Apr 4, 2014

Preparing For Lifes Battles

Joshua 7:10-12 NIV

In Joshua 7 the Israelites were going through a hard time...one of those times when they thought for sure they would win the battle, but instead they were defeated, and discouraged.  The end result being, Joshua and the elders of the camp, laying on their faces crying out to God.  Let's pick up the reading in vs 10...

The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

First off, I want to make sure to point out that Israel was going to fight this battle, the sin in their camp, was not the reason for the battle.  However, the sin in their camp, kept them from victory!

We all have battles we will face.  God has promised to be with us, and to fight for us.  But there is one thing we tend to do, that causes us to loose the battle.  That one thing is sin.  You see when we choose to disobey God, we forfeit God's help in the battle.  

Our pastor has been talking about repentance,  and what it really is. Repentance is deep godly sorrow for what you have done, confessing that sin, and then turning in the opposite direction, no longer continuing in your sin.

We all sin, make mistakes, but when we choose to continue in them, and not truly repent, we are sure to be defeated in the battles of life. 

I encourage you today,  to ask the Lord to search your heart and mind, to show you where there is sin in your life.  God is faithful, and He will show you where the sin is, just as He did to the Israelites. 

The battles of life are tough, we need God's helping hand, so let us prepare ourselves for battle by making sure we are in right standing with our great defender. 

God is faithful to forgive our sins, by His grace and mercy, then He immediately steps into our situation to fight for us. 

God is so good!