Posted on 9 March, 2015 at 8:00
3/9/2015
The Bible tells this story about a young man named Joshua. He was the chosen to lead the children of Isreal after his great predecessor Moses. Joshua had a great victory over this great city called Jericho. It's a very familiar story which many have preached about it. Jericho was a city with great walls surrounding it to protect it's inhabitants from it's enemies. God instructed Joshua to have the people walk around the city for seven days, one time a day for six days and on the seventh day walk around seven times and on the seventh time around they had to shout!. Joshua also was instructed on what they could and could not take from the city. There were a few other instructions but that was the gist of it. If you have read this story before or heard someone preach it you ,know that God gave Joshua and his people victory over Jericho.
What happens right after this great victory is what intrigues me. Joshua and the people were ecstatic that God gave them this great victory and they felt invincible because the hand of the Lord was over them. Joshua and the people decided to go up against another city called AI.This is when the table turned in the wrong direction for Joshua. They went up against the people of AI and they defeated Joshua and his people. Joshua was devastated and began to question God’s presence with him and his people.
Joshua consulted God about why he and his people were not victorious against AI and it's people. God told Joshua that " Isreal 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 dissembles 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.
People of God whatever instructions you receive from God you must follow it completely. Whatever God told you to walk away from, put down, throw away and don't do anymore you must obey. Joshua just had a great victory, but the people were told not to take the accursed things, and they did it anyway. It is clear that God is not in the business of blessing disobedience. This is why so many people are loosing out on living a victorious life, because they are in the state of disobedience. People of God we must examine ourselves today and find out if we have any accursed things hidden among our stuff, that is hindering us from being victorious. It doesn't matter what benefit you think it's bringing, if it is causing God to not be with you because of it. Joshua teaches us a great lesson: that a battle is easier when you have a all powerful and mighty God on your side.
Listen people of God don't pick up the accursed things and hide them among your stuff! Whatever God instructed you to let go of, don't hold onto or to forgive, follow the instructions completely. If you don't you will find that you will not be victorious over even little situation. You have the ability to tear down every Jericho wall in your life if you are obedient to the instruction and directions of God!.
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