Victory from defeat

 Christ in all the scriptures

Turning tragedy into triumph  Joshua chapter 8

"Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ...2nd Cor. 2v13

The cry of the world is "Peace, Peace, when there is no peace"-Jeremiah 6v14 and 8v11.  Isaiah penned "There is no peace saith my God to the wicked (lawless).  As long as mankind continues in rebellion against God there will be no peace.  There will be conflict on this earth until the Prince of Peace rules this world-Isaiah 9v6/7.

The chapter is about conflict, physical conflict to obtain possession of the promised land.  In the application of this today, the conflict is spiritual (though no less real) against forces of evil which are contrary to us, and which can rob us of our spiritual inheritance.  We are not called upon today to occupy land territory, and war against our fellow man.  Jesus said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world, else would my servants fight"-John 18v36.  Contrary to the teaching of some, today, the Church is not called to overcome the world, physically, politically, or geographically.  We are not of this world, and our conflict is not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2nd Cor. 10v3/5).   Mankind is not our enemy, our enemies are much more powerful: namely, Eph. 6v10-13 demons above us, "principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual powers of wickedness in heavenly places; Galatians 5v17 the flesh within us "the flesh and the Spirit are contrary the one to the other";  1st John 2v15 the world around us "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him".  These are our enemies, and this is our conflict today, and will continue until the end of life. 

However there are abiding principles from which we can learn, and triumph, as Israel did, in the power of the Lord.  How did they turn defeat into victory?

1)   They proceeded on the guarantee of victory from the Lord

"See, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land"-Joshua 8v1.  

This is a repeat of the guarantee of the Lord prior to the taking of Jericho in Joshua 6v2.  Israel were not able of themselves to overcome but with the Lord's presence and power with them.  In another place it is written, "The battle is the Lord's"-1st Samuel 17v47; the full quotation is from v46,

"...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.  And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you (the enemies) into our hands".

He requires us to put away evil from among us, so that His unfettered power will prevail.  In the life of faith in God, we are overcomers when we honour Him.  The New Testament confirms this as follows:

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us"-Romans 8v37

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world"-1st Peter 5v8/9.

""Thou, therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ"-2nd Timothy 2v2.

In the letters to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2/3, the call is for overcomers, both collectively and individually.  When our ways please the Lord, as it was with Israel, so with us, the success is guaranteed.  It is not a matter of spiritual "jingoism", as is the way of some.  It is the way of humble submission to the Lord, by honouring Him in our lives.

2)  God and man working in harmony is the way to overcome

The Lord being with us does not involve the discarding of either brawn or brain in the conflict.  This much is clear from the chapter before us.  Israel had suffered embarrassing defeat to Ai, being scattered on the battlefield, and losing 36 men of their elite troops in chapter 7.   Loose talk, like "Let go and let God" is not helpful, as God expects us to use our strength and ingenuity in the battle.  He will only do for us what we cannot do ourselves.  This much is illustrated throughout the bible with endless examples.  It is the combination of our commitment and His covenant that wins the day.  Israel turned defeat into victory, and we can do the same.  There is not one of us without some kind of failure in spiritual life, and with courage and resolve we can overcome to the glory of God.

Philippians 2v12/13, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure".

Psalm 85v11, "Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven".

1st John 4v4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world".