READ: JOSHUA 7:1-21
You cannot
win the battles of life except you understand the strategy of the enemy. You
have to locate your enemy’s position, asses his strength and methods before you
can know how to come against him. If you understand the devil’s methods you
will always triumph over him. When does Satan come against us with battles? Is
it in the morning, afternoon or night? Is it when you are sick or otherwise?
Satan prefers to come after you have just won a victory; when you are rejoicing.
Satan will come when you are in trouble or going through tribulations. He knows
that when you are in trouble that is when you draw closer to God. We have
examples in the Bible. Let us start with Joshua. In our text, something
interesting happened. The Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land.
When they got to the wall Jericho, the people of Jericho thought they were safe
from attack because they knew that the Israelites could not pass through the
wall. God however gave them victory. The wall fell. After the victory, as they
were rejoicing, Satan came into their midst. Satan would always want to spoil
good things. Satan knew that God had told the Israelites that they should
destroy Jericho completely and not take any spoils for themselves. Satan crept
into Achan who took some spoils of war, contrary to the instructions of God
(Joshua 6:18). God became angry with the Israelites. After the defeat of
Jericho, the people though that taking Ai would be a child’ play. Only a few of
them went against Ai. Satan made them forget that it was God who actually gave
them the victory at Jericho, and not themselves. They did not know that God was
already angry with them. They were defeated. Do not relax after any victory
because this is the time the devil likes to attack. It is after your victory
over sickness and over your enemies that Satan gets poised for another battle.
The higher you go spiritually, the more intense the battle becomes. The battle
continues until we meet Jesus. Are you battle-ready?
MEMORIZE:
1 JOHN 3:8 –He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil.
