Message For Messengers

Turning Defeat Into Victory
“O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!” “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff” “Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.” (Joshua 7:8,11,12 )
Are you leading a life of defeat, failure and closed doors? If you have faced defeat in consequence of your sins, you need to confess them and turn unto God. Then you will have hope and opportunity to begin again. Here we see Joshua beginning to move intelligently in order to organize a victory out of all the defeats he had faced. The nation of Israel sinned and defiled their camp (Joshua : 8:1,2). God spoke to them in mercy and directed them towards the conquest of the land. Christian life is always a series of new victories. Our God is a God of battle. At the same time, He is a God of victory.
1. ADOPTING NEW STRATEGY
2. ASSURING NEW VICTORY
3. ACCOMPLISHING NEW COMMITMENT
I. ADOPTING NEW STRATEGY (Joshua 8 : 3-13)
God is the God of infinite variety. Remember how Satan planned to put Jesus on the cross. But God had new strategies to make Jesus, the Saviour of the world through his death on the cross.
The strategy God gave Joshua for taking Ai was almost opposite the strategy He used at Jericho. The Jericho operation involved a week of marches that were carried out openly in the day light. The attack on Ai involved a covert night operation that prepared the way for the day light assault. The whole army was united at Jericho but Joshua divided the army for the attack on Ai. Miracle in Jericho was that the wall fell flat. There was no miracle in Ai but his men simply obeyed God's instructions by setting an ambush and luring the people of Ai out of their city as the Lord gave them the victory.
The plan was simple but effective. Leading the rest, Joshua would make an attack on Ai from North. His men would pretend to flee and by fleeing draw the self-confident people of Ai away from the protected city. At Joshua's signal, the soldiers in ambush would burn the city. The people of Ai were caught between two armies. This new God-given strategy gave them tremendous victory.
II. ASSURING NEW VICTORY God assured Joshua that he would give the city of Ai into his hands.
(i) Ai was emptied (Joshua 8:21) “...the ambush had taken the city and the smoke of the city ascended..” When morning dawned, the king of Ai saw the army of Israel positioned before the city, ready to attack. Satan’s tools are ineffective. Satan’s kingdom is dark. Satan’s territory is deserted.
(ii) Ai was captured (Joshua 8:20) “...they had no power to flee this way or that way....” Joshua waited for instructions. God then told him to lift his spear toward the city. This was the signal for the other troops to enter the city to burn it. The men of Ai were trapped.
(iii) Ai was destroyed (Joshua 8:26)“For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai”
The people saw that not one word of God's promise had failed. The disgrace and defeat they faced had been erased. Israel attained victory on Ai. Which is the place of defeat or the area of shame in your life? God shall change your defeated place into victorious place.
III. ACCOMPLISHING NEW COMMITMENT (Joshua 8:31)
“..They offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sanctified peace offering”
Following the victory at Ai, Joshua lead the people to Shechem. Joshua gave Israel the opportunity to make a new commitment to the authority of Jehovah as expressed in His law. Joshua built an altar. The secret of Israel's victory was not their leader or their army. It was their obedience to God's law (Joshua 1:7,8). If you want to share in God's conquest, then you have to submit to God's law.
Jesus Christ is a classic example who turned the defeat into victory in the same place of seemingly defeat. Peter walked in the same sea in which he was drowning. By faith we can claim our inheritance in Christ and march forth in victory. 1 Corinthians15:57 “But thanks to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”