In yesterday’s blog article, we saw how Joshua sent spies to Ai. They reported back, saying they didn’t need the entire army and could conquer Ai with just 3,000 men. However, they were seriously defeated by the people of Ai. This led Joshua to come before God and voice a great complaint (Joshua 7:3-9).
The narrative changes in chapter 8 and Joshua listens to God’s direction for a battle against Ai.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the fighting men with you, and go up to Ai. See, I have handed over to you the king of Ai with his people, his city, and his land” (Joshua 8:1).
God instructs Joshua to split his troops and set up an ambush for the people of Ai. The men of Ai are caught off guard by this strategy and are completely defeated.
Henry Blackaby has written a lot about understanding and following God’s will. He believes that to do God’s will, you need to listen to His plan and then act on it. Here are some principles from Blackaby’s book, Experiencing God.
- God is at work in the world.
Rather than asking God to bless our plans, we ask God, “What are you doing?” and “How can I join you in your work?”
- God forms relationships with people that are both real and personal.
- Within a living relationship with God, He invites us to join Him in His work.
- God’s work is usually God-sized. When we confront God-sized opportunities, we must decide whether to trust God or to shrink away in unbelief.
The crisis of faith occurs because we focus on our human potential and fail to recognize God’s activity.
- When we trust God and follow His direction, He accomplishes His purpose in the situation at hand.
- As we see God accomplish God-sized activites, we experience Him in a deeper and more meaningful way.
As we watch Joshua walk with God during the battle at Ai and other battles in the book of Joshua, we’ll see these principles come to life.
He overcame major obstacles, not by the strength of the Israelite army, but by aligning his life with God’s will and relying on God’s power.
I hope none of us ever have to use these principles in a real war where people are trying to kill each other.
But many of us do get chances to join God in his work in the world. As we build a personal relationship with him and stay open to his guidance, he will show us ways to join him. If we trust him, we will see his work and experience him in new and meaningful ways.
A Picture of Intercession
We read how Joshua held his sword in his hand during the battle.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the sword that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.”
For Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the sword until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai (Joshua 8:18 and 26).
This reminds me of when Moses held the staff in his hand when fighting the Amalekites (Exodus 17:10-12). I think both holding the staff and holding the sword are symbols of intercessory prayer.
Between chapters 14 and 16 of John’s Gospel, Jesus gives us seven prayer promises. Here’s an example of one of Jesus’ great promises to us.
“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it” (John 14:13-14).
Glenn Clark asked a group of students to engage in a thought experiment.
He said, “Imagine my parents went on a long trip and gave my brother and me seven blank checks. They told us, if you need something, just write what you need, and the check will cover it.
“When the parents returned, they found the boys looking tired and thin. The father asked, boys, ‘Didn’t you use the checks?’
‘No, we didn’t.’
‘Why not? Did you not believe I had money in the bank to pay for them? Did you not believe I love you enough to take care of you?'”
Intercessory prayer is like using those blank check promises God has given us. If we don’t use this gift of prayer, it’s as if we’re saying we don’t believe God cares about us, loves us, or can provide what we need.
Let’s learn from Joshua that prayer is not only important but also powerful.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 