...continuing on my journey to Fitzgerald Georgia.
Shout Unto God
Israel's first conquest inside the Promised Land was at Jericho. They marched around the city wall daily for a week, then seven times on the seventh day. When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted. The wall fell down. That victorious, one-syllable shout was as effective as a 1,000-word prayer. Shout unto God with a voice of triumph.
Joshua 6:16,20 - "...Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. ...and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, ...and they took the city."
Prayer Exposes Sin
After a miraculous victory at Jericho, the Israelites were humiliated at war with the men of Ai. Thirty-six Israelites died. Joshua panicked and fell on his face in prayer. God revealed the sins of Achan, who had unlawfully taken precious spoils at Jericho, instead of delivering them to the priests and the Tabernacle. Achan and his family were executed, and God was appeased. Be careful. Your sins can cause much more tragedy than you ever expected.
Joshua 7:10-12 - "...the LORD said unto Joshua, ...Israel hath sinned, ...Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies."
Overcoming Defeat
After a great victory at Jericho, Israel suffered humiliating defeat at Ai because God found a grievous sin in the camp. Once the sins of Achan and his family were dealt with, God told Joshua that he could now go to war against Ai and win. Defeat must never be the end of a story. We all make mistakes, but we should correct them as best we can and fight on.
Joshua 8:1 - "...the LORD said unto Joshua, ... arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city."
The Gibeonites
Gibeonites came to Joshua with old shoes, old garments, old sacks, old moldy bread, and old wine bottles. They pretended to come from AFAR, to trick Israel into making a league with them. Long ago, God said, "...I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. Thou shalt make no covenant with them." Exodus 23:31-32. Do not make peace with the world. Prefer trouble with enemies over trouble with God.
Joshua 9:16 - "...after they had made a league with them ...they heard that they were their neighbours."
Shout Unto God
Israel's first conquest inside the Promised Land was at Jericho. They marched around the city wall daily for a week, then seven times on the seventh day. When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted. The wall fell down. That victorious, one-syllable shout was as effective as a 1,000-word prayer. Shout unto God with a voice of triumph.
Joshua 6:16,20 - "...Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. ...and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, ...and they took the city."
Prayer Exposes Sin
After a miraculous victory at Jericho, the Israelites were humiliated at war with the men of Ai. Thirty-six Israelites died. Joshua panicked and fell on his face in prayer. God revealed the sins of Achan, who had unlawfully taken precious spoils at Jericho, instead of delivering them to the priests and the Tabernacle. Achan and his family were executed, and God was appeased. Be careful. Your sins can cause much more tragedy than you ever expected.
Joshua 7:10-12 - "...the LORD said unto Joshua, ...Israel hath sinned, ...Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies."
Overcoming Defeat
After a great victory at Jericho, Israel suffered humiliating defeat at Ai because God found a grievous sin in the camp. Once the sins of Achan and his family were dealt with, God told Joshua that he could now go to war against Ai and win. Defeat must never be the end of a story. We all make mistakes, but we should correct them as best we can and fight on.
Joshua 8:1 - "...the LORD said unto Joshua, ... arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city."
The Gibeonites
Gibeonites came to Joshua with old shoes, old garments, old sacks, old moldy bread, and old wine bottles. They pretended to come from AFAR, to trick Israel into making a league with them. Long ago, God said, "...I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. Thou shalt make no covenant with them." Exodus 23:31-32. Do not make peace with the world. Prefer trouble with enemies over trouble with God.
Joshua 9:16 - "...after they had made a league with them ...they heard that they were their neighbours."
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the LORD, For His mercy endure forever. ”2 Chronicles 20:21 |
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Praise precedes victory!
You can see a graphic example of that in 2 Chronicles 20. There, the Bible tells us that a multitude of forces was marching against Israel. The army of Israel was so outnumbered, they literally didn't know what to do. So they fasted and prayed until they received a word from God. "Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicle 20:15, The Amplified Bible). Do you know what they did in response to that word? They put together a praise choir! That's right. They appointed singers and praisers and sent them out in front of the army! And when that choir began to sing, the Word tells us that "the Lord set ambushments against the men...who had come against Judah, and they were [self-]slaughtered" (verse 22). When it was all over, not one Israelite had fallen—and not one of their enemies had escaped. What's more, when they came to take the spoil, they found so many cattle, goods, garments and other precious things, it took them three whole days to haul it all home. Now, that's victory! And it all began with praise. Are you looking for that kind of victory today? Then stand up and shout, "Glory!" After all, you're in the same situation those Israelites were in. You have an army marching against you, but Jesus has already defeated it. He won that battle for you on Resurrection morning. All that's left for you to do is trust Him and begin to praise. Sound out those praises today. Speak them, sing them, declare them in the face of your enemy. Once he hears them, he'll know he doesn't even stand a chance. |
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