One of the great lessons that we often miss in “Spiritual Warfare” is that we have already been assured of victory! The
8th chapter of Joshua gives us clear and concise instruction as to what we should do, and shouldn’t do, in the area of Spiritual Warfare.
We should rely on Gods’ Word. (
Josh. 8:1) Truth WILL prevail! As long as we stay in truth we will have victory. However, “staying in truth” isn’t necessarily what we think it is. We often make the mistake of believing that “staying in truth” equates with being “doctrinally correct”. But, that isn’t always so. “Staying in truth” means that we keep our spirits right. We can have all truth, yet, if we manifest an ugly unchristian spirit, our “Truth” avails us nothing.
The 7th chapter of Joshua gives us a clear example of “keeping our spirits right before God”. No matter how “right” we think we are in doctrine…if our sinful and carnal nature comes between us and God, our spiritual defeat is inevitable. Once we recognize our wrong doing, and set things right, we will be back on the road to victory!
In
Joshua 8, after the Achan debacle was cleared up, Joshua was led of the Lord to “re-engage” and take the city of Ai. With military brilliance, Joshua divided his army. He sent 30, 000 to hide themselves near the city and took 5000 men to within plain site of the city. The king of A1 went on the attack. He chased the 5000 and it appeared the victory was his. However, the king of Ai made some terrible blunders:
1. hasted and rose up early In our quest to “pursue” and squash what we believe to be false doctrine, it would behoove us to learn from Ai’s mistakes. We shouldn’t be in such a haste to go after what we consider to be false teaching. We should wait before we lash out. Instead of jumping the gun, shouldn’t we spend that “early time” in prayer, to make sure our spirits are where they should be in the Lord? In our hast to defend what we believe to be truth, we mount an attack against that which we believe to be wrong. We think we are defending the Gospel by attacking the false, but this isn’t always so.
2. he wist not that [there were] liers in ambush Those who have been baptized with the Holy Ghost have an advantage the king of Ai did not have. We are not ignorant of the devils devices. 2Cr 2:11 We know there are false doctrines out there, just as the king of Ai knew Joshua and his 5000 were out there. But what we know as well, is that there are greater threats hiding in ambush. There are30,000 ways for us to be defeated spiritually hiding in the bushes. What are some of those 30,000 we should remember? Well, theres anger, lying, contention, being argumentative, attacking our brothers (fellow soldiers), sowing discord, and so on. The Bible warns us repeatedly about the hidden things that are lying in wait to destroy us.
3. drawn away from the city This goes back to what I said in the beginning. Being in truth doesn’t always equate being in correct doctrine. Being in truth has more to do with being in the right spirit. I may disagree with a brother who teaches what I believe to be false doctrine, but, when I attack him personally, or become hateful a spiteful, and become unchristian in spirit, I become as wrong as I think he is, no matter how much “truth” I have. My bad attitude. My lack of charity, my carnality, “draws me away from the very “truth” I claim to defend.
4. they left the city open When I leave the truth (a godly, Christian spirit) to attack what I believe to be false, I leave that truth exposed…. I leave myself open for spiritual attack. I will suffer loss and defeat.
True, we are to stand against that which is clearly false, but, we cannot leave our truth undefended in doing so. And truth is undefended when our attacks are directed at, not false doctrine, but at individuals. Our truth is left defenseless when the weapons of our warfare become carnal
( 2Cr 10:4). When we resort to libelous and slanderous discourse, we’ve laid down our spiritual weaponry and taken up arms with the devils tools. In affect, we become counter-agents for the enemies of our souls. We walk, not “in the Spirit” but “after the flesh” when we use the devils tactics to justify our pursuit of what we believe to be false.
Folks, above all else, I want my spirit to be right with God. And, a good indication that my spirit is right with God is when my spirit is right with my brother. I may disagree with him… but as long as he is in God’s service, he will remain my brother in the Lord.
In our haste to pursuit and defeat the 5000 things we believe to be false, it would do us good to keep in mind that they are 30,000 ways we can be defeated in our spirit. While we strain at gnats, we should be careful to not swallow the camel!
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