Dealing With Defeat Lesson 2 Series

A. ONE MAN’S SIN DEFEATED MANY: JOSHUA 7, 8

1. One person’s sin leads to total defeat (7:1-11). Not his influence on godly people, but his influence on God.

2. One private sin hurts you and others. “The men of Ai smote (Israel) them” (7:5).

3. Private sin begins with what you see. “I saw a beautiful robe . . . 200 silver coins . . . and a bar of gold” (7:21, LB).

4. Private sin steals from God. “Do not take any loot . . . must be brought into His (God’s) treasury” (6:18-19, LB).

a. Don’t eye sinful things for yourself.

b. Don’t steal what must be given to God.

5. Be careful of getting God mad. “The anger of the Lord was kindled” (7:1).

6. Other people get hurt from your sin. “About 36 of the Israelis were killed . . . while being chased by the men of Ai” (7:5, LB).

7. We hid the results of our sin close to us. “They are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent” (7:21).

B. WE OPEN OURSELVES TO DANGER

1. By being over confident in ourselves. “It won’t take more than two or three thousand of us to destroy it” (7:3, LB).

2. By under estimating our enemy. “It is a small town” (7:3).

3. By giving less than our total effort to God’s work. “There’s no point in all of us to go” (7:3, LB).

4. By not praying and seeking God’s plan. No prayer until defeat comes.

5. By not using the Ark of the Covent, i.e., God’s presence. Evident in defeating Jericho.

6. When we blame God. “Why have You brought us over the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us?” (7:7, LB).

7. When we give up on God’s command to conquer. “Why weren’t we content with what we had? Why didn’t we stay on the other side?” (7:7, LB).

8. When we worry about our reputation. “When the Canaanites and all the other people . . . hear about it” (7:9, LB).

9. When we lose God’s presence. “Neither will I be with you anymore” (7:12).

C. VICTORY COMES

1. Not from more prayer, but from obedient action. “Get up off your face?” (7:10, LB).

2. When we deal with the sin issue. “Israel has sinned and they have transgressed My covenant” (7:11).

3. All must purify themselves. The godly must get right with God before God deals with His sinning children. “Get up, sanctify (purify) the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow’” (7:13).

4. Use biblical methods to determine sin. “You must present yourselves by tribes . . . by clans . . . by families . . . by one” (7:14, LB). God answers by Urim and Thummin.

How to Spot Sin

Ignoring God’s Word

Not obeying God’s commands

Disobeying a direct command from God

Un-Christian attitude

Absenting self from public worship, teaching, prayers etc.

Entertaining immoral thoughts

Not reading, studying and living the Bible

Not praying

Feeding off fellowship with immoral people

5. We must put to death any offending sin. “All Israel stoned him with stones” (7:25). “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24). “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).

6. Dedicate your total energies to victory. “Joshua arose and all the people of war” (8:3).

7. Count on God’s promise of victory. “I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land” (8:1).

8. Eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive. “Don’t be afraid or discouraged” (8:1, LB).

9. Use common sense. “Lay an ambush for the city behind it” (8:2).

10. Realize your reward in victory. “Only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take . . . unto yourselves” (8:2).

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.