You Cannot Stand

Scripture:

Joshua 7:13  "Get up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, "There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel.  You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you'".

Observation:

The people of Israel had just come into their Promised Land and defeated the great city of Jericho with a powerful demonstration of God's victory.  Next they went against the small town of Ai and were defeated because someone had disobeyed God and had some devoted things in their tent.  God told them to consecrate themselves because they could not stand against their enemies as long as they were in disobedience.

Application:

Many of us wonder why God doesn't come through on our behalf.  We wonder why we seem to lose battles.  The reason may be that we are walking in disobedience.  When we disobey God, we cannot expect Him to fight our enemies on our behalf.  We are in covenant.  When we do our part, He does His part.  God is faithful and we are not.  When we start losing battles, we must ask if we have been walking in some level of disobedience.  We can't defeat our enemies when we are in disobedience to God ourselves.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, show me the areas of disobedience in my life.  Show me the areas that I have not said yes to You in.  High-lite the things in my life that need to change.  I want You to fight my battles, but I don't expect You to unless I am doing my part right.

Yours,
Jeff