Turning Defeat Into Victory Joshua 8 Be Strong Book of Joshua By Warren W. Wiersbe

Life, like war, is a series of mistakes, and he is not the best Christian nor the best general who makes the fewest false steps. Poor mediocrity may secure that; but he is the best who wins the most splendid victories by retrieval of mistakes. Forget mistakes; organize victory out of mistakes. ~F. W. Robertson A mistake is “an opportunity to begin again, more intelligently”. ~Henry Ford

New Beginning (8:1-2) – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand (Ps. 37:23-34, NKJV) – The worst mistake of all is not to try again. “The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings” ~ Alexander Whyte

The word of encouragement (v. 1a) – Discouragement over the past & the fear of the future: two reactions that accompany failure Antidote: hearing & believing God’s Word – “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed” (v. 1) God never discourages His people from making progress The word of instruction (v. 1b-2) – The only way to have victory: obey God’s instruction 1 st attack: few thousand soldiers 2 nd attack: all of the soldiers (v.1) – Ambush & Ai’s self-confidence – Soldiers claimed spoils & burned the city

The word of promise (vs. 1c) – “I have given” – Every promise must be claimed by faith – Importance of the Christian soldier spending time daily in the Word of God – Word of God to saturate minds & hearts – The Spirit uses God’s Word to control their desires & decisions: secret of victory A New Strategy (8:3-13) – God of new beginnings & also God of infinite variety – God changes His leaders to allow us not to trust in flesh & blood, but in Him.

– God changes His methods to depend on His promises, not our experiences – Jericho: a week of marches in daylight and required a miracle of God – Ai: a covert night operation preparing for assault in daylight Ambush & luring people from Ai out of their city – Seek God’s will for each undertaking so we do not depend on past victories “When you are through changing, you are through” ~Bruce Barton

– Strategy for Ai, based on Israel’s defeat for God overconfidence created victory out of mistakes – Plan: 30,000 soldiers in ambush behind the city from west (3-9); 5,000 soldiers between Ai & Bethel 2 miles away (12), rest of the soldiers would flee – The work of the Lord requires strategy & leaders must seek the mind of the Lord in planning – English word, strategy from two Greek words meaning “to lead an army” – Leadership requires planning

New Victory (8:14-29) – Ai emptied (14-17) – Ai captured (18-20) Joshua lifted his spear as told by God, a signal for other troops to enter & burn the city Reminder of Moses holding hands against Amalek – Ai’s army & people destroyed (21-29) Smoke of the city No survivors nor fugitives (22) Judgment of God – Ai’s king slain (23,29) Final symbolic gesture of complete victory Killed with sword & then hanged on a tree until sundown

Heap of stones where the king was buried at the gate of the ruins – Ai’s spoils claimed (27) At Jericho all were devoted to God; at Ai soldiers had to fight to earn their rewards A New Commitment (8:30-35) – Joshua lead the people to Shechem in the valley between Mount Ebal & Mount Gerizim Joshua built an altar (v ) on Mount Ebal, mount of cursing Exodus 20:25, no tool

Joshua wrote the law on stone (32-33) – Customary for kings to write records of military exploits – Secret of Israel’s victory was obedience to God’s law, not their leader or army – Believers have God’s Word written on their hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-4, 2 Cor. 3) – External vs. internal Law couldn’t change people Holy Spirit can – Monuments Gilgal – explaining Israel’s passage across Jordan River Valley of Achor – Achan’s sin & God’s judgment Entrace to Ai – reminder of God’s faithfulness to help His people Mt. Ebal – Their success due to obedience to God’s law

Joshua read the law (34-35) – Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, & Naphtali – Mt. Ebal, mount of cursing – Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Ephraim, Manasseh, & Benjamin – Mt. Gerizim, mount of blessing – People responded Amen meaning “so be it” – God gave law to Moses at Mount Sinai – Moses explained the law in the plains of Moab; – Joshua reaffirmed the law in the Promised Land – After the reading, they accepted the responsibility of obeying the law – God’s people between Mount Calvary where He died & Mount Olivet where He will return in power

In Christ, believers are blessed with “every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3) We are not under the law, but “the righteousness of the law” by the Holy Spirit