Many times, the dilemmas we find ourselves in have nothing to do with the devil; but, they have everything to do with the bad choices we have made. When we refuse to follow God’s instructions and do things His way, we can end up going through unnecessary affliction and hardship. But even when this happens, God’s love is in hot pursuit of us. His grace is His willingness to get involved in our situations and circumstances. We can have confidence He is standing by to help us, even when we make senseless mistakes.

How you handle yourself in the midst of the battle makes the difference. One of the most important things we can do is be mindful of the power of words. Second Corinthians 4:13 says, “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.” Whatever you believe, you must speak. Actually, what is in your heart in abundance will come out of your mouth eventually and make known what you really believe anyway. As it relates to the Believer, our faith is evident by what we say. If we claim the promise of God that says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, we demonstrate our belief first and foremost by declaring it.

Using the Word of God during spiritual battles is guaranteed to get results. It is the sword of the Spirit and will cut to pieces the snares of the enemy. Whatever is coming against you, find out what God says and put it in your mouth. When you speak what you believe, you send a message to the devil that says you are fighting back and you are winning.

Verse 15 of that same chapter reveals another important key to victory in battle, “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.” I don’t know about you, but I need God to get involved in my battles! This scripture clearly says that when we actively engage the power of thanksgiving by giving God thanks for everything He has done and for who He is, it releases His grace, which is His unmerited favor. It’s not that we deserve it, but He loves us so much. He can’t help but intervene when we use the big gun of thanksgiving as a weapon.

I want to encourage you to remain immovable when you’re going through a tough time. Trouble won’t last always. You have been equipped with God’s Word, which is more than enough to fight off anything the devil throws at you. You win!

Of course, that was God’s desire, too—for Israel then and for us today. God provides every avenue to make victory possible. At the same time, though, He does not make defeat impossible. We make choices that can lead to victory or failure. Too often we choose to go our own way, and sin is the result. But remember, a failing in life does not make life a failure. When we experience failure, it does not have to be a lasting defeat.

The Curse That Is Here (v. 11)—”Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.”

A Cause That Is Clear (vv. 2-3, 11)—In verses 10-11, God told Israel that they had sinned. What caused this failure?

Overconfidence (vv. 2-3)—An attitude of overconfidence reduced the size of the army. The people’s thinking went like this: Since we did so well at Jericho, let’s not worry much about a small place like Ai. But they did not do the work at Jericho; God did. The people simply walked around the walls, and God brought them down. How often do we succumb to this kind of thinking? Christians and churches are susceptible to being overconfident and forgetting that “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47). Standing in our own strength without dependence on God through prayer leads to defeat.

Disobedience (v. 11a)—Notice that the failure of one man led to implication of the entire nation. When we harbor sin in our hearts, we affect those around us. The failure in our own lives touches our families and churches.

Are we, then, left without help or hope in the midst of our failure? It has been said that it is bad to fall but worse to wallow in it. The good news is that something can be done.

A Cure That Is Near (vv. 19-20, 25)—What do we do when we fail? We kneel at the feet of Jesus, the one Who paid our penalty, confess our failures, and seek His strength to go on.

Confession (vv. 19-20)—Achan’s personal confession details the event. He confesses that he saw the treasure, coveted it, and took the items. Then he confesses that he hid them. How many times have we had to say that? I saw it, I coveted it, I took it, and now I’m trying to hide it. God calls for a confession of our failure, our sin. He desires that we see it in the same way He sees it, as disobedience.

Correction (v. 25)—God said in the beginning that sin brings death. Sin brought defeat in the life of Israel. Joshua and the people of Israel took Achan, his sons and daughters, and all that he had to the edge of the city and stoned them. Achan’s sin brought tragic consequences.

But before we think that God was too harsh, remember that the same God who punished Achan sent His Son to deal with our sin problem through His death. Failure broke the heart of God to the point that He sent His Son as the solution to our sin.

• No Fear—The Israelites had sinned, and that sin lead to fear. The people were hesitant to continue their attempt to capture the Promised Land. Their failure led to their lack of confidence. God gave them His plan, which hinged on their willingness to live by faith, not by fear. Sin can bring fear and a loss of confidence in our lives, too. Only in confession can we claim the renewed power of God in our lives.
• No Discouragement—We can only imagine the disheartening effect of the failure at Ai. These people who had lived in the victory of Jericho now dwelled in the defeat at Ai. However, God reminded His people that His plan would bring the victory. He instructed them to take the entire army to Ai. Everyone was involved; no one was left out. They set the ambush and prepared to fake a retreat so that the people of Ai would be convinced that, once again, they were running scared. Isn’t it just like God to take us back to the place where we last did business with Him in order to restore our confidence? Indeed, the men of Ai fell for the ruse. As they pursued the fleeing army of Israel, once-hidden Israeli soldiers entered and torched the empty city of Ai. It was destroyed completely, and the men of Ai were defeated.

We must remember that no matter our defeats, we can experience victory only as we depend on the plan of God in our lives.

Rejoice in God’s provision (vv. 30-35). The Israelites took the 30-mile walk to Shechem in the beautiful valley area of Palestine. The valley was about two miles wide. On either side of it stood two mountains: the rugged, rocky Mount Ebal and the wooded, beautiful Mount Gerizim. The time came to stop at Ebal and worship.

Remember to give thanks (vv. 30-31). Joshua led the people of God in worship. They built an altar according to Moses’ specifications and offered sacrifices as a sign of their thankfulness to God for His victory. It’s easy, even tempting, to start celebrating after a victory and to forget who is ultimately responsible. How many times is everyone recognized at the Thanksgiving table except the One who really deserves our thanks?

Renew your commitment (vv. 32-35). Joshua remembered during the celebration and sacrifices to give attention to God’s Word. He “copied on stones the law of Moses” (v. 32) and then read it to all of the people. The behavior of Joshua and Israel was a symbol of their renewed commitment to God.

Some will read this chapter and see the regained ground as that which was overtaken at Ai. The real regained ground, though, was the renewed commitment God’s people to Him. Just like water, our tendency is to flow only downhill, spiritually. We need to be reminded constantly, in times of challenge and in times of victory, that our real strength and our real source is God. Commitment to Him in worship and in His Word restores ground previously lost because of sin.

We each arrive at this crossroad in our spiritual walk. God does not place us on the planet without purpose; He has a divine design for each of us. But as we seek to follow His direction, difficulties confront us. Joshua teaches us how to overcome the obstacles that would keep us from following the will of God for our lives.

We overcome obstacles through communication (vv. 1-2). “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands along with its king and its fighting men.’”

The major obstacle facing Joshua and the people of Israel was Jericho. If they could not conquer this city, then all hope for the Israelites was gone. How would they reach the city? How would they scale the wall?

Joshua had a God who communicated with him. Verse 2 reads, “And the Lord said to Joshua.” Though such a statement might seem odd when applied to our lives, such communication from God is common for Joshua. God told Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men” and provided the plan for taking Jericho (vv. 2-5).

Whatever your obstacle, God is willing to cross it with you. He is committed to communicating with His people and to providing strength, comfort, and hope. If you are up against a wall and want to know how to deal with it, don’t try to overcome under your own strength. Commune with God. Let that be your first plan of action, rather than your last resort.

We defeat difficulties through compliance (vv. 6-7). “So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.’ And he ordered the people, ‘Advance! March around the city, with the armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.’”

In the face of such a great obstacle, Joshua complied with the plan of God. Though he may not have completely understood the plan or its significance, he followed God. Joshua moved the people to action.

God could use a man like Joshua because he was a man of faith and a man of obedience. He simply followed as God instructed. And the people followed.

God instructed the people of Israel to carry the trumpets, with the ark of the Lord following for six days, and they were not to speak (vv. 8,10). On the seventh day they were to follow this routine with one addition: They were to shout in glory to God because the city had been delivered to them (v. 16).

What an act of faith it was for Joshua and the people to march around the city! No previous (and shall I dare say, subsequent?)battle had ever been won in such a manner. Yet around the city they all marched. It was an act of faith and an act or obedience.

Their obedience to God produced wonders. We read of no negative spirit, discouragement, or disbelief. As they marched circle after circle around the city, I’m sure they could see the seeming impossibility of the situation. Yet they walked. Obedience is the key. Compliance is the key to the moving of God’s mighty hand in our lives.

Many today pride themselves on living within reason, but God called His people to live by faith. We are to walk in faith and obedience to His direction and leadership in our lives.

Impossibilities become possibilities through confidence (vv. 20-21). “When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.”

It was uncommon common sense to believe that God could make the impossible possible. Yet in the end the walls fell. You see, the walls were not the problem. They never are. We people are the problem. We always are. God has the power to do as He chooses, but He desires that we act in obedient faith. When we do, He takes care of the walls.

Hebrews 11:30 reminds us, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.” Joshua and the people of God demonstrated deep confidence in the power of God. Do you have that kind of confidence?

How many times have we went to conferences, retreats, revivals or even coming to church and hear good teaching and it not change your life whatsoever?

Here is what I want to share with you about a misconception that if we will get in the Word enough, it will solve all of our problems. That is what we pretty much all thought. This however is not correct. It is the doer of the Word who gets results. (James 1:2). You can go to all of the great meetings, sit under teachings in the local church for years and still be in bondage in your life.

Think about that for a moment, and you’ll realize just how true that is.

You own and read everyone’s books and listen to everyone’s CD’s etc. Quote everything you’ve read and heard from the scripture. Rattle off memory scriptures and know all of the definitions from the Greek. But unless you are willing to receive the truth and do the will of the Lord, you won’t get results in any area and you’ll stay in bondage year after year. When you begin to do the Word it will change your life.

Here are some examples of approaching things with right priorities.

1. Some fail to receive because they ask for the wrong reasons.

James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Let us look at it out of the AMP.

2. Some fail to receive because they are earthly minded.

Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above…Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

3. Some fail to receive because they don’t put the things of God first.

Matthew 6:33 “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

When our priorities are right, God then can release unto all things.