Why Life Is More Than A Battle

Why Life Is More Than Battle

Joshua 10:16 - 12

As we have witnessed in the previous chapter, the victorious results from the battle was all due to Joshua and Israel being on GOD’S SIDE. Joshua found that allow themselves to be conformed to God’s will, they then had God’s supernatural resources at their disposal. It is only when we are on God’s side can he fight for us instead of against us!

Remember what is promised to us when we live on God’s side: 1) We face opposition; 2) God’s covenant is still for us; 3) We have supernatural recourses.

Through the rest of chapter 10 and on into chapters 11 and 12, Joshua completes the major part of the conquest. The defeat of Adoni-Zedek, the king of Jerusalem, and his four colleague-kings is not the end of the story. A major battle was still going on, only part of which was finished. We now pick up the sequence and carry it on through the rest of the conquest.

I am not going to spend my time tonight boring you with details of everyone Israel fought over three thousand years ago. I am not interested in making you good historians. What I want you to see is how the God of scripture continues to to work through the lives of His people.

1) Your New Life Is A Life Of Warfare

Scripture: 10:16-21

A. Joshua continues on in the battle

Joshua was not content with only winning the battle. He pressed forward into the reality of continual warfare.

Application:

While God does give us new life to enjoy the many blessings only he can give, we should never be naive to think that the Christian life is just some big playground.

Our battles are not summed up in some occasional conflicts.

Being born-again is not the beginning of a life where all your problems and life issues vanish. It is however the beginning of a life where you are enabled to live victoriously through your problems.

God is always battling against evil. When you are born-again, you have now joined this fight!

The entire Bible marks the Christian’s life as a life of warfare:

1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Ephesians 6:13-18 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

2) Your Warfare Completed Is The Enemy Defeated

Scripture: 10:22-42

A. The enemy retreating is never enough

We must come to understand that victory entails putting to death the enemy!

Notice what victory actually looked like for Joshua and Israel:

Joshua killed the kings, hung them from trees, and locked their bodies in the cave.

We may be inclined to pity these kings and think horribly of Joshua and possible even God.

It would never be enough to just lock the kings away in a cave. They undoubtedly would show up again at a future date.

A living enemy is equal to a continual living problem.

Every moment they continue to live, they continue to make plans to ruin every moment of your life!

Illustration: Have you even watched a movie where the villain was just locked away? They always find away to escape and keep coming after their hero. There is actually some truth to that when examining the Christian life.

As we wait for Christ to come and vanquish our final enemy, we are enabled to put to death those sins that easily beset us!!!

Here are scriptures referencing our future hope of final victory through Jesus Christ:

1 Kings 5:3 “Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.”

Psalm 110:1 “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

1 Corinthians 15:24-25 “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”

3) Christian Warfare Requires Rest

Scripture: 10:43

A. Spend time in Gilgal

What was this place called Gilgal?

It was the place where Joshua erected the stones of memory after crossing the Jordan river.

It was the place where they reinstitute circumcision and Passover before the battle of Jericho.

It was the place they returned to follow the battle at Ai.

After Joshua slew the five kings and continued into the many more battles, they returned to Gilgal.

This was the place where Joshua and his men would return to to be refueled, encouraged, refocus, strategize, share testimonies of their battle experiences, etc.

On one hand, Gilgal was a private place.

I don’t have to tell you this, but it is wise if each on of God’s children has a place where they can get alone with God in order to continue for God.

Every since the beginning God saw fit to guide human beings to a time of rest and with Him in meditation.

Secondly, Gilgal was a place of community.

It was there where they heard a word from God.

They would share their war testimonies. This is not a SOLO CAMPAIGN!!!

Return together enabled them to leave united together into the next battle.

4) Move Forward To Complete Your Mission

Scripture: chapters 11-12

These kings had horses and chariots and came out by numbers like sand upon the seashore (11:4). They had hardened hearts (v. 20) and giants called Anakim among them (v. 21). Decades earlier, ten of the twelve spies had reported with great fear to Moses that there were giants in the land. The Israelites were like grasshoppers before them. Only Joshua and Caleb had believed that God could give them victory. — The Preacher’s Commentary Series

With information like that we may be tempted to throw in the towel.

Don’t forget, our responsibility to complete the quest our Master has given us.

Remember, we are not the prevailing people because of something special about us, but rather something very special about the ONE who lives with us.

It is also a great encouragement for God’s children to be reminded that the armor you have can only protect those who are going forward into battle.

We are engaged in a warfare—a spiritual battle to death. We have the privilege of the church as our home base, our Gilgal. We have the responsibility to complete the spiritual warfare in which we are engaged on God’s side. Someday we will stand before Christ the Victor who will look us in the eyes and say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into thy eternal rest.” — The Preacher’s Commentary Series