Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.” – Joshua 8:1
Have you ever felt like you totally blew it? Maybe you experienced a failed relationship or had a major setback in your career or business? Maybe it was a moral failure or a bad choice that left you buried under difficult circumstances. Either way, experiences like these can leave us feeling defeated and discouraged.
This is exactly what happened to the Israelites as they move on to attack the town of Ai. Flush with the victory at Jericho they didn’t realize that pride and greed had crept into their camp. They got lax in holding each other accountable, allowing a man named Achan to take what belonged to God for himself. In their pride, they also didn’t think they needed God’s help or the whole army to win, so they only sent a minimal force. The result? Humiliating and demoralizing defeat. 36 people died and everyone’s heart melted with fear. But God, through Joshua, reassures them defeat isn’t the end of the story! He leads them to confront the sin, repent and renew their humble trust in God. Joshua then leads them into victory once more. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14)
If you or someone you know is discouraged and feeling defeated, start by asking Jesus to reveal any hidden sin, confess it to him and ask Him to lead you back into a victorious life.
Have you ever felt like you totally blew it? Maybe you experienced a failed relationship or had a major setback in your career or business? Maybe it was a moral failure or a bad choice that left you buried under difficult circumstances. Either way, experiences like these can leave us feeling defeated and discouraged.
This is exactly what happened to the Israelites as they move on to attack the town of Ai. Flush with the victory at Jericho they didn’t realize that pride and greed had crept into their camp. They got lax in holding each other accountable, allowing a man named Achan to take what belonged to God for himself. In their pride, they also didn’t think they needed God’s help or the whole army to win, so they only sent a minimal force. The result? Humiliating and demoralizing defeat. 36 people died and everyone’s heart melted with fear. But God, through Joshua, reassures them defeat isn’t the end of the story! He leads them to confront the sin, repent and renew their humble trust in God. Joshua then leads them into victory once more. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14)
If you or someone you know is discouraged and feeling defeated, start by asking Jesus to reveal any hidden sin, confess it to him and ask Him to lead you back into a victorious life.
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