So he caused the ark of the Lord to compass the city.
Joshua 6:11

It is far to easy for Christians to take credit for their own successes and good favor in life. In the current climate in most Christian circles, we are taught the ‘seven steps to sure success’ or follow these simple principles ‘to live your best life now’. The Lord may be mentioned, but at the end of the day it is your talent, understanding, or special flare that gets the glory. That is the lesson of today’s verse, it was not the size of Israel’s army that mattered, it wasn’t their advanced technology, or even the wisdom of their generals. What really mattered? Was God in their midst? That is the whole meaning of the ark of God, the ark was the place of God’s presence. It was God in their midst that gave them the victory over their enemies. Here is how Watchman Nee describes it.
“Mention here of the ark alone makes it appear as though the writer were ignoring the whole company of people who marched in faith around those walls. But of course it was the ark that really mattered. This stronghold of Jericho was not demolished by the march of the Israelites alone. As we know only too well, we may walk around our own Jerichos a thousand times and still find nothing happens. Israel’s strength lay in the fact that the ark of the testimony was among them. They carried with them the evidence of God’s faithfulness hitherto. It was not on the basis of their present effort that they faced their foes but on the fact of what their God had already done. For us today God’s “ark of testimony” is the Person of His risen Son. Make Him central, go forth proclaiming His resurrection, and God will bring down those walls.”
So what is the lesson in our modern day struggles? What does it mean to have God in our midst? Today, we have become the ark of the covenant. The Lord lives in His church and reveals Himself and His will in His chosen community. Yes there are enemies of our soul and obstacles to His kingdom. Our response is to look to Him and refuse to go forward without His tangible presence, His glory, in our midst. His glory will overcome every obstacle and set His enemies on the run.