"Joshua; Coming Back...."
Real People - TRUE Stories Part 7
TEXT: JOSHUA 7 & 8
Every once in a while God’s people find themselves sliding down the dark corridor of defeat and failure. And when they do, 1 or 2 things usually happens - they either just keep on sliding down that dark shadowy passageway AND hit rock bottom OR, they turn their defeat around and make a comeback.....(I love comeback stories - when someone is up against the ropes and suddenly turns things around).
Perhaps one of the greatest examples of comebacks in recent years has been the comeback of San Francisco Giant pitcher Dave Dravecky. During his major league career Dave pitched in the All star game, in the national league championship series and in the World Series.
In 1988 doctors removed a cancerous growth in Dave’s pitching arm, he was left with little hope for a return to baseball. But doctors and trainers would watch in awe as God and a loving family gave him the courage and grace to mount one of the most amazing comebacks, the world of sports -- and an entire generation has ever witnessed.
On August 10th, 1989, a sell out crowd watched Dave breeze to a victory over the Cincinnati Reds, in his first major league game in over a year, during the game Dave received 12 standing ovations from the crowd.
Five days later, his still mending arm was broken as he pitched to Tim Raines in the bottom of the sixth. In his own words Dave said, "my arm felt like I’d been hit with a meat axe."
When a second lump was discovered and the arm that had helped Dave Dravecky reach the pinnacle of baseball success was amputated to stem the tide of cancer, he refused to give up or lose heart. Once again his faith in God pulled him from defeat to victory as Dave has used the story of his comebacks to share the message of Jesus Christ.
The Israelites needed a comeback, and they needed it bad. Their heads were still spinning from their defeat and they could not figure out why it had happened. After all they were the favorites , they were the ones who were expected to win. They had just survived 40 years in the wilderness, they had just crossed the Jordan on dry ground as the hand of God parted the waters, they had just won a decisive victory over the league’s defending champions - the powerful fortified city of Jericho.
They had gone 3 and 0 in the last few days and were confident that they were on a roll and that no one could stop them, especially the little city of Ai about 13 miles from Jericho. So they sent up a few of their best scouts to see what kind of opponent these people would be.
The next day they faxed Joshua the scouting and it said, "these guys are not going to be much of a problem, they don’t have any big hitters, their defense is shaky, their pitching is just ‘so-so’ -- I think we can shut them out."
The Israelites went in thinking easy victory and before they knew it they found themselves running for their lives. God’s people found themselves suffering a devastating defeat at the hands of their enemies and they were not quite sure why, and they certainly didn’t find the taste of defeat, too palatable.
As God’s people today, as the church, live their lives for the Lord, as they engage the enemy - in battle, they will not always find themselves standing in the winners circle or holding the trophy. Sometimes, God’s people find themselves, devastated, defeated and running from the enemy.
And as the newly defeated hold their head down and reflect, they ask themselves many questions, " We were doing so well, we were winning so many victories, we looked unstoppable, we were the favorites, we were 10 points ahead going into the final period - how could this happen, isn’t God on our side, how could we lose?"
God’s people in our text found themselves in just this position; defeated, discouraged and hopeless.
Our goal today - is to study these chapters and learn what we as God’s people need to do to turn our defeats around, to learn how to make a Comeback.
FIRST, WE MUST UNCOVER THE SOURCE OF DEFEAT
There were really three sources, three underlying causes to the Israelites defeat at Ai. And many times these same causes bring defeat to God’s people today.
PRIDE [7:2-4]
"Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel and told them, ‘GO up and spy out the region.’ So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, ‘NOT all the people will have to go, send 2 or 3,000 men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.’ So about 3,000 men went up; BUT they were routed by the men of Ai....."
The Israelites were pumped after their last victory. I mean who wouldn’t be, they had just defeated the city of Jericho. A strong and well fortified city. They had watched the huge massive walls (2 parallel walls, 12 ft apart, outer 6 ft. inner 12 ft.) come tumbling down at their shout.
Man, the victory they had In Jericho tasted so sweet -- it felt so good that they could not wait, for the next battle - the first championship ring only wet their appetites. They were a lean, mean fighting machine and they were ready to rumble....they wanted more.
And when they saw the city of Ai, they thought to themselves, "as big and tough as we are, taking these guys out - will be a piece of cake, it will be like a ride through the park. Hey, Joshua we only need to send about 3 thousand men to handle this, AND if they leave in the morning they’ll probably be home in time for lunch."
Well we know - the rest of the story, they got their butts whopped - they over estimated their own abilities. You see, they got so caught up in the victory that they forgot about God and they began thinking that they had brought down Jericho on their own....
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:12, "SO, IF YOU THINK YOU ARE STANDING FIRM, BE CAREFUL; THAT YOU DON’T FALL."
Listen; The Israelites are not the only ones who have a problem with pride, God’s people still battle pride today. Understand; Whenever God’s people begin to have a little bit of success it is easy for them to believe that they are special and that the victories are because of their own effort and strength.
"Hey I really got it together - I’m strong nothing can stop me. They begin to walk with their head held just a little bit too high, Like Peter they say something to the effect of, "Even if everyone else deserts you. I never will........" Mt 26:33 "Even if others give in to alcohol, drugs, pornography or immorality - I never will.... God it’s really okay - I am pretty good-to-go here - why don’t you help out those weak people over there....I can handle it...."
Listen; on of the main reasons people who were at on time ON FIRE for God fall --- is because they begin to think - that they ‘really’ got it down - that they got to where they are on their own strengths... And the same thing can happen to churches... as well.
Over the past 2 years or so we have seen a lot of good things happen at CCC (attendance more than doubling, giving increasing, 76 people baptized into Christ) but let’s remind ourselves of this truth, any victory that we have is God’s, and any increase we have experienced has come from him. It is certainly not because of how great we are -- but rather how great God is!!!
MANY TIMES THE SOURCE FOR DEFEAT STEMS FROM OUR PRIDE, AND WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE ARE PRIDEFUL (IN THEM SELVES) THEY FORGET AND BEGIN TO FEEL THAT THEY DON’T NEED GOD. WHICH LEADS TO OUR SECOND SOURCE OF DEFEAT.
PRAYER LESSNESS
Now, If you notice I did not list any scripture reference for PRAYER LESSNESS in your outline, and the reason is, because they did not pray, they did not seek God’s direction.
God had given them specific instructions for the battle of Jericho and Joshua and the Israelites followed those instructions to the letter (@ least until the battle was over), and were therefore victorious.
And now, we find them going off on their own, not bothering to inquire of the Lord. Their attitude had to be one of the following, "We don’t need to ask God about this because we can do it ourselves, OR they just forgot about God all together.
I don’t know for sure, but I am reasonably confident that if Joshua and the leaders would have sought the Lord’s guidance, if they would have humbled themselves and sought direction from God before they went to battle, I believe that God in some manner would have let them know, that there were things they needed to take care of before they went off to war. And this defeat could have been avoided.
How many times have God’s people gone out and done things for their own agenda and never once inquired of God, to see if it was his will. How many decisions have been made, how many actions have been taken, without ever asking Our Lord, Savior and God >>> HIS direction.
How silly, stupid, insane, illogical, absurd, irrational and unsound to engage the enemy in battle, without keeping the lines of communication open between the troops and the commander and chief back at head quarters. To do so is a certain recipe for defeat, it is a prescription for disaster.
Question; Why would God’s people not inquire of God? many times the reason that the church, her people and her leaders do not inquire of the Lord (Oh they may say a ‘token’ "Lord if it be your will," but they don’t really mean it - and they don’t hang around long enough for a response ) the reason they don’t really ask God -- the reason YOU don’t really ask God --- is because you are afraid that God may not want you to go in the direction you desire, so you don’t ask, that way - you can do what YOU already decided in your heart to do....
Let me tell you something - I am terrified of trying to build God’s church without God --- That is why this past Thursday we kick off our Z 4:6 Prayer meeting (2 & 4th each month) AND that is why we who are ‘leaders’ at Central -- (both men & women) need to hold each other accountable for our personal relationships with God....
Listen; the foundation of HIS church must not be simply smart, talented, nice men & women - BUT RATHER men & women who love and have a real live vibrant relationship with Christ....
Many times we are defeated because we are prideful and too ‘self confident that we do not seek God’s guidance. And we go out to battle not realizing that we have left God behind somewhere at the fork of our own ‘self-seeking’ decision..., not realizing that HE is no longer fighting for us.
THE 3RD SOURCE IS BECAUSE OF DISOBEDIENCE/SIN [7:11,20,21]
"Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen things that I commanded to be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them; they have also lied and hidden the things among their belongs....Achan replied, ‘I have sinned against the Lord, the Lord, the God of Israel. For a saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, 200 silver coins and 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...."
In these verses we see the power that sin has in causing defeat for God’s people. There are 3 facts about sin that are worth noting here.
SIN CORRUPTS, THE INDIVIDUAL, THE FAMILY, THE CAMP.
The sin that Achan committed effected not only himself, but his family and the camp as a whole. When Israel went up against Ai they did not know that the anger of the Lord burned against them. Achan’s sin brought about the defeat of Israel.
This event in Joshua, really points out the seriousness of sin. Sin is not only a cancer that can consume and destroy us individually, but it will also effect our family as well. And ‘our’ sin does not stop there it spreads and effects the church.
"Don’t you realize that if even 1 person is allowed to go on sinning soon ALL will be effected..." 1 Cor 5:6
A cancer if left untreated in any part of the body WILL in time destroy the whole body.
Listen We all need to realize and understand that our own individual sins (sexual immorality, drinking, outbursts of anger, pornography,,ect have a serious effect on the church, they hurt the church, they can bring about defeat, Your sin is not just Your own business and Your own life, BECAUSE when you are a member of the body of Christ, your individual sin puts the mission of the church in jeopardy.
Question; does that scare you? It scares me?
What are you going to do about it?
SIN CAN NOT BE HIDDEN
I can just see Achan sneaking back to his tent from the battle of Jericho. He knew what he was doing was wrong (his heart was pounding - palms sweating), so he slithered around in the dark, making sure that no one saw him.
Finally he made it to his tent dug a huge hole, buried the treasure and let out a huge sigh of relief. He made it, no one saw him, his treasure was safely hidden, his sin was concealed - and no one would ever know. Or so, Achan thought.
Listen; We can not hide our sin from God, God knows all and sees all. Adam and Eve tried to hide in the bushes, after they had sinned, when they heard God coming, but they were unsuccessful and so will we be.
Now maybe we can hide our sins from each other, but we can’t hide them from God, He can see right into our tent. Question What does he see IN your tent.....
We can’t hide from God, he knows who we really are, he knows what’s in our heart, he knows what we think, he knows the real motives for the things we do.
WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE SUFFER DEFEAT AS THEY BATTLE THEIR ENEMIES, IF THEY WANT TO TURN IT AROUND THEY HAVE TO UNCOVER THE SOURCE OF DEFEAT.
SECOND THEY MUST OVERCOME THE SORROW OF DEFEAT.
DEFEAT RESULTS IN AT LEAST 2 THINGS
That we must overcome, 2 things that if left uncorrected will lead to only more defeats.
FEAR [7:4,5]
"....the men of Ai chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about 36 who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away....
It is never fun to lose. The Israelites went into battle with great confidence. But when the battle was over and their defeat was a reality "The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away....
As most of you know, live ways enjoyed watching the Rocky movies. There is a scene in Rocky 3 that illustrates well how defeat and fear go together. Rocky was riding high, he was the heavyweight champ of the world. Then he met Clubber Lang (Mr T) and he suffered a painful humiliating defeat. And As he was training for a rematch his trainer Apollo Creed was getting frustrated, it was as though Rocky was not even trying.
{And after running on the beach and quitting before the finish line, Rocky admits to his wife that he is afraid, for the first time in his life he was afraid}
No it’s never fun to lose - and when God’s people suffer defeat, IT IS UNPLEASANT, AND MANY TIMES PAINFUL, and this results in them being afraid to try again (so that they can avoid the pain).
BUT, God’s people must overcome this fear, if they are ever going to turn their defeat around.
And one of the ways we put out the fear of defeat, is to rekindle our fear of God.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." Pr 1:7
Fear God - fear nothing else --- don’t fear God fear everything else....
DISCOURAGEMENT [7:6-9]
"Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads and bowed down facing the Ark of the Lord until evening. Then Joshua cried out, ‘Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side. Lord, what am I to say, now that Israel has fled from it’s enemies? For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe us off the face of the earth..."
JOSHUA WAS A DISCOURAGED MAN. And discouraged people, especially discouraged leaders, spell trouble for God’s people.
Joshua had been a faithful servant of God for over 40 years. And this defeat brought him incredible, unbearable agony -- picture the scene in your mind maybe you’ve been there a time or 2 yourself.....
Joshua, the great leader, his clothes ripped in sorrow, laying face down before the ark of God. And he was there for many hours, until evening, pouring out his heart before the Lord. He was doubting himself, doubting the people, thinking that should not even of tried, thinking that they should have stayed on the east of the Jordan, feeling like a failure... I’m not going to try anything ever again, it is no use, it won’t work, it costs too much, takes too much time, I don’t want to fail again, so I’ll just sit back and do nothing. OR I’ll just give in to it - and sink straight down to the bottom....
LISTEN WHEN YOU ARE HANDED A DEFEAT YOU - MUST OVERCOME FEAR AND DISCOURAGEMENT, OR ELSE MORE AND MORE DEFEATS WILL COME ROLLING IN.
And you overcome BOTH fear & discouragement with God....
WE MUST ADMINISTER THE SOLUTION TO DEFEAT
As I said, defeat is never fun, at times it is down right painful. And God understands, that after a devastating set back we need to go through a grieving process.
Joshua was on his face before God for several hours. Time well spent in prayer and inner examination. But Joshua was not to stay there in despair and hopelessness. God allowed Joshua some time to work through some things but then he said to Joshua, "STAND UP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN ON YOUR FACE?"
Joshua had been thrown for quite a loop with this defeat, but the time had come for Joshua to quit swimming around in his pool of misery and stand up and brush himself off, -- it was time for him to be God’s man - time to be a leader once again.
Listen; After we have suffered defeat, it is okay to feel bad, it is okay to feel discouraged, it is okay to pour out our heart before the Lord. But is not okay to stay chained in those dungeons of despair - it’s not okay to keep swimming in the pools of misery.... After we have stood in God’s presence for a while through prayer, we need to, and we should be ready to, stand up brush ourselves off and get busy for the Lord.
That’s what Joshua did - he got up and he got busy fixing the problem... And fixing Israel’s problem involved 3 steps....
Step #1; THERE NEEDED TO BE A CONFESSION & REMOVAL OF SIN
[10-13,19-21]
Israel needed to confess that THERE was sin IN THE CAMP, AMONG THE PEOPLE, and that it was this sin that had caused the DEFEAT...
"GO, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says;...you can not stand against your enemies UNTIL you remove it....."
And not only did the people have to confess the sin, but so did Achan.
Step #2; THERE NEEDED TO BE A PUNISHMENT FOR SIN [22-26]
Sin needs to be punished, the debt must be paid, and Achan and his family were punished for their sin.
Step #3; THERE NEEDED TO BE A REDEDICATION TO GOD/HIS PLAN [CHAPTER 8]
In chapter 8 we find Joshua and the Israelites rededicating themselves to God and to God’s plan.
Israel followed God’s plan and won a resounding victory over the city of Ai. And after the victory Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal, to give honor to the one who brought home the victory, God (interestingly, scripture does not record them doing this after Jericho). And once they had built the altar, half the people stood and Mount Gerazim and half on Mount Ebal as the people renewed their commitment to God and to His Law.
OKAY SO WHAT...............?
What does this story in Joshua 7 & 8 have to do with us?
Remember what the theme verses for this sermon series says;
"Everything that was written in the past was written to TEACH us. The SCRIPTURES give us PATIENCE and ENCOURAGEMENT so that we can have HOPE." Rm 15:3
"NOW these things happened to them as examples and were written down as WARNINGS for US on whom the fulfillment of the ages has COME." 1 Co 10:11
Here is the ‘so what...’
Often times when we suffer defeat in our lives...frequently when ‘Christians’ hit bottom - undergo difficulties - find themselves knocked to their knees - like Joshua & the Israelites they need to uncover the source of their defeat.
Is it because of pride?
.Are you putting too much confidence & trust in yourself....?
Is it because of prayer lessness?
. Have you stopped hanging out with God & seeking HIS
Guidance for your life?
Is it because of some sin?
. maybe a sin hidden & concealed in your tent....
. A secret sin you think is well hidden
. You think no one sees - BUT God does....
And once we have uncovered the reason for the defeat - we like the Israelites need to administer or apply the solution to defeat...
1) We need to confess & remove -- get the sin out of the camp - it hurts more than just you...
2) We need to rededicate ourselves to God’s will, plan & purpose.....
Now, I know that you all are sharp people and that you probably are wondering why I left out step two in the 3 step process of administering the solution to defeat?
Why did I go from confess & remove the sin - to the recommitment to God’s plan & will? Why did I skip the punishment for sin part?
Listen, we as Christians have a much better deal than the Israelites. Because of Jesus Christ, the Christian need not fear punishment for sin, for as we read in Isaiah 53;
"SURELY HE TOOK UP OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED OUR SORROWS, BUT HE WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE WERE HEALED."
Circle "the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.....
How about these verses;
"You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross..." Col 2:13,14
If we are a Christian there is no punishment for us - Jesus took care of that on the cross... THAT IS...........IF WE
CONFESS OUR SINS (AND THIS DOES NOT MEAN TO SIMPLY LIST OUR SINS, THE WORD LITERALLY MEANS TO SAY THE SAME THING, IN OTHER WORDS WE ARE TO AGREE WITH GOD THAT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS IN FACT SIN, AND THAT WE WILL STRIVE TO NEVER DO IT AGAIN) AND WHEN AND ONLY WHEN, WE HAVE DONE THIS AS I JOHN 1:9 SAYS, WE ARE FORGIVEN, "IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS , HE (THAT IS GOD) IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FORM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."
AND AFTER WE HAVE DEALT WITH THE SIN, THEN WE ARE READY TO STAND UP, BRUSH OURSELVES OFF AND RECOMMIT OUR LIVES TO JESUS CHRIST. REDEDICATE OURSELVES TO GOD AND TO HIS PLAN. AND THEN WE CAN CONFIDENTLY MARCH OUT INTO BATTLE, KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOING WITH US.
TO TURN OUR DEFEATS AROUND WE NEED TO :
UNCOVER THE SOURCE OF OUR DEFEAT
OVERCOME THE SORROW OF DEFEAT
AND ADMINISTER THE SOLUTION TO DEFEAT.
Like I said at the beginning I love comebacks and one that is far greater the Dave Dravecky...He made an awesome comeback
I want to close my message with this song about Peter...
