Sunday First Service
Speaker: Pastor Ryu Kwang-Soo
Date: May 11, 2025
Place: Immanuel Church (Seoul)
Joshua 6:1-7. Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
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.”
Today, what answers must we receive?
If we hold on to the accurate covenant, believe, and pray, then the answer has already come; the fulfillment begins afterward. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24). At first, I didn’t really understand what that meant.
Today, if you hold firmly to the accurate covenant, believe, and pray, then the answer has already come. The fulfillment starts after that. This is such an important promise. What you need to do today during worship is simply hold on to the accurate covenant, pray, and imprint it upon your heart with faith. That alone will bring about incredible work of God. If you’ve grasped the accurate covenant, then be confident, believe, and pray. Worship and prayer are about seeing God’s absolute plan and absolute possibility within what seems absolutely impossible.
As we go through life, we often face situations that are incredibly difficult—circumstances that seem absolutely impossible. What should we do then?.
Jochebed, a woman of prayer, encountered a situation that was absolutely impossible. Pharaoh had issued a law commanding that every Hebrew—every Israelite—baby boy be killed. There was no way to stop it. No one could defy Pharaoh. It was a hopeless situation. But in that moment, she looked to see what God’s absolute plan was. Clearly, the total destruction of the male children of Israel was not God’s plan. She realized something: “God’s absolute plan is for our descendants to leave Egypt and go to the Promised Land.” That’s when the absolute possibility became clear. She saw it: “There’s only one way for my son to survive—he must enter the palace.” She found the answer. In this way, our spiritual eyes open to see God’s absolute plan. The day we see that is the day we truly worship. Seeing that is prayer.
The City of Jericho. Absolute impossibilities may stand before us, but God’s absolute plan is hidden within them. And when we see that, absolute possibility comes into view. That is the key.
It’s not about forcing things through with sheer willpower—“If I just try hard enough, I can make it happen.” That’s not faith. And saying “It’s impossible, I give up”—that’s unbelief. Saying “I can do it” is humanism. The real question is: “How will God do it?” That’s when our spiritual eyes are opened. What do we see?
“The city of Jericho was tightly shut up; no one went out and no one came in.” But they had already received a report through Rahab. The people of Jericho had lost heart—they were terrified. “Their hearts melted. They even lost their minds. Jericho was paralyzed, completely shut down.” That was the answer. Their spiritual eyes were opened to see it.
This is why we can say, “I give thanks even in the midst of hardship.” That kind of confession comes from this truth. An absolutely impossible situation unfolds before you—but you discover God’s absolute plan within it. Then, you begin to see the absolute possibility that only God can bring about. Opening your eyes to see that—that is prayer. That is worship. And once you see it, the answer is already there.
So today, the key answer to prayer for you is this: Tear down the Jericho walls of darkness, disaster, and Satan.
Introduction
Let’s get right into it since time is short. The question we must start with is: Why? Before we talk about how the walls of Jericho will fall, we need to understand the why. There are three key points.
Was Egypt a successful nation? We have to settle this question first. If we don’t answer this correctly, everything else will be misunderstood. At the time of the Exodus, Egypt suffered great disasters. But were those really disasters? Let’s quickly analyze it. From what I see, those weren’t just random calamities—they were God tearing down the forces of darkness over Egypt.
Israel, led by Moses, performed miracles and came out of Egypt. But was that truly success? Was that real deliverance? Unless they came out of the spiritual darkness, even the Exodus itself would have been meaningless. That’s what we must confirm first.
Why did God keep them in the wilderness for 40 years? This is extremely important. There’s an important message here—five key points came out of this period:
1) Genesis
The Book of Genesis shows us why problems came into the world in the first place. It contains the answers. We must check: Do I really know and enjoy that answer? How deeply have I entered into it?
2) Exodus
Again, the issue wasn’t merely about leaving the land of Egypt. The real Exodus means coming out of spiritual darkness, curses, and great disasters. That is what the Book of Exodus is truly about. And all of that—this deeper meaning of Exodus—was recorded and revealed throughout the 40 years in the wilderness.
3) Leviticus
What’s next? Why was everything centered on the tabernacle? Why did Aaron’s staff bud? That’s what the Book of Leviticus explains. We need to understand this. It reveals the true meaning of worship. This is where we must make a clear decision: “All my answers must come from worship.” That’s why pastors and servants of God must never preach their own words. They must speak the Word that God fulfills. It wasn’t about Aaron. It wasn’t even about the staff itself. Life—a bud—sprouted from that place where God fulfilled His Word. That’s what Leviticus is all about. We need to understand this.
4) Numbers
Why the twelve tribes? Why did they scout the twelve regions before entering? That’s the message of the Book of Numbers. And it’s extremely important.
5) Deuteronomy
What needs to be prepared before entering the land of Canaan? What must be ready before we go into the world? Those truths must be imprinted, rooted, and become our nature. That’s what the Book of Deuteronomy teaches. We must not lose hold of this.
Why did God command them to tear down Jericho? We need to ask this third question and understand the reason. As we move forward, yes, we need knowledge—but what we truly need is God’s power. Why? Because the walls of Jericho represent something absolutely impossible to tear down by human effort. That’s why we need the power of God.
And God said, “Go forward with that power.”
So today in this introduction, I haven’t been speaking my own thoughts. I’ve been pointing out that we often cling to things other than God’s Word—and that’s what needs to be corrected.
Main Message
So then, how did God command the Israelites to bring down Jericho? There are three key points you must hold onto today.
1. Hold on to the Absolute Evidence
In verse 4, God said, “Follow the Ark of the Covenant.” But we must not interpret this as simply following a physical object. It means: Follow holding on to the absolute evidence of God. Cling to God’s unshakable proof.
What does this mean? Hold tightly to the evidence God gave during the Exodus, and the evidence that has come through the wilderness up to now. With that in hand—circle Jericho. That’s the command. You need to know why. Like we said in the introduction: Why were they enslaved in Egypt? There was a reason. Egypt was not a successful nation. It was a nation of disaster, provoking wars. That’s exactly where the gospel needed to go. So the answer is no—Egypt was not a nation of success. That’s why they became slaves. There was a purpose in their slavery. That’s also why God kept them in the wilderness for 40 years—to uncover this truth.
What does verse 1 say? “Because of the Israelites, Jericho was tightly shut up; no one went out and no one came in.” And then God said: “March around it, following the Ark.” In other words: March holding firmly to the clear evidence God has already shown you. Why? Because God’s Word always fulfills what it declares.
What does verse 2 say? God declares: “I have already given Jericho into your hands—along with its king and mighty warriors.” He didn’t say, “I will give it to you”—He said, “I have already given it to you.” Then He says, “Follow the Ark. Don’t fear Jericho.” What is God saying here? He’s giving you clear and undeniable evidence: “Jericho, its king, and its mighty men—I have delivered them into your hands.” This is the absolute assurance God provided.
When you encounter moments that feel hopeless or overwhelming—
that’s precisely when you must hold on to God’s absolute plan and His covenant. Even when a human word seems reasonable or comes true,
God’s Word doesn’t just come true—it unleashes the power of creation itself.
2. Move Toward the Absolute Goal
What is the second thing God says? We find it in verse 16. What should you hold on to? It’s not just “I will give you this city.” It’s “I have given you this city.” What does this mean? Entering the land of Canaan is God’s absolute goal. This is not about an empty, abstract “I believe”. It’s about holding onto God’s absolute evidence and moving toward God’s absolute goal. There’s no hesitation here. Even if it means dying on the way, you must move forward. Why?
The seven nations that entered Canaan completely turned the land into a kingdom of idols, causing destruction worldwide. God is sending His people to take action. Go quickly to recover the land and heal the spiritual issues. This is the absolute goal.
This is the method to bring down Jericho. “Carry the Ark of the Covenant and march around the city.” This is holding on to God’s absolute evidence. “I have already given it to you. Now follow the Ark.” This is the absolute goal.
Within Canaan, there were 31 kings—these are the leaders of idol worship. And it’s not just about entering the land of Canaan. God says: Enter, recover the land, and bring the gospel to the entire world. This is the higher calling and absolute goal of God’s plan.
Hold firmly to that goal. No matter what anyone says, march around Jericho. These three courts, the Three Day Weekend Age, and the Holy Meditation Age—these are all part of God’s absolute goal. That’s what we must embrace and pursue, unwaveringly, as we move forward.
3. Absolute Answer
The third instruction is this: What does God say in verses 2 and 10? In verse 2, and especially in verse 10, we see a critical command: “March around the city without saying a word.”And on the final day, “shout together as one.” These two key commands are given in verse 10.
What’s the problem for those who don’t receive answers? They speak when they should be silent and remain silent when they should shout. That’s the issue. “March every day, once around the city.” Imagine what the people inside Jericho must have thought. Here comes the nation of Israel, the people who conquered Egypt, the ones who parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River. And now they’re just marching around the city!
“Don’t say a word as you march.” Why? Because if someone were to speak out and question the plan, that would be disastrous. “What are we doing? Are we just walking around? What if they throw rocks at us? What if we die like this?” This would ruin everything. That’s why God says: “Don’t open your mouth. Just march silently.”
On the final day, when you reach the end of the march, then you must shout together as one. This is the absolute answer. This command emphasizes faith and obedience without doubt or speaking against God’s plan.
Jericho is brought down with three key elements: Absolute Evidence, Absolute Goal, and Absolute Answer. These are the tools used to bring it down.
In verse 6, it says, “Set the seven priests in front.” This is an important statement. The servants of God must become leaders in 24-hour prayer.
In verse 7, it says, “Set the armed men in front of the ark.” What does this mean? It refers to the mission and blessing of key workers. “The servants of God must carry the Ark of the Covenant and march before the people. The key workers must also march in front of the people, carrying the Ark of the Covenant.”
Shout When the Trumpet Sounds on the Last Day (Verse 5) In verse 5, it says, “When the great trumpet sounds seven times on the last day, shout together.” And “the city will fall.” Something incredible happened. There are many scientific explanations, but right now, we’re not in a science class. The city collapsed completely.
Today, as you hold onto the covenant, there are a few things you must always remember. Absolute impossibilities exist in both small and large areas of life. But what is God’s absolute plan? When you see His plan, you will see His absolute possibility. At that moment, your spiritual eyes will open. “Ah, it’s finished. God is doing this. Jericho has already been destroyed. The land of Canaan has already been given to us.” Then, why did we live as slaves in Egypt? Why were we held in the wilderness for 40 years? Why not just take us directly? Why did we have to cross the Red Sea, and why were we made to conquer Jericho and cross the Red Sea? Once you understand the reason, it becomes a great answer.
One day, the Jericho in your path will fall. The spiritual Jericho must fall. That’s what will happen. Therefore, “Follow the Ark of the Covenant.” Hold onto that absolute evidence. Follow it. There’s nothing else. No matter what others say, the goal of reaching the land of Canaan is God’s purpose, and He will remove everything standing in your way. “Don’t speak, just keep walking.” Wait for the absolute answer. This is the message.
Today is the day to bring down the walls of Jericho. It’s the day to break down the powers of darkness around you through prayer and the Word. As you worship today, you need to find this truth. Why? Because if you try to memorize all of this and carry it with you, it’s impossible. You don’t need to do that. By next Sunday, you’ll be worshipping again, so why should you try to memorize everything? Today, you need to receive an important answer. Today.
What is today? It’s the day to break down the walls of Jericho. That’s all you need to hold onto. The city has already fallen. It needs to be brought down. Today, you will silently and powerfully break the powers of darkness around you through prayer and the Word. There’s no battle to fight; you’re just walking around, praying, and the walls of darkness are falling.
Conclusion
Let me introduce a few people who must survive.
There were only two people who saw Egypt and entered the land of Canaan. There were many others, but only Joshua and Caleb saw Egypt and entered Canaan from the very beginning. God established them firmly and kept them alive.
Who else did God keep alive? It was the next generation born in the wilderness. God saved them and brought them into the promised land. They didn’t experience the struggles their ancestors went through in Egypt. They were born in the wilderness. So, the 40 years might have seemed long, but during that time, God was restoring everything and imprinting it on the next generation. He brought them along into the land.
Another very important point is found in verse 17: “Save Rahab the harlot and her family.” This is deliberately recorded. Rahab and her family were brought into the land. Though it seemed insignificant, Rahab entered the land of Canaan and later married. She has children, and from her line, a man named David is born. This is part of God’s hidden plan, a mystery of the gospel’s power that is beyond our understanding. We can’t comprehend it fully. This is the blessing we must receive.
Today, the matter is settled. Today, we will destroy the dark stronghold of Jericho through prayer. That’s all. Once we say “Amen,” it’s done. Next week will bring another new grace. Today, amidst God’s Word flowing, we need to hold onto the covenant. Make a decision today. Whatever happened last week belongs to last week, but today, make a decision to recover your health, strength, and spiritual power. Today, in this time of worship and prayer, bind the darkness and completely bring down Jericho. Receive that answer today as you go.
I have shared this before, but when we hold onto a covenant, even if we once thought something was impossible, the responses will keep coming. It’s quite amazing, isn’t it? From when I was young, I thought something would never work out, but when I held onto God’s covenant, responses kept coming. I’ve experienced it. The Word of God is alive and working.
When I was younger, evangelism was very difficult for me. Even now, my personality hasn’t changed much in that regard. How could I go somewhere and evangelize, talk to someone? I couldn’t do it. Maybe if someone pushed me into being a public figure, I might try, but I could never go out on the street and sell something, even a simple item. I would be too embarrassed. So how could I evangelize?
But one day, I realized that evangelism had nothing to do with me. That was a big breakthrough. Honestly, I didn’t understand what prayer was. My life had to be in prayer, but I didn’t understand what prayer truly meant. I had heard that God’s Word is alive and works, but I hadn’t experienced it. So, there seemed to be no reason to attend worship or hold onto the Word. That was the life I lived.
But one day, it dawned on me. It wasn’t a big or dramatic decision, just a simple realization: “I should be able to pray, shouldn’t I?” I asked myself, “If God’s Word is alive and is being fulfilled, shouldn’t I experience it? That’s what worship is, right?” And then I realized: “I should be a witness. That’s what evangelism is.” Once I realized that, God’s responses started coming.
I pray that today will be the day you receive that same strength. May you experience this power in Jesus Christ’s name. Let’s pray.
Prayer. May today be the day of great importance. May today be the day when the walls of Jericho fall. May the strongholds of darkness crumble. What we cannot do, may the darkness before us fall at the presence of the Ark of the Covenant. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.