What happens when we fail?

Introduction

The Curse

Defeat lingers right behind victory when we don’t keep close to God.

We just talked about the amazing victory that Israel had at Jericho because of their obedience to God and His great power. Then chapter 7 starts with “But”. This is here to drive home an important truth - the reality of the threat of defeat is always lurking after victory! A believer is never in greater danger of a fall than after a victory. (REPEAT) It’s so easy to drop our guard and begin to trust in ourselves or in our PAST victories rather than the Lord. One victory never guarantees the next. The way Israel accomplished victory was through God Himself, and that’s always true for Israel and for US.

Sin doesn’t just affect you

Example: When a player messes up in practice the whole team runs. When someone messes up in an orchestra it affects the sound of the whole group.

God viewed the nation of Israel as a unit. What one did was viewed as a sin for the whole nation. As a warning for the church, it shows us we cannot progress and move forward for the Lord with known sin in our lives because it indicates rebellion against the Lord’s direction and control.

Achan’s name is a play on the word Akor which means “trouble”. Achan had brought trouble on the whole nation of Israel. Israel was defeated by Ai and lost 36 men because of the sin of Achan.

The Cause

Overconfidence

They had an attitude of overconfidence going into their fight with Ai. The people thought like this: Since we did so well at Jericho, we don’t need to worry about a small place like Ai. They sent spies and they reduced the size of their army. But they didn’t do the work at Jericho; God did. The people did what God asked them to do and God won the victory for them. So...

Joshua didn’t consult with the Lord like he did before the battle of Jericho. Joshua spoke with the Lord before going to Jericho, but he didn’t before Ai. This is big: The defeat of Israel at Ai described here is the only defeat recorded in Joshua and the only report of Jews killed in battle. If he would’ve spoken with God before going up to Ai he would’ve been told of the sin that was in the camp that caused them to lose men! Don’t stand on your own strength, depending on yourself and not God. What does that look like?

BIG ONE: The lack of prayer in your own life. Prayer equals dependence on God. The simple fact is the things you bring to God in prayer are the things you really trust the Lord with and the things you don’t are the things you’re trying to do on your own power.

We take the Lord for granted because we get ahead of God

What should you do? Slow down and get alone with God. Joshua failed to take time to get alone with the Lord. Don’t be like Joshua here in this passage. Take time to get alone with God. Follow the example of Jesus. Whenever he wanted to get alone by himself it was always for the purpose of spending time with the Father in prayer.

Disobedience

Sin is a big deal to God because God is HOLY

“And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel” God is holy and He must judge sin. God cannot be in the presence of sin and

The Cure

Confession

Correction

Land the Plane

God sees it all.