Living In Victory
(Joshua 6:15-20)
Intro:
A. It was a victory that some people today deny could happen. They cannot understand how the Biblical account of the destruction of such a strong city could even be true.
B. Seven times on the seventh day the children of Israel marched around the city. The seven priests marching before the ark of the Lord blew their trumpets and the people shouted and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. They marched into the city and destroyed every living thing. It was a victory that some say could not happen. But the story of Joshua and Jericho teach us some valuable lessons. To learn those lessons, I want to back up and tell you the story from the beginning.
I. Who’s In Control?
A. Joshua was given the leadership of the children of God and he would lead them into the promised land. The entrance had already been divine as they crossed the Jordan River on dry ground much like their parents crossed the Red Sea on dry ground 40 years earlier. Taking that first step into the promised land was a great victory, but more lessons needed to be learned.
B. Joshua new the first battle would be Jericho and that as a city it was strong. He had already had two spies check out the city and now it was time to plan the attack. Walking alone Joshua encounter a man with a sword drawn. He questioned this man, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The answer was, “Neither.”
C. The reason way is because Joshua was talking to the commander of the Lord’s army. Read with me Joshua 6:1-2. Here is the greatest point I will make in this lesson on victory: you need to be on the Lord’s side, the Lord on yours. Never forget who is in control.
D. Let me remind you of why it took 40 years to enter this promised land. The last time this opportunity was offered by God, 12 spies had gone into the land and 10 of them said, “we can’t do it!” The people listened to the 12 and wanted to kill the other 2 and Moses. They were told of their sin and the 10 were killed by God. The people said they would go, but Moses told them that God was no longer with them. In their presumption they went to battle – and lost.
E. Understand that unless you are on God’s side, nothing else matter in the spiritual life of victory. Many times I have asked God to be with me, but maybe I ought to be asking if I can be with him, no matter where he is. Living with God may take me through some stormy weather, it may take me onto a glorious mountain, but where God is, is where I want to be, for there is victory.
II. Doing It His Way
A. To live in victory is to live with God. To live with God means to live as he directs. God doesn’t always direct like we think. How many major battle plans involve marching around a city carrying a box and blowing trumpets and having people shout?
B. John tells his readers, “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).” How much faith does it take to do it God’s way in your life? The Hebrew writer said, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people marched around them for seven days (Heb. 11:30)” and “Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).” Paul tells the Christians in Corinth, “We live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).” If you are going to live in victory it will require of you to walk in the pathway of faith. It takes us humbly submitting ourselves to God before God lifts us up. Sometimes I forget the humbly submitting part and just want God to pick me up and be on my side.
C. So what are you doing? Multiple times Jesus told us that he was doing the will of him who sent him. Our victorious life should be based upon doing the will of the Father and not ourselves. That means get beyond you and into God.
D. Will God way always make sense or follow your human wisdom? Consider the cross. It is to some, foolishness, but to us who are saved it is the cross is the power of God (1 Cor. 18).
E. Do you not think that walking around a city sounded foolish to some? I don’t have to understand God will in order to be victorious, I just have to do it by faith.
F. That means taking what you learn from God through the Bible and putting it into action. Many of us hear great classes or lessons that prick our heart, but instead of letting the guilt motivate us we wallow in self-pity. Get up, get to work, and start going God’s direction instead of your own. Let me tell you from my own personal experience, I am not very good at life’s directions.
III. The Victory
A. The challenge of a victorious life is to be the winner in the end. The way to be the winner is to fight the good fight, finish the course and keep the faith. For it is then that the Lord will give you the crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:7-8). It takes being faithful unto death, as John tells the church in Smyrna, and then you will get the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
B. Dr. Alan Redpath in his commentary on Joshua suggests that many people don’t see the answers to their prayers simply because they have stopped one round short in their conquest of their personal Jericho. We may have been doing the right things, but we simply stop doing them.
C. Living in victory means you don’t quit. Do you remember the old song that said, “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden. Along with sunshine, there’s got to be a little rain sometime.” I believe the same can be said about the Christian life. It is not always easy, it is not always spiritual high’s, it is not always Sunday. Sometimes the Monday morning blues come. Sometimes the pain comes into life. Sometimes it’s hard. Live in victory and don’t quit.
Conclusion:
A. Many of the present generation may not remember that Sergeant Alvin York was the most famous soldier of World War I. Neither do they realize that Alvin C. York was a most unlikely man to become a legendary hero. York felt that his Christian faith barred him from killing anyone, even in war. After being drafted, York went home on a ten-day leave and considered the scriptures a Christian captain had shared with him. Finally in a crisis of faith, God showed York that he could obey God and defend the helpless in Europe at the same time. He wrote, “As I prayed there alone… I knew that He was there. He understood I didn’t want to be a fighter or a killing man… He took pity on me and gave me the assurance I needed… It was His will and that was enough for me.” Sgt. York had to win the war in his mind before he could win the battles that lay ahead of him in the trenches of France and so it was with Joshua.
B. Victory gives you direction, because you already know the outcome. In the end God wins the war. Satan will lose. He will be sentence to Hell forever. He may win battles, but not the war.
C. Today an attitude change can begin in your life. God wants you to live with the faith and power that may have been missing your spiritual life. As John put it, faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Are you ready to overcome? Are you ready to live? Are you ready to be victorious? Win the war in your mind and then live in the victory that God gives. If we can encourage you to make that decision and committed then come as we stand and sing.
