And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.”
— Joshua 6:2
The stronger influence of Jericho, however, is not found in shopping malls but in chapels and cathedrals, because religion is the main thing that Satan uses to control mankind. Recent news stories indicate that because radical Muslims are willing to die for their religion, there has been an upsurge in converts to Islam. Many people desire God and want to be satisfied with Him, but they don’t find Christ. Many who do find Christ are quickly channeled into a religion.
Religion brings a false sense of security, causing people to feel they are acceptable to God. They do not realize that religion actually takes them away from God in the name of God. This is why religion is worse than sin, for people know that sin is wrong, but they have no idea that religion is also part of Satan’s kingdom. People should be following Christ rather than merely belonging to a religion.
The church in Laodicea claimed, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” (Rev. 2:17), yet the Lord stood outside and told them, “I stand at the door and knock” (v. 20). A church may feel it is rich in its Christian heritage when, in fact, Christ has been shut out.
Adapted from Joshua: A Life of Service, pages 49-50.
Tomorrow: “God’s Strategy against Jericho (1)”