us are marching our numbered laps around the strongholds that remain on unsteady ground. Victory is in the wind blowing through our hair and our spirits are lunging toward that fulfilled prophecy we’ve memorized. So, I want to encourage us to get louder and to let faith operate at the volume and pace it deserves. I want to shout with you when the cracks merge and the wall collapses forever. And I want God to know that every step of being His soldier is the greatest honor of my life and I will proudly stake His banner over every territory we conquer together for His namesake, because my faith will speak forever.