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The Battle of Jericho from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

After Moses passed away, Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, and the first city they came to was Jericho.

It was a formidable city known for its massive walls. The Lord instructed them to march around the city for six days, and on the seventh day, circle around it seven times and shout, and the walls protecting the city would collapse.

The Israelites were instructed to bring all the gold, silver, and valuables from Jericho into the treasury of the Lord. While they could keep the treasure they gained from other cities, the riches from the first city, Jericho, were set apart for God. The Lord pronounced a curse over anyone who took what belonged to Him.

(Joshua 6:18-19 NKJV) "And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD."

In the King James Version, these items are referred to as "accursed" things. However, this term actually means "devoted" or "a consecrated possession," indicating that they were meant for the Lord. When people took these items for themselves, they became cursed.

The Apostle Paul wrote that the Israelites' journey out of bondage serves as an example and type for us (1 Corinthians 10:1–6). There are striking parallels in their story. Israel began in bondage in Egypt, just as we begin in bondage to sin. They passed through the Jordan River, symbolizing our own baptism in water. Then, they encountered their first challenge: Jericho, with its devoted treasures. For us, this represents tithing—giving the first 10% of our income to the Lord's treasury, the first fruits. That is what "tithe" means: a tenth—the first tenth, not the last, not what is left.

I have given a detailed teaching on this topic in the past, titled "Giving - The Key to the Cell Door", and I encourage you to read the entire teaching. Today, I will just touch on a few of the verses and move on:

(Haggai 1:9 NKJV) "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house."

(Malachi 3:8-11 NKJV) "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts;

Joshua and the Israelites successfully conquered the great city of Jericho. However, a man named Achan took some of the devoted items—a bit of gold, silver, and a beautiful Babylonian garment—and hid them in his tent. When they moved on to the next city, Ai, which was small in comparison, Israel faced an unexpected defeat and had to flee as the inhabitants of Ai pursued them. It was a shameful defeat for God's people.

Although Jericho was a much larger city fortified with great walls, the Israelites were in right standing with the Lord and easily defeated it. In contrast, Ai was a small city with only a handful of people. However, because the Lord was not with the Israelites, those few inhabitants chased them away, striking them down as they fled.

Joshua and the elders fell on their faces before the Ark of the Lord and cried out to Him until that evening. The Lord answered him:

(Joshua 7:10-12 NKJV) So the LORD said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you."

The Israelites faced defeat at Ai because they broke a crucial agreement with the Lord. He promised to help them win their battles, but they were called to be obedient and bring the first fruits into His treasury. When Achan stole a portion of these devoted items, the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He withdrew His support (Joshua 7:1).

The Lord told Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?" Fix this. Make it right. So Joshua got up. They addressed the situation with Achan and dealt with the devoted things, and then they went on to defeat Ai, along with all the cities that followed in the Promised Land. This time, they were allowed to keep the treasure (Joshua 8:1-2).

Now, the moment that I mention money, people are going to think that we want theirs, so let me clear that up:

You do not have to give to us, but you need to learn to give to someone, somewhere, sometime, and not spend God's 10% on yourself. Find someone doing God's work and support them.

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24 NKJV).

God has also decided that those who labor in the Gospel should make their living from the Gospel.

(1 Corinthians 9:13-14 NKJV) "Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel."

Yet, the first time I mentioned in our newsletter that RHM needed more supporters, I received this email from a lady who had happily read my writing for over two years:

"U should be ashamed of urself for trying to use God to get money from me. I'm a 60 year old disabled woman and I'm so ashamed of this country for allowing people like u and ur kind to try to take advantage of people like me. I hope u burn in hell for using God to try to further ur scam."

If there is one thing that will kill the blessing of God in your life, it is being stingy towards God. Mammon represents an evil spiritual force behind money that breeds greed, murder, envy, jealousy, and more. Money itself is amoral; it is neither inherently good nor evil but merely a tool. Think of it as a brick: it can be used to build a hospital or used as a weapon.

Jesus warned us that we cannot serve two masters, for we will cling to one and despise the other. So, who do you think the "burn in hell" lady is clinging to? Jesus or Mammon? It's much like Bilbo Baggins holding onto his precious... Fortunately, the Lord replaced her with others who supported us, or we wouldn't be here today.

Many will say, I can't afford to tithe 10%, but the honest truth is that you are putting God last instead of first. For if you do not tithe now on the little you have, you won't tithe if you had one hundred times more. Jesus told us:

(Luke 16:10-11 NKJV) "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?"

This is Jesus Christ speaking... If you have not been faithful with money, you won't be trusted with true riches. If you are not faithful where you are right now, then God will never trust you with more. Many say, "Oh, if God would give me a great job, then I would be glad to tithe," but the truth is that if you will not tithe while sweeping the floor, you won't tithe as the manager.

Some people try to place tithing within the law of Moses and then claim that Christians are exempt from that law. However, tithing is not part of the Mosaic law. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek about 400 years before the law was established. Additionally, Jacob tithed hundreds of years before Moses was even born (Genesis 28:22). Jesus is our high priest in the order of Melchizedek, and it was Melchizedek who received tithes (Genesis 14:18–20).

When Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about tithing, justice, and the love of God, they were faithfully tithing but neglecting the other aspects. He told them they were right to tithe but should not leave the others undone:

(Luke 11:42 NKJV) "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."

It's much easier for someone just to say, "I don't want to tithe," than to find a solid biblical reason not to. Also, sowing seed requires that you open your hand and let it go. That makes no sense when you could consume it now. It's just like planting a potato or corn in the ground when you could have just eaten the seed.

Yet, farmers understand that there will be no harvest unless they first plant seeds, and what they plant often returns multiplied. There have been times when I would open my Bible and find a $100 bill inside that I hadn't put there. I once experienced a 100-fold return when I gave a prophet $40 and, a month later, received $4,000 from someone else who was unaware of it. God loves a cheerful giver.

(2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NKJV) But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

So, if you are broken and defeated today, Get Up. Make things right. Why are you sobbing and lying there on your face? There are some good days ahead, and what has always been does not have to be anymore. If you want God to fight your battles, don't rob Him.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day. Please speak to me in a way that I can understand. I want to live a life that is pleasing to You. Make what is important to You important to me. Give me the grace to change. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!