Joshua 1:1-9; 10-11:16-23

God is in the process of waging war on evil.

It is not a matter of whose side God is on, but who is on God’s side.

It is important that we bring ourselves into conformity with God’s will, instead of trying to bring God into conformity with our will.

It is one thing to conquer the enemy, but itis another thing to hold what you conquer.

It is one thing to gain victories, but another to retain victories.

I. BATTLES TEACH US TO COMPLETELY FOLLOW-THROUGH

SO WE CAN ENJOY THE VICTORIES IN OUR LIVES

Human nature says…“It will go away.”

Someone else will take care of it.”“It will not become any worse than it already is.”

A. WE NEED TO LEARN TO FOLLOW-THROUGH WITH THE PLANS GOD HAS GIVEN TO US

It was Joshua’s responsibility to take Israel through the Jordan River and into Canaan.

God commissioned Joshua to be faithful to His law, and he would prosper him

Joshua leads a sneak attack aided by darkness.

Five kings encamped against Gibeon fled in panic becauseof being pursued by the Israelites and the hailstones.

To save themselves they hid in a cave and Joshua ordered that stones be rolled against the mouth of the cave.

WE ARE IN AN ONGOING STRUGGLE

When we are on God’s side we are engaged in ongoing warfare.

The greater extent to which you and I are on God’s side, the greater the struggle will be.

The more on God’s side we are on, the greater Satan hates us.

Joshua gives the orders to “…put your feet on the necks of these kings.” v.24

In v.25 he tells them “not to be afraid or dismayed, be strong and of good courage; for the Lord will do to

all your enemies against whom you fight.”

THE ENEMY WAS CONQUERED

Joshua severed the heads of the kings as proof he had conquered the enemy and hung them on trees.

Victory entails putting to death the enemy.

Joshua carried out God’s plan to completion to be sure his enemy would never return again.

Battles are a test of our obedience to do it God’s way.

B. WE NEED TO LEARN TO FOLLOW-THROUGH WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REST GOD HAS

GIVEN US TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY

Where there is vision, there is provision.

Gilgal was the home place where Joshua had set up those twelve stones of memory after the crossing of the

Jordan River and the defeat and victory at Ai.

In the middle of our battles God gives us a place of rest, a place to be alone privately. It is a community and a sanctuary

where people gather to be safe from the enemy.

As the conquest was carried out each individual tribe could have spun off when their land was captured, but instead they stayed together. They went back to Gilgal and unselfishly had

a strategy to conquer their enemy.

WE CAN’T SURVIVE WITHOUT OUR GILGAL

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II. BATTLES TEACH US COMMITMENT TO GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES

Joshua went into battle after battle defeating the enemy.

Joshua failed to follow-through all the way to total victory.

“The classroom of one generation becomes the philosophy of the next generation.”

A. WE LEARN FROM THE PLACE OF DEFEATJudges 14-16

SAMSON THE STRONGEST MAN TO EVER LIVE

Slew 1,000 Philistines with a bleached jawbone

Ripped a lion in pieces

Caught 300 foxes and tied their tails together and set the field on fire

Ripped the gates down of the walled city Gaza and took the post and iron bars and

carried the gates 20 miles away up a mountain

SAMSON WENT FROM VICTOR TO VICTIM

Samson met his match in the life of Delilah in Gaza

he had several warnings preceding his defeat.

Sin will blind you (Judges 16:21)Sin will bury you (Judges 16:22-31)

Samson failed to master himself while he was endeavoring to master others.

B. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PLACE OF DEFIANCEI Samuel 17

DAVID AND GOLIATH

Goliath was raised in Gath, a city that Joshua failed to completely conquer during his lifetime.

A small militia could have defeated Gath, but Joshua succeeding generations were content to allow the enemy to

live within their boundaries and the entire Israelite army coward before one man, Goliath.

David began to lead the nation into victory.

Goliath fought with man’s weapons, words and wisdom.

David fought with dependence, determination, and for deliverance.

C. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE PLACE OF DEFILEMENTI Samuel 4-5:2

God will not work in second place.

Israel made a false assumption. (v.v. 3-9)

They believed they could live any way they desired and God would deliver them.

Israel lost their most sacred object, the Ark of the Covenant.

A false assumption led to a fatal affliction. (v.v. 10-18)

This affliction affected Israel’s people, provision, and priests. (v.v. 10-18)

“Sin will take us further than we want to go, cost us more than we want to pay, and will stay longer than we want it to stay.”

A FATAL AFFLICTION BROUGHT A FIERCE ABOMINATION

I Samuel 4:19-5:2

God’s anointing departs and the ark is defamed.

This is the lowest time in Israel’s history

God called them to change their world, but they had chosen to allow their world to change them.

The law of sowing and reaping applies to all areas of our lives.

Israel was to sow and reap for six years and on the seventh year leave the land alone. However they sowed

and reaped on the land for 490 years in a row.70 times they disobeyed God’s command.

When Israel was taken into captivity for 70 years.

“I SAW THE LORD”Ann Graham Lotz

“Hurricane Katrina was a resounding wake-up call, not just to New Orleans and the Gulf coast, but to this entire nation. Wake up

America! Disaster can strike at any moment! Your unprecedented prosperity, your advanced technology, your shock-and-awe military

do not guarantee you immunity from death, disease, despair, and sudden devastation. God’s past blessings do not mean that He will keep you safe at the present or in the future. Your hope is not in the local, state or federal government. Your hope is in the Lord alone.

With all your know-how and your go-to-it innovative, creative ideas, you cannot predict the future or secure your future. God holds your

future, and you need to get right with Him.”

Joshua has given us a lesson of God’s plans andhis provision in the middle of our battles.

Joshua teaches us how easy it is to forget that God has given us the victory.

We need to learn from the place of defeat, look at the place of defiance, and listen to the place of

defilement.