I recently was reading in Joshua 6 about the famous battle of Jericho. From a human perspective, it has to be one of the worst battle strategies ever designed. March around the city walls once a day for six days, then march around them seven times on the seventh day and give an almighty shout? That’s your plan?

Actually, that was God’s plan. It might have seemed ridiculous to the people at the time, but they were faithful to obey, and God honored that obedience with success in battle.They completely destroyed the city, leaving alive only Rahab and her family. There aren’t too many examples of God’s people actually doing what God said to do, but when they did, God always fulfilled His end of the promise.

I keep thinking about that verse lately in regard to my own church. We’ve been trying to start renovations on our new property, but we lack one stamp of approval on one piece of paper from one department. That’s all. We sent in the paperwork months ago and have been in bureaucracy limbo ever since.

Maybe the solution isn’t lawyers and litigation, but praise and worship. I was walking the property when I believe God spoke to me. He said, “When you worship loud, the walls fall down.”

I’m not claiming to be any kind of a prophet or anyone who has special revelations from the Lord. I’m not much into people who are always hearing a word from God. I believe that the Bible is the final and complete revelation of what God has spoken.

I do believe that God can speak to people within the context of the Bible to specific circumstances. I believe that God will never say anything that goes against His established and written Word.

I believe that the Bible says God can turn the hearts of kings like water, so He can turn the hearts of a few city council members. I believe God can grant us favor with the city and provide the approval we need. And I believe in my heart that He will when the time is right.

Until then, maybe it’s time to turn the worship up loud.