SURE VICTORY

1.  The 1st step is to deal with sin in our life style

a) 10But the LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? 11Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. 12That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction (accursed things). (Joshua 7:10-12 NLT)

b) But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel.

#1) 1But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah. (Joshua 7:1 NLT)

c) Why?

i) The devoted things were to be given to the Lord often by totally destroying them.

#1) 17Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.

#2) 18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.

#3) 21They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. (Joshua 6:17, 18, 21 NLT)

d) What did Achan take?

i) 20Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. 21Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.” (Joshua 7:20, 21 NLT)

#1) The city of Jericho, built thousands of years before Joshua was born, was one of the oldest cities in the world. In some places, it had fortified walls up to 25 feet high and 20 feet thick. Soldiers standing guard on top of the walls could see for miles. Jericho was a symbol of military power and strength - the Canaanites considered it invincible.

e) Why did God demand that the Israelites destroy almost everyone and everything in Jericho?

i) God was carrying out severe judgment against the wickedness of the Canaanites. This judgment usually required that everything be destroyed because of the evil practices and intense idolatry, the Canaanites were a stronghold of rebellion against God.

#1) 2“When you drive out the nations that live there, you must destroy all the places where they worship their gods—high on the mountains, up on the hills, and under every green tree.

#2) 3Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods! (Deuteronomy 12:2, 3 NLT)

ii) The devoted things (accursed things) refer to all the clothing, cattle and other booty that God said Israel should destroy when they conquered Jericho. But not obeying was in direct defiance to an explicit command of God.

#1) 16In those towns that the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing. 17You must completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, just as the LORD your God has commanded you. 18This will prevent the people of the land from teaching you to imitate their detestable customs in the worship of their gods, which would cause you to sin deeply against the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 20:16-18 NLT)

2. The 2nd step is to put our thought under the obedient to Christ

a) 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NIV)

b) We, like Paul, are merely weak humans, but we don't need to use human plans and methods to win our battles. God's mighty weapons are available to us as we fight against Satan's strongholds. The weapons of God are prayer, faith, hope, love, God's Word and the Holy Spirit - are powerful and effective. These weapons can break down the proud human arguments against God and the walls that Satan builds to keep people from finding God.

i) 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:12-20 NIV)

c) Finally, we can rest assured that no weapon forged against us will prevail and we will have sure victory.

i) 17no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17 NIV)

3. Prayer focus

a) Pray that we would be strong in the Lord since knowing that God will fight for us.