Latest / Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast / You Have Already Won: Joshua 6

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You Have Already Won: Joshua 6 · Jessi Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hello.
• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hello.
• 0:00
  Speaker 1: You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 41.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: This week's devotional is titled.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: You have Already Won Joshua 5 and 6.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Let's go.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan.
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my journey and love for Jesus Christ, my Savior.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hot Podcast.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: This is a weekly devotional.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023.
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: Through that challenging time, god worked in ways that truly amazed me.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith, woven together with scripture, to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives.
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: Let's all pray within.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: You have already won Joshua 6.
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: Key passages and verses Joshua 5, 13 through 15, and, of course, joshua 6.
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, and welcome back.
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: Today we're diving into Joshua 6, the fall of Jericho.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: This is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible, but what makes it so powerful isn't just how the walls of Jericho fell.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: It's about what God said before Israel ever walked around that city.
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: But first let's just recap the main story of Joshua 6 with Jericho.
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: The story of Jericho really starts with Israel walking around the city once a day for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, when Joshua gives the command, the Israelites shout and suddenly on that seventh day, on that seventh lap around, the walls came crashing down.
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: Just like that, israel takes over the city.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: But here's what's so important God already told them that they had won before they ever marched.
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: If we go back to Joshua 5, we see something incredible.
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  Speaker 1: So let's look at Joshua 5, 13 through 15.
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  Speaker 1: It says Now, when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.
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  Speaker 1: Joshua went up to him and asked are you for us or for our enemies?
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  Speaker 1: Neither he replied, but as the commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come when Joshua fell.
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reference and asked him what message does my Lord have for his servant?
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: The commander of the Lord army replied take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy, and Joshua did so.
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  Speaker 1: So you see, at the end of that chapter, joshua has an encounter with a commander of the Lord's army, which is actually God, appearing before Joshua in battle armor, fully prepared.
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  Speaker 1: Fully ready because he knew what Joshua and the Israelites were about to face.
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: God showed up in the exact way Joshua needed to see him.
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  Speaker 1: He spoke to Joshua in a way he could understand as a warrior, because Joshua and his people were preparing for battle.
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  Speaker 1: And before they even set foot around Jericho, god told them as well I have already delivered the city into your hands, joshua 6, 2.
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  Speaker 1: So, walking in victory.
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  Speaker 1: Before you see it right, god had already declared victory.
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  Speaker 1: All the Israelites had to do was follow his instructions.
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: And that's the part that really speaks to me, because, as children of God, we already have won too.
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: The ultimate battle was won when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
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  Speaker 1: We were already victorious in him.
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: So why don't we walk like we've already won?
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: Why don't we praise in advance for what God is already going to do.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: When the Israelites circled Jericho, they weren't circling in fear.
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  Speaker 1: They were circling in obedience, knowing the walls would fall eventually.
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  Speaker 1: They weren't shouting in doubt.
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: They were shouting in faith because they knew God had already taken care of it.
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  Speaker 1: So let me ask you when you face an obstacle, do you walk in worry about how you'll get through it, or do you walk knowing that God has already won the battle for you?
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: Do you trust that, in his perfect time, that those walls will fall?
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: Think about it.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: Let me make this more personal.
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: I dealt with my own Jericho moment per se.
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: This reminds me of a time when, back when I ran track and field in high school, I was competing in the 200 meter finals at the state championships.
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  Speaker 1: When I was a sophomore, everyone kept telling me Jesse Mack, my old nickname, you got this, you're going to win me.
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  Speaker 1: Jesse Mack, my old nickname, you got this, you're going to win.
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  Speaker 1: And I believed I could, at least I wanted to.
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  Speaker 1: But deep down I was terrified.
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  Speaker 1: I had one girl who could challenge me.
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  Speaker 1: I had beaten her in regionals the week before, but today I was exhausted and just didn't know how to get through it.
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  Speaker 1: So let me put this in context for people that don't really know track and field.
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  Speaker 1: In high school championships for track and field meets, you run preliminary races and then finals in the same day, unlike the pros, and most of college preliminaries are ran on separate days, so you have time to rest right At the time.
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  Speaker 1: In high school you could only compete in three running events per meet as well, and I ran three individual races at state 100, 200, and 400 meter races and I also had to run the prelims for those races.
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  Speaker 1: So I ran six times in one day.
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  Speaker 1: So that 400 meter, which is a lap around the track, and it always occurs before the 200 meter race, I had already placed second in the 400 meter final, finished running the 100 meter twice as well, and then I was going to compete in my final race, which was the 200 meter dash.
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  Speaker 1: That was my favorite race and one of my best.
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  Speaker 1: I had the support of my teammates, family and coaches everybody.
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  Speaker 1: However, I was exhausted and my mind couldn't get over that.
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  Speaker 1: That 400 meter run I had just ran before took everything out of me, but I recovered the best I could, but I was still breathing really hard and mentally I was drained, a bit Nervous and anxious as well.
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  Speaker 1: I honestly didn't know if I could finish.
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  Speaker 1: The one girl who could beat me, like I mentioned earlier, she was well-rested and seemed very confident and relaxed.
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  Speaker 1: I was the complete opposite.
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  Speaker 1: And for my rival, she competed in two events for the day and hers were very spread out.
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  Speaker 1: They were spaced out.
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  Speaker 1: So she was fresh.
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  Speaker 1: I was drained, and the closer we got to the starting line, the more I focused on being drained.
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  Speaker 1: I was thinking about I wasn't thinking about winning.
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  Speaker 1: I wasn't thinking about trusting God with my strength.
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: I was thinking what if I don't have enough?
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  Speaker 1: What if I can't finish strong?
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: And you know what I didn't?
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: In the last 15 meters she beat me at the line.
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: I was happy I placed second, but I was also very disappointed and looking back, I realized that I let my own Jericho walls keep me from running my best race.
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: I focused so much on my exhaustion and my doubts and my obstacles that I didn't leave room for faith.
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: I was circling my Jericho but instead of trusting that God had already handled it, I was still trying to figure out how I was going to do it on my own, trying to figure out how to climb my Jericho wall versus waiting for God to take down my wall, aka my obstacles and my fears.
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: Now don't get me wrong.
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  Speaker 1: Just to say this my rival was an incredible athlete Great sportsmanship as well.
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  Speaker 1: She deserved that win.
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  Speaker 1: But the athlete in me still thinks to this day what if I had trusted God fully?
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: What if I had run the race with the confidence that the victory had already been mine, no matter the outcome?
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: What walls are you facing?
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  Speaker 1: I'm going to ask you today.
• 8:47
  Speaker 1: What walls are you facing?
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  Speaker 1: So, now that I so, now I ask you also are you running your race with confidence in God, or are you just so focused on the wall in front of you that you're forgetting that he's already taken care of it?
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: Are you letting anxiety, fear and opinions of others block your blessings?
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: If so, what are you going to do about it?
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: Are you going to let those things keep you from walking in victory, or are you going to trust God, follow his lead and keep circling Jericho until those walls fall down in due time, in God's time?
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: Basically, because here's the other truth.
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: God shows up for us in the way we need him to always, just like he came to Joshua as a warrior.
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: He may come to you through a song, through scripture, through a conversation with a friend.
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: He may speak to you while you're driving in your car or in a quiet moment of prayer.
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: However he does it, one thing is for sure he is with you and he has already won.
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: Your walls of Jericho have already fallen because of God.
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: We just have to remember that.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: Remember the victory before it even happens.
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: Believe that the walls are going to come down in due time, when you follow God's instructions and you show obedience, and then you'll be standing there like Joshua, being able to walk into that promised land, into that future that God had planned for you.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: Right, let's pray.
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: Lord, we thank you for the battles we face and we know that we're not alone when we fight for them.
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: You have already won the victory for us.
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: Help us to trust you before we see the breakthrough, to walk in faith even when the walls haven't fallen yet.
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: Give us the strength to keep circling, to keep believing and to keep our eyes fixed on you.
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: Thank you for your perfect timing and your perfect plan.
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  Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, we pray Amen.
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: I'll see you next time focusing on Joshua, chapter 7 and 8.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: God bless.
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: Well, that wraps up this week's episode.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day.
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode.
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: Also, if you feel compelled, leaving a nice review would be so appreciated as well.
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom or find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife.
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: Remember God's timing is always perfect.
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: Keep trusting him Until next time.
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: This is Jessi Morgan praying off.
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: Let me just say this I was so hurt when I lost that race and my rival like she's the nicest person we still talk today.
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: She's awesome.
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: But let me tell you that day I was so mad at her because her races, like I said, were at one time in the morning and then like one in the afternoon and then later on that evening she spread herself out beautifully.
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: Her strategy worked.
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  Speaker 1: So I'm not like hating her.
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: I just was mad because I was so exhausted and running that 400 meter is a killer.
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: That's one of the toughest races I remember.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: Two years ago I was on a panel and I got to ask my favorite sprinter, alison Felix, how she felt after running 400s and she always said, oh my gosh, that's such a hard race.
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: Even her, the athlete of all athletes, olympian of all Olympians, she too felt like 400 was one of the toughest races it is.
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: You finish, lactic acid all in your legs, you caps, you can't walk.
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: I mean, you feel like you're going to die a little bit, so that 400 just is a horrible race to do before a 200 meter final.
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: That's why, even when you're looking at the pros, it is very rare and hard to see a sprinter or a runner.
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: They're running the 400 and like the 200 at the Olympics, it is so hard to do, it is so exhausting, and people that do it, you got to give them credit.
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: That's why Michael Johnson is just still a legend, because it just doesn't make any sense, and I do think Usain Bolt could probably have done it if he chose to really focus in on it at his prime.
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: But let me tell you that 400 is no joke and you trying to run a 400, you trying to run a 200 after a 400, like you have to be in exceptional shape and it's possible, but it's hard.
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: So just a little track snippet right there.
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: Love you guys, till next time.