The wall of Jericho was very strong and big. God ordered to Joshua and he obeyed. He adorned God’s wisdom. God said to him to set the pastors and all the people who blow the trumpets in the front. They blow the trumpets in the country continuously for 7 days. During wars when the troops go for the fighting, the guerillas and commandoes lead them.

When Joshua ordered them they all were united in faith. And as they were instructed by their leader Joshua, they all shouted on the top of their voices. With their great shout the wall of Jericho fell----and they got a Big Victory. Today also when there are troubles, hindrances, sadness, hardships and distresses in our lives. It is not the time to sit quietly, but instead we should believe in the power and authorization of God.

Joshua won in the name of God. We see many times in the word of God, that the Israelites won in the name of God. The Ark of Jehovah was the symbol of God’s presence. Whenever the Israelites won victory over their enemies they celebrate, danced and blow the trumpet in front of the Ark of Jehovah.

The Apostle Paul teaches us always to remain happy, no matter what is happening around us, good or bad, because happiness is given to us by God’s Grace.

Those who believe in God in every condition and praise Him all the time will get His blessings and these people will be the triumphant. While all those who do not praise Him will definitely receive God’s blessings and His Grace because God is merciful to everybody. But all of these people will remain barren spiritually. As it’s written in the Book of Revelation: - Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large milestone and threw it into the sea and said: With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again. The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again.

This was the severe, rigorous and exact punishment given to Babylon. This kind of exacting punishment will be given to the church who does not praise God, who does not believe in the Holy Grace of God. Then there will be no miracles left in that church where there is no praising. The Spirit of God gives us happiness that is why we should pray without ceasing.

Lord Jesus Christ prays all night. He is the Son of God. There was no need for Him to pray because He was the Only Begotten Son. But when He came in to this world, He fulfilled the role of the man quite remarkably and He remained in the sub-ordination of God through and through. So in the same way during difficulties and before taking any important decision we should pray to God and always be in His presence. Usually people remained awakened all night for useless purposes, like for cricket matches, football matches, or when someone is ill or had died.

And when we pray to God, God reveal His deep secrets on us. That is why we should pray to Him. We should give 2 hours and 40 minutes of our time daily to God in prayers as we give our Tithe from our income. We are ought to give 10 percent of our time to God. When we spend 10 percent of our time in His presence, then He will lighten our eyes and everything will be different in our lives. So through regular prayers God discloses his treasures, highly valued secrets and His Revelation on to us. We can observe this through the lives of the Prophets. When they say that we converse with God. It is only because of ceaseless prayers that we can interact with God as well as with each other. Prayers have greatest power. Many people make their habit for limited prayer or only the prayers that are written or already remembered. You should go farther than that. We should invite Holy Spirit in our lives. God’s spirit guides us how to pray. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. In the same way Spirit of God helps us in our weakness. So the Spirit of God tells us to pray for a particular person, for someone’s special intentions, purposes, for his problems and worries. So there is a much need to find an intercessor. Today church desperately needs intercessors---The people who will intercede for the salvation of the whole world, like God’s servant Abraham did, Moses did to save His people.

Jesus Christ is the greatest intercessor who intercedes in a big way in front of God---His father for our sins. We are filled with the Holy Spirit and in the light of the Holy Spirit we should become great intercessors. First, rejoice always second, pray without ceasing and third, in everything give thanks.

Always thank God for everything. Usually we thank only for the circumstances and the situations which are in proportion to our desires. But not express our gratitude towards God for the things which are not in accordance to our demands. In fact we should always be grateful to God, in every position even if there are problems, severe problems and difficulties in our lives. Those people who thank God for every day situations, actually they give up themselves in the hands of God, and trust His promises completely. They thank God for major and even for minor things. A thanks giving is the only virtue which can give us condolence at the time of someone’s death. When someone very near to us is separated. Even then thank God for his death. But we do not gather up that much of courage. As Jesus Apostle Paul says: You, however, live not by your natural inclinations but by the Spirit, since the Spirit of God has made a home in you.

The energy, power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit gives us the courage to prevail over all the superfluous desires which we want in our lives. And all those who will over come will be rewarded by God. In the last Book of Bible, Revelation it is written, He who has an ear, Let him hear what the Spirit says to the Church. To Him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. The fruit from the tree of life which was forbidden to eat. God will give us to eat from that tree while living in this world we have to prevail over all the darkness and every necessity of our body. And all those who will overcome will be the requitals. God promised, He who over comes will not be hurt by the second death. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on that stone, which no one knows but he who receives it. This is for all those who will always remain uniformly and constantly in the presence of God.

For everyone who will lead a faithful life, has a strong faith, filled with the Holy Spirit, had a prayful life, always thank God for everything and always remain happy. God has a splendid gift. “Our names are written on the stone.” A special blessing for each one of us. A different glory for everyone. This for all those who will lead their lives according to My Teachings till the very end. And it is written in the Book of Revelation for those who will overcome, He who overcomes, and he who keep my deeds until the end; to him I will give Authority over the Nations.

Today there is a need of the hour for the church to stand in faith and love. To remain awaken spiritually. And to preach the love of God all over the world. And to glorify His love. So that we will be able to stand before Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus changes our sorrows and our disappointments into happiness. As the scripture says, You have turned my mourning into dancing.

When we walk in the light of Holy Spirit, then there is happiness everywhere in our lives. And as soon as the people involved in difficulties, disease and problems confess that Jesus is our Lord, they get remedy for their diseases and solution for their problems. They receive happiness as soon as they accept Jesus as their Saviour. And all those who are losers, who had lost everything in their lives, with the power and strength of Holy Spirit we can see the Glory of God.

COMPLIED BY: PENUMA JAMES
JOY KOINONIA YOUTH PAKISTAN.