Now we come to the last step. How shall we fight the battle? This is certainly not a battle fought with carnal weapons. Our weapons for this battle, figuratively speaking, are rams’ horns. We go to a battle, but we go with instruments of peace; we go with rams’ horns. Rams’ horns are a symbol of fighting a warfare with peaceful weapons. They are not swords made of iron; they are rams’ horns. They cannot kill; they are utterly peaceful. But they are weapons for battle. They are trumpets to be blown, declaring and proclaiming the gospel of peace. This is the weapon we must use to fight the spiritual warfare. We fight by proclaiming Christ!
In what way were the trumpets blown and the battle executed? It was indeed strange. Part of the army went before, followed by seven priests with the Ark. Bringing up the rear, was another part of the army. In other words, before and behind was the army, and in the midst was the Ark with the priests blowing the rams’ horns. They all marched around the stronghold of Jericho, the priests blowing the trumpets of rams’ horns as they went. It was a glorious picture. The people in the city were in dread of them and shut the gates of the city from within and without. None went out and none came in.
Day by day the army of God, six hundred thousand strong, marched around the city, blowing the rams’ horns. First came one division, then the priests blowing the trumpets, then the Ark, and then the remainder of the army at the rear. This was the way they pressed the battle. There were probably some people in Jericho who laughed and scorned them. They had never seen such an unworldly performance. Once a day they compassed the city, day after day for six days repeating the same procedure. When the seventh day came, as they were instructed, they compassed the city seven times.
We must notice here that Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word go forth from your mouth, until the day I say to you, Shout! Then you shall shout” (Josh. 6:10). Not until they heard the long blast of the rams’ horns at the end of the final circuit were the people to shout—before that time they were to keep silence. What is the meaning of this? It means that if we are going to testify the victorious Christ, there are many times when we must be silent; we must let the priesthood blow the trumpet. We need the priesthood, and by now you understand what we mean by the priesthood. We must not speak lightly. Do not say, “Oh, we are on the church ground! Oh, we are the local church! We are this, and we are that!” If you say these things lightly, there is no priesthood. We must let the priesthood blow the trumpet and give the sound. There must be no other voice. Then when the time comes, the time appointed by the Lord, you and I must shout. We must pray and praise the Lord with a loud voice, and the enemy will fall before us. This is the way for us to fight the battle.
Is such a battle a kind of labor or a form of enjoyment? Indeed, it is not a labor but an enjoyment. It is even a rest and satisfaction. It is a war, it is a fight, it is a battle, and yet it is an enjoyment, a rest, and a satisfaction. It is in this way that we possess the all-inclusiveness of Christ.
But we must remember well that you and I as separated individuals can never do it. We must always maintain the ground as an army. The all-inclusive Christ can never be apprehended by ourselves as individuals. We can only apprehend the breadth, the length, the height, and the depth of the all-inclusive Christ with all the saints. To take possession of the good land, we must be formed and united together with the saints as the army of God.
We must also remember that our enemies are not flesh and blood; they are not people. They are the spiritual forces, the principalities, the powers in the heavenlies. There are many people who are against us and opposing us, but they are not our enemies. Our enemies are the evil forces who rule over them, the evil powers who are behind them. We are not fighting with people, but with the evil forces behind the people. If we are faithful with the Lord to take the ground of resurrection and be formed into an army to fight the battle for Him, we must be ready for many evil reports to be spread concerning us. We must be prepared for considerable opposition. All the people of Jericho will talk about the people of Israel. But, praise the Lord, whenever we hear these reports, we may rejoice, for they are signs that we will win. They are signs that the enemy is in fear and his defeat is inevitable. Jericho will certainly fall before us. Hallelujah! I am really fearful wherever I go if no one talks about me and there are no evil reports. But I am so happy if there are rumors, criticisms, and people talking. The more I hear of this, the more I come back to the Lord and praise Him: “Here are the signs, Lord; here are the signs that the battle will be won!” The foolish talking, the absurd rumors, the evil reports—we should not be afraid of them. They are all signals that the victory is ours. Praise the Lord!
Our enemy is not on this earth, but in the heavenly places. Hence, we should not use weapons of flesh. We should not argue with people; we should not come down to their level and engage in their tactics. No. Our weapons are spiritual. What are they? They are the trumpets of rams’ horns. Let us blow the trumpets; let us blow the rams’ horns. Let us declare the victory of the cross, the victory of the victorious One. We must proclaim Christ—the Christ we enjoy, the Christ who is the Conqueror over every foe. This is our weapon—we know nothing else. This is the way to possess the all-inclusiveness of Christ. This is the way to take the good land in faithfulness, in rest, and in enjoyment.
City by city and place by place, we must take possession of the all-inclusiveness of Christ. But be at peace and rest well. Do not worry—the Lord will fight the battle. The battle is not ours but the Lord’s. What we must do is just to blow the trumpet. Do not speak lightly. At the right time we will praise and shout, and the walls of Jericho will fall. Its doom is sealed. We will be victorious, and we will take over.
Brothers and sisters, this is the way. The victory is ours! Take the ground of resurrection, remembering that you are buried; apply the death of Christ to all your earthly members; enjoy Christ with the saints in the way of all-inclusiveness and declare and testify in faith all that the Lord is. Then the enemy will be utterly defeated and his stronghold cast down. We will defeat the enemy and take the land peacefully with rest and satisfaction. The enemy will be our bread; to engage in such a warfare will be our full satisfaction. The battle is the Lord’s. There is nothing left for us to do but proclaim and enjoy the victory.
Hallelujah! Christ is Victor,
Tell with ev’ry breath,
That the Savior still is conqu’ror
Over sin and death.
Hallelujah! Christ is Victor,
Tell where’er you go,
That the Lord is still the conqu’ror,
Over every foe.
Hallelujah! Christ is Victor,
Pain and sickness flee,
When we plead the mighty victory
Won on Calvary.
Hallelujah! Christ is Victor,
Therefore do and dare;
Go wherever Jesus sends you
In prevailing prayer.
Hallelujah! Christ is Victor,
No defeat nor fear
Evermore must dim thy vision!
Christ the way will clear.
Hallelujah! Christ is Victor,
Soon His voice shall ring,
“Come ye conquerors, come up hither,
Join thy conquering King.”
(Hymns, #890)