Principals For Victory Series

Chapter 1 The Call

(God commissions Joshua and commands him to prepare for battle)

There are three things we need from God in order to have a successful Christian life: the promise of God, the presence of God (vs 5) and the pronouncement, or Word of God (vs 8).

There are two things God brings about in us for the victory: strength and courage. If you have strength but not courage you will do nothing, if you have courage without strength you can do nothing.

1:3 "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you."

1:5 "I will not leave you nor forsake you"

1:9 "Be strong and very courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Chapter 2 The Mission & The Mark of the Missionary

(The spies go to Jericho and encounter Rehab, who helps them and marks herself for God)

Make your stand that you belong to God (scarlet cord)

Find allies and ascertain the attitude of the enemy

Realize your weakness, and throw yourself on God’s mercy to obtain victory

Chapters 3 - 4 The Commitment To The Mission

(Crossing the Jordan on a one way trip into battle)

God gives us a task but not necessarily how to accomplish it after we step out

Obey God, commit yourself to the journey - set foot into the Jordan, no turning back

Chapter 5 Cutting Away the Flesh

(The circumcision and celebration of the Passover)

Crucify the flesh - consider it dead and 2) walk in the Spirit - enjoying sweet fellowship with God all the time.

Grow in maturity by eating the meat of God’s Word.

Use God’s weapons, not yours

5:13 "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come."

Chapter 6 Grand Victories

(The victory over Jericho)

Destroy the world’s hold on your life

6:16 "Shout, for the Lord has given you the city."

Chapter 7 Getting Tripped Up by the Flesh

(Achan "saw" then "coveted", Israel gets defeated at Ai)

Be transparent to God about your weaknesses and let him burn the flesh and temptation out of you

7:10 "The Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned … therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies" (Ai)

Chapter 8 Your Mistakes, God’s Victories

(Ai falls, partly because the men of Ai think everything is as it was before)

Don’t give up when you make mistakes, but let God move through them

Chapter 9 The Sideways Attack

(Gibeon fakes out Joshua and the leaders into making a treaty with them)

Watch out for the deceptions of the enemy

Keep your promises to God even if it makes you look foolish

9:12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as food for our journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly" (the Gibeonites)

Chapter 10 Getting goaded into Action

(The nations band together to attack Gibeon and Israel gets a great victory - sun stands still)

Let God use your mistakes to win victory

God goes before you and is with you in battle

10:10-11 And the Lord threw them into a panic … the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them … there were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

Chapter 11 The Enemy’s Hail Mary Play

(Nations in the north comes like the sand on the seashore, but the victory is even easier for Israel)

God makes you ready to face your greatest fear (even the Anakim)

11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon.

Chapters 12 - 13 Fighting Remnants

(Kings destroyed but not their cities, like Jerusalem [12:10])

Watch out for the remnants

Let God decide what area you get in ministry and your walk

Who is your inheritance, really? Be satisfied like the Levites with God.

Joshua 11:23 "So Joshua took the whole land" but then here in 13:1 "There remains yet very much land to possess"

Chapters 14 - 15 In It for the Long Haul

(Caleb gets his inheritance, which happens to be the toughest place to win)

Be like Caleb: sincere faith, great patience, in it for the long haul, willing to take on the tough battles

14:7 "I brought him word again as it was in my heart" (Caleb) "yet I wholly followed the Lord my God."

Chapters 16 - 19 Winning or Whining?