Experiencing the victory of Jesus

Context of last few weeks. contrast - People - with God they were able to walk into inpenetrable fortress of Jericho without so much as lifting a finger to fight, but without him they couldnt even take a small town.

Joshua 8:1–2 NIV

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. You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

Much needed encouragement after defeat of Ai and discovery of Achan sin. God has not abandoned them.

But what is most clear is what writer records he serves key purpose - that people may praise God. He is the one that has delivered Ai. Nothing will get in the way of God’s purposes, but in his sovereignty work out to achieve them.

The Israelites previous defeat, their fleeing became the mechanism for the victory the second time round - Ai rushed out to defeat them, but only brought about their own destruction. Victory belongs to the LORD, Glory will always be his.

With truth must pause to address question, will we join him in that victory or be on otherside of that victory facing his judgement.

joshua 8:22-26

repeated theme in Joshua. There can be no victory when you go up against God - only judgement.

We have all been deeply saddenend by war in Ukraine. The injustice and oppression and madness of it all, the tragic loss of life. It’s right that injustice and war bothers us.

But what we see in Joshua 8, and will continue to see ramped up throughout, and will come back to is not an unjust war. It’s not a long standing grudge without cause or madness or power play. What we see is the eternal creator God acting in reasoned and rigtheous anger towards those who have rebelled against him, and continue to rebel against him living in sin. And the brtuality of what we reading in the judgement of verses… is a pail shadow of the reality of hell - which we all deserve, and which outside of divine rescue we are bound for.

Perhaps hard to hear. Return to this. But mayne need to hear this mornig. Comes abck to seriousness of sin - its serious because its against an infinately and holy God, who made us to worship him and deserves all the glory. And he will not let sin go unpunished. justice must be done.

So how can we be on the side of victory. Well we method. They way in which he brings about victory is by the obedience of an appointed leader.

Hinge of passage is verse 18

Joshua 8:18 NIV

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand.

Writer is careful in repetition to make clear specific obedience of Joshua in stretching out his hand - and this being the hinge, on which victory closes in.

Repeating occurance of outstretched hand securing victory.

Started back in Exodus with God saying that he will stretch out his hand against Pharoah and deliver his people. >> Moses stretch out hand hold staff to perform miracles, part waters and later defeat Amalek.

Joshua with outstretched hand delivers not just a signal to the ambush but the symbol of God’s hand stretched out in power on his peoples behalf.

And its as Israel trust in God’s appointed leader that they experience the victory that he secures for them.

SLOW

Where do we see the culmination of this, but in the outstretched hands of Jesus.

Who stretched them out in life to show power over ...

who stretched them out in perfect obedience on a Roman cross -

Where he took on our sin, faced Satans accusations and the Fathers wrath, but through his innosence securing victory one and for all over Satan, sin and death, demonstrated in his ressurection from the dead, and recieved through faith in him.

Heart of Christian faith is that we deserve God’s judgement - to be crushed under the weight of our sin - under Satans accuastion, but that in Jesus God has offered us victory - secured by him and through faith in him, and experienced only in relationship with him.

No victory over sin, or power to overcome sin, or freedom from sin outside the death and ressurection of Jesus experineced through being united to him through faith and recieving his Spirit. If it was down to the Israelites book of Joshua stops at chapter 7. Without Jesus we are stuck in our sin and in our rebellion, but victory is the LORD’s through the obedience of his chosen Messiah, only Son LORD Jesus.

Three implications from this reality in this passage about how we experience victory in Jesus.

Rely on His power

We need to believe that our only hope of change is in power of the ressurection experienced by Spirit.

We live in a DIY world. World that urges us to look to our own abilities and resources, and as Christians how easily we fall into same mindset about our Christian walk. Jesus has done main bit, not up to me to do the rest.

We make godliness intellecutal exercise - if I know more stuff, then I will be better

Or a dsicpline exercise - if I stop this or do that

Or a particiaption - if I go to more things

All of these are important - but can’t bring victory. Can’t make us Holy, can’t in an of themselves bring change thats needed - change of desire - heart.

Only comes through continually recognising that we are completely depending on victory of Jesus, power of Jesus, blood of Jesus, and Spirit of Jesus.

illustration - stick of rock, same word all the way through. Christian life. Victory of Jesus heart, from beginging to end.

Way we enter Christian life is only way we continue - dependence on Jesus.

But this should bring great reassurance, because it means shadow of sin or failure need not sit upon us. Becuase it’s not about what I did yesterday or failed to do today, but what Jesus has done at the Cross and what he promises to do

Philippians 1:6 NIV

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

because same Spirit that raised Jesus from dead now lives in us.

Because just as Joshua is amoungst his people in the battle v9 - right in the action, did you notice - so Jesus is with us - to the very end of the age. So what are we to do. Depend on him completely keeping in step with the Spirit.

Like a little girl who loves to stand on her fathers toes to go with his every movement.

It’s not something we do in our own strenght but nor is Christian life a passive thing.

Be procative in His call

In passage we see clear Sovereignty of God - victory is his - laid out before hand. And yet writer gives us great detail of Joshua’s battle plan.

people of Israel don’t respond to God’s promise of victory by going for nap and waiting King of Ai to surrender. In obedience they rise up and take action.

I sometimes wonder if what gets in the way of us growing in Christian life is because we’ve tried before in our own strength and experienced failure, and have given up. Spiritually lazy. If God wants me to change he will make it happen.

Dependence is not the same inactivity.

Just read new testament at amount of commands we are given. Colossians 3 we are told to put to death the old self and put on the new. Kill sin.

James 4:7 NIV

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

What do the Israelites do they learn from their defeat that they use it against the enemy.

Maybe find bible reading hard because find we are tired reading at night and fall asleep - read it in the morning.

Maybe the content of certain movies, or trash tv, or social media causes problems in relation to lust and leads to further temptatin. Then don’t watch them.

Maybe late nights and not enough sleep leave us grumpy and easily agitate so we arent able to control our temper of speech. Then go bed earlier.

Can all think of areas of own life where struggle with sin, or aren’t growing as we hope, and tempting just to hope that one day we’ll change, but we are called to be proactive in power of the Spirit. And ask each other for help along the way.

illustration -

rut in reading bible finding reading bible. change of routine had made previous time hard, and reading plan I was following was working for me. leaving my relationship with God dry and distant. Wanted to grow - but wasn’t doing anything about it - until someone said why don’t you just move your quiet time and try a different reading plan. Simple. Still need God to give me hunger for his word and discipline when I don’t feel like it, but also to be proactive in obedience

Dedication is part of that - Our children’s salvation lies in hands of the LORD. only by power of his Spirit can he bring them into right relationship. Yet no to be passive, but actively teaching them way of the Lord. Bringing them up in the grace of God, trusting that God will bring them to repentance and faith.

Obedience is faithfueled, Spirit led, proactive decision to follow Jesu into victory. It’s an proactive process of killing sin in our lives and walking in step with the Spirit, trusting that in his power. Christian life is spiritual warfare in which we are to put on the armour of God Ephesians 6, and put to death our earthly nature.

And we will only experience victory as in dependence on him we fight day by day.

Ad you do - you will experience his generousity

Enjoy His generousity

Joshua 8:1–2 NIV

Difference between victory and Jericho and that at Ai - told to keep the plunder. This wasn’t God deciding that it was just to tempting - it was always God promise to bless his people. History since Abraham is that God’s people trust him, he not only provides for all they need, but gives to them generously.

Tragic about Achans sin was that he didnt need to fdo it. He stole what God had promised to give to his peopel. Just had to wait until Ai.

Glorious news of the gospel is that victory over Satan and sin and death has already been won at the cross, and that we can experience that victory in our lives as we actively depend on Jesus. ANd God is so generous that not only does he provide the victory but he also offers us the spoils We get to share in Jesus inheritance in everlasting Kingdom, and now we can experience every Spiritual blessing in Christ. Assurance, securtity, peace, love, approval, hope, endurance.

Jesus said he came that we might have life and life to the full. life in abundance. All experineced and enjoyed as we live lives not in the shadow of sin, but under the radiant Glory of the victory of Jesus. Won at the cross and demonstrated in the ressurection. So let us not let ourselves struggle on in disbelief, but instead let us have great expectation and confidence as we actively depend and trust in the Victory of Jesus.

strive to live for him with all our energy but dependent on His Spirit to give victory.

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