Internally

Introspection

Introspection is the examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes. It is a space of self reflection and evaluation of one’s situation and how it is being mentally and emotionally evaluated.

How are we processing our circumstances and the issues that are taking place in our lives? When adversity arises, what is our response? Who or what is your go to in the presence of a disruption?

Set the stage

Joshua and the COI are fresh off of their Jericho conquest and are now in the land of Canaan, continuing on their conquest journey that they were promised. They have arrived to the city of Ai which in comparison to the size of the Israelites has a small population. When receiving the scouting report from his spies, Joshua is only advised to send 3,000 of his soldiers, practically assuring victory for his camp.

(We assume that some ventures do not need our full effort because they appear to be small or unimportant victories. Everything that God has promised us requires a 100% effort on our part to see it come to pass how he desires it to)

While in battle the Israelites lost 36 out 3000 soldiers and turned and ran from the armies of the citizens of Ai.

They declared themselves losers after losing 1.2% of their asserted force. (When you give little effort, suffering a small loss feels like a major loss. Luke 12:48)

Luke 12:48 (KJV 1900)

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

They ran from their enemies rather than stay in the fight until they turned the tables. (running when things get hard)

The Text

Joshua 7:6–9 (KJV 1900)

And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

Take it to God!

After the COI counted up their losses, Joshua falls down before God and asks if it was God’s wish that they were to be defeated after being victorious? In the face of his 1st sense of adversity while in leadership, Joshua picks up the same complaints that his forefathers had while in the wilderness.

(Exodus 14:11–12 “And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.”) Paraphrase

Be careful not to bring your generational behaviors (traumas, dramas, and vices) into your current situations; yesterdays complaints and not fuel today’s fears of uncertainty.

Along with his very familiar statement about God bringing them there to die he adds, that his enemies will hear of his defeat and rally together against him and once they do that, what will they then say about God! These 2 statements are moving in 2 different directions

Why is he so concerned with what his enemies are going to think of him in his low state?

Your enemies really don’t desire to see you taken out they just want to see you lower than you ought to be. (John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” )

Steal your joy

Kill Your connection to God

destroy your purpose

This is the statement that unbeknownst to him is faith initiated.

God had already promised to never leave nor forsake Joshua ( Joshua 1:5 “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” )

He exercised his rights as a child of God

Maximize Your Effort

In Spiritual Preparation

Praying before we engage (Invite God in) Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

Gaining Godly knowledge/understanding of what we are engaging in (Gain his words about your situation) Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

In Mental Preparation

Processing our emotional state (How do you feel about it?)

Gaining all possible knowledge of the situation and knowing our history in similar instances (Have you been here before? Can you do it differently this time)

In Practical Application

Intertwining the spiritual preparation with our mental preparation and responding accordingly (Surrendering God’s will to your own and doing it his way) Philippians 4:6–9 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”