Endurance: “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity” (Websters). Along the journey of walking by faith, endurance will become one of your closest friends. Faith is not just believing walls will fall; Joshua and the Israelites had to endure seven days of believing, walking, and trusting the Lord would do what He said.

The Bible doesn’t tell us precisely how far in diameter Jericho’s walls surrounded the city. It could’ve taken several hours to march around the walls or several minutes; however, the instruction from the Lord was detailed and evident: March around the city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day, march around seven times, followed by seven priests blowing their rams horn trumpets. Lastly, after all this takes place—all the people shall shout with a great shout—the walls will fall, and the land will finally be theirs as promised (Joshua 6:1-5).
 

I don’t know about you, but hearing this instruction from the Lord stretches my faith. By day three or four, I would begin feeling the endurance, and on day seven, while marching around those seven times, I’m not sure what I would be thinking. That’s where faith kicks in—confidence in what’s to come and surety that the Lord will do what He says. Faith is taking God at His word and enduring in the in-between. The Israelites pressed through and marched confidently, the priests blew their trumpets, and the people shouted, and God came through as He always does. It took faith to endure, and the Lord met them that day in Jericho.

That same God that brought the walls down meets us in the hills and valleys of our lives. He calls us to walk by faith, sometimes even to do things that don’t make sense, yet that’s where the endurance kicks in. Be encouraged today and keep walking. Keep trusting. And keep enduring by faith.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 

Father, I come before you in Jesus’ name, asking for supernatural strength and endurance for the journey ahead. When things get tough, and I don’t understand the road ahead, help me to press forward in faith and confidence in Your ability over my own. Thank You for sending Jesus to endure the cross on my behalf and rise from the grave, defeating death. I find my strength in You. In Jesus’ name, amen!