Be Smart - The One Year Salt and Light Devotional

Joshua 7:1-15

Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. . . . That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat.
(Joshua 7:11-12)

THE ISRAELITES HAD TASTED SUCCESS. They were entering into the promise given to their ancestors long ago. All the land lay in front of them, and they finally seemed to be convinced that God would give it to them. But then . . . defeat. A humiliating loss at Ai on the heels of an exhilarating victory at Jericho. How could God have abandoned them so quickly? How could he be so fickle?

The problem was not with God, of course. It was with the Israelites—only one family among them, actually. Achan had taken some plunder at Jericho, which might have been allowed in later victories but was meant for destruction there. He had violated an explicit command given by God, and all of Israel paid the price.

We have to be very careful about tying problems to disobedience because our experience and our theology tell us that hardship happens for all sorts of reasons. After all, Jesus and the apostles experienced quite a bit of adversity and losses from no fault of their own. Even so, God is very clear in this story that even if defeat is not always the result of sin, sin will result in defeat. Disobedience undermines his intended blessings.

What’s the solution? If we want to step into the promises God has for us—if we want to win victories in earthly and spiritual realms and change the world—we will have to distance ourselves from offensive ways. We will need to separate ourselves from corruption, not because of some legal requirement but because we are called to carry the nature of our God. We will need to walk in sync with the Spirit.

Grace will always cover your sin; there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1). But there is still a need for preparation and maturity if you want to walk in your destiny. Your blessings are freely given; your experience of them comes only by following God faithfully.

{Lord, purify my heart. Prepare me for your richest blessings. May my mind be so filled with your promise that no other temptation moves me. Amen.