Joshua 9 | Overcoming the Giant of Self-reliance

Do you know how many choices did you make this week? Do you know how many choice will you make today?

One researcher surveyed 2,000 Americans and found out that a person makes an average of 70 decisions on a typical day.

That means we make a decision, on average, four times every waking hour, or about once every 15 minutes.

Some decisions are simple others are more complicated, but all decisions have consequences.

What if I gave you a tool that would transform the way you take decisions?

It’s a question you would need to ask everyday

Here’s why this is important:

It is said, that in life you’ll find yourself in one of these two places: you are thinking about making a choice, or making a choice.

Choices are all around us (simple & complex).

Our passage for today can be summarized with one verse:

Joshua 9:14 “14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.”

Big yikes!

This passage demonstrates what happens when we don’t take the time to ask counsel from the Lord?

It was not that Joshua and the elders were sloppy in their investigation but that they were alone in their decision. It wasn’t that they didn’t think but that they didn’t pray. Dale Ralph Davis

Before we go hard on Joshua or start laughing at him (the story is funny), it would helpful to remember Joshua’s choice reveals the same heart issue we all have: we are prone to be independent

If the giants of unbelief, fear, misplaced priorities and sin cannot batter the front door, the giant of self-reliance will knock on the backdoor disguised as a helpful friend.

Joshua learns a painful lesson when he neglected to ask an important question, “have you prayed about it?”

*He probably went to Hobby Lobby afterwards to get one of these.

Let’s look at the Giant of Self-Reliance

The Giant of Self-reliance

Views prayer as a last resort.

The Israelites failed to take the time to ask God for his advice.

“This is a no brainer.” The Israelites saw the “evidence.”

Why bother God but simply rely on you own logic, common sense and wisdom.

Deceives you into believing that the matter is clear and everything is under control.

The Israelites saw their provision.

They even knew the word of God. Exodus 23:32–33 “32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.””

Encourages you to make hasty decisions

Proverbs 19:2–3 (NLT)

2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.

3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.

Watch out for a hasty heart.

Uses deception and disguise

The people of Israel fell for the trick. Like a movie where the spy takes the mask off and reveals his true identity.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

Avoid: Mediums, palm reading, horoscope and necromancers just to name a few.

Be on guard against the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11 “11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Employs flattery

We are your servants (vv. 8, 9)

Your God is amazing (vv. 9,10)

Distorts the Word of God by using half truths.

How to overcome the Giant of Self-reliance

Cultive an attitude of humility and dependency on the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5–7 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

Make the Word and prayer central to your life

Start your day meeting with God.

End your day meeting with God

Expectant Prayer: We believe that God hears and answers our prayers and we are confident that God is always working on our behalf, for His glory.

Don’t hesitate to ask for wisdom from your generous Father

James 1:5 “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Seek godly wisdom

Don’t look for the answer you want to hear. Look for the answer you need to hear.

Proverbs 11:14 “14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

Other people will help you consider other points of view based on their knowledge of Scripture and life experience.

Humans are fallible, therefore seek godly wisdom from multiple people.

Prayerfully wait on the Lord.

This is often times called “active rest.”

Trust in God and make a decision.

At some point:

You need to ask her out

You need to propose to her

You need to send the resume out

You need to say yes or no to the job offer

You need to pick a church where you’ll serve.

The decision to not make a decision is also decision. Don’t make passivity an excuse.

The Giant of Self-Reliance wants to poison you with the belief that you can handle life on your own logic and wisdom. Prayer is the antidote to self-dependence.

Conclusion: Moving forward after failure.

Trust in the sovereignty of God.

God used the Gibeonites for his glory.

Joshua 9:27 “27 But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.”

The Gibeon was the place where the glory of God was display when the sun stood still in Joshua 10.

The Gibeonites later helped rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after the exile (Neh 3:7)

Quotes, "Never think that you have so much to do that you have not much time for prayer. An hour’s work done in the quiet, secret power of the Spirit is worth more than a day of your own efforts. Keep the roots watered." (Charles Ebert Orr)

"Prayer is a very hard thing to do because it seems like we aren’t doing anything. But it’s also hard because it’s a humble act. We must humble ourselves before God’s mighty hand regularly and cast our cares on Him." (Tony Merida)

"Most Christians expect little from God, ask little, and therefore receive little, and are content with little." (A.W. Pink)

"Learning to pray doesn't offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart." (Paul Miller)

"There is a lot you can do to make a difference after you have prayed. But there is really nothing you can do to make a difference until you have prayed." (H.B. Charles Jr.)

"Prayer is the antithesis of self-dependence." (Michael Reeves)

"Every prayer is a rebuttal to the “look within” logic of our age. To pray is to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers in ourselves. We don’t have sufficient wisdom to make complex decisions." (Brett McCracken)

“Nothing is too great and nothing is too small to commit into the hands of the Lord." (A.W. Pink)