The Hivite Spirit

Text: Joshua 9:1-23

Intro: Who Were the Hivites? Here in Joshua 9:1–23 “And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusites. These armies begin to march onto the battlefield outside of Lebaanon. Their arrival was annouced with the thunderous roar of horses pounding the ground

But the Hivites had Heard about the Victories that God had given Israel at Ai and Jericho. Instead of trying to attack they sent ambassadors to try to make a covenant with Joshua.

Begin to say

King James Version Chapter 9

8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

Notice How the enemy will want you to compromise with him? It has been said satans offer of compromise should be feared more than his attacks.. Think about the enemys offer

A- Pharoah telling Moses to go but leave the Children

B- satan offering Jesus the world to bow down to him

c- Today the enemy is still offering that same compromise

But yet the enemy compromise turns out to be a lie

King James Version Chapter 9

And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. 11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us. 12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Joshua would fall for this lie and agreed to be their ally.. Joshua fell to seek the Lord , And as you would see Joshua was forbidden to touch these or kill them because of the covenant that was made.. They could not harm them but they did enslave them.

This Morning I want to tell you that there is a Hivite Spirit that is running around in the body of Christ,

I That Hivite Spirit makes one want to look to the World for answers than to God

King James Version Chapter 2

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We are in this world but not of this world. To look to world for answers is that Spirit of the Hivites,

As believers God’s plans for ones life starts with dependence on him After all scripture tells us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

But many have sold out to the Hivite Spirit, Many have sold their souls for fame, fortune, popularity, they sold out to be successful in this world.. But yet have denied

The goverment of God and that is one of servitude, denying self, and taking up our cross to follow Christ and has forgotten that Christ will exalt us in his time, But we must do things his ways.

Think about it many have Sold out for that which they want

A Listen there is an saying everyone has a price. Well this is not true for everyone.. But many are and have sold out

1- Esau sold his birthright for a pottage of soup

2- Judas Sold out for 30 pieces of Silver

3- Demas forsook Paul because he loved this present world

4-How man have sold out for fame and fortune and power today.

Here is the truth of the matter if you have a price satan will meet it

In his Book Get up and Get blessed Bryan Cutshall tells of a story a hollywood producer produced a film called Indecent proposal in which a handsome millionare offers a young couple 1 million to spend a night with the mans wife. Upon the film’s release talk show hosts were asking the question Are you for sale?

The consensus was that most people are not for sale when the price is low. However the higher the price gets the more they are inclined to think about it and perhaps accept any type of offer.

The question is Do you have a price at which you will forsake God? Its easy to say no until the offer is made

Today the Body of Christ needs to stand up and say I am not for sale.

I am not compromising for the sake of fitting in

I am not looking to the world for success, I am not taking a shortcut, I am going to keep on marching on for the Lord.. No matter what

II-The Hivite Spirit may seem good, But Their is a other side to it as well

A-This is what I call a get Rich quick scheme— Every heard of this or maybe tried something as well.. There is an ol saying if it seems to go to be true than its proberly not true

Well think about Scammers who offer something that seems great- But the only one they looking out for is themselves, how many have lost money or houses because of bad investments. Listen let me help you their is no short cut to success without work..

The Hivites did not come to be their friend they came to destroy .

The enemy does not come for your best interest- But to steal kill and to destroy

The Bible tells us their is pleasure in Sin, but last only a season

That is what some dont see is the other side to the picture, The enemy may give you something or make it seem like he is, But what happens in return.

If you are not Carefully you will find yourself in the place like Dinah

Genesis 34 We see the daughter of Jacob being violated by a Hivite, She went off on her own -not the ususally behavior of a married women That where she met Shechem the Prince of the Hivites

The Bible also says in verse two that the Hivite Violtated her

1-She paid the consequences for her actions she suffered the fate

a-She may have been taken against her will but yet with the claims of affection

2- Lesson one cannot flirt with Sin

1-Sin and the things of this world will take you futher than one imagines

2-satan promises the world but leaves many left stripped and half dead..

So we got to understand the things of this world may be pleasant to the eye and appeal to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life but the end results it keeps one from the blessing s of God and his promises,

III So how does one defeat the Hivite Spirit

A- Do What Israel failed to do , And what was that? It is Simple Seek the Lord

Joshua 9:14 “And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.”

Twice lets see Israel failed to seek the Lord under Joshua, First at AI where Israel trusted their own strength and did not seek the Lord and was defeated by the tiny nation. And at Gibeon she trusted her own wisdom and strength and did not pray and was defeated.

Today I remind you satan can only decieve those christians when we take mangement into our own hands instead of consulting the Lord

1 Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually.”

Psalm 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.”

As one seeks the Lord one begins to stay focused on the Lord and not of the things of this world

As you seek the Lord the things of the world dont see apetizing

As you seek the Lord one will be led of the Lord and he will give you direction.

As you seek the Lord one will begin to surrender your will to his will and think about what Scripture says

James 4:7–10 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Conclusion: Listen the Hivite come trying to make an allegance with you.. But they are out to destroy, Light can not have fellowship with darkness one cannot help the Hivites from coming but dont take them in