Is It The Right Way?
In our last lesson, we celebrated the great victory when the walls of Jericho fell.
Joshua 6:20 – At once the thick walls of Jericho collapsed! Everyone rushed straight ahead and captured the city.
Rahab and her family were spared, Yahweh’s presence was with Joshua, and Joshua’s fame spread throughout the land. God had given very specific instructions following the fall of Jericho. Israel had won the battle, but behind the scenes, something went terribly wrong.
Joshua 7:1 – But the Israelites violated the commandment regarding the wealth of Jericho that was to be set apart for the Lord. Achan son of Carmi, grandson of Zimri, of the clan of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the things devoted for himself. This ignited Yahweh’s anger against Israel.
1. A PAINFUL DEFEAT
After a great spiritual victory, we are highly susceptible to a painful defeat.
Joshua 7:4-5 – So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
A. Guard your weak moments: We must walk in His divine strength during the battle, but we must remain equally aware of our weaknesses after the battle. A mentor shared this truth with me at the beginning of our ministry: we often face incredible victories while being completely drained emotionally from giving our all. The enemy loves to attack us when we are tired, depleted, and riding the high of a recent success. Let us see another example of this lesson.
B. The lesson of Elijah (1 Kings 18–19): After God worked an overwhelming miracle through Elijah by defeating the prophets of Baal, Queen Jezebel retaliated by threatening his life. Suddenly, Elijah ran. He felt afraid, depressed, and abandoned. Despite God's immediate provision of a miracle, food, and shelter in the wilderness, Elijah wanted to die.
C. The gentle whisper: God responded by presenting Elijah with an "audiovisual display" of a windstorm, an earthquake, and a fire—but the Lord was not in the chaos. Instead, God displayed His presence in a gentle whisper. The real miracle of our lives will always be our personal relationship with the God we serve. Elijah knew his God, and he needed to hear that quiet reassurance.
D. The danger of pride and presumption: When we take any of the glory for ourselves, we forget to humble ourselves and become unable to hear God’s voice.
Proverbs 8:13 & 16:18 – God says, "I hate pride and arrogance..." Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
This is exactly what happened to Israel.
2. SIN BRINGS DEFEAT
Joshua 7:3 – When the spies returned to Joshua, they reported to him, “There is no need to trouble the whole army to conquer Ai. The people are so few that two or three thousand men could attack it and take the city.”
A. Misleading counsel: The casual advice of others can easily lead us astray. Joshua acted on this wrong advice, and his men were killed in battle.
B. The trap of self-confidence: It is dangerous to be presumptuous, overly self-confident, and blind to hidden sin. Joshua relied strictly on the report of his spies and the physical strength of his army to defeat this seemingly small city—he didn't consult God at all.
C. Relying on our own skills: Too often, we rely on our own talents when a task looks easy. We only run to God when the obstacles seem insurmountable. But God knows what lies ahead. Often, we have to learn tough lessons to strip away our pride and remind us to seek His direction first.
D. Blaming God instead of reflecting: When Israel lost the battle, it was easier to question God than to evaluate their own steps.
Joshua 7:7-9 – Joshua cried out, “O Lord Yahweh, why did you lead these people across the Jordan? To be defeated? To be killed by the Amorites? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated from its enemies?... They will gang up on us and wipe us off the face of the earth. And what then will you do about YOUR great name?”
Because Joshua relied on his army instead of consulting God, they faced a devastating setback. When things go wrong, it is a human reflex to blame God rather than look at our own choices or mistakes. I have certainly been guilty of this myself. In today’s world, many leaders try to compromise, or shift blame instead of defining the problem, facing it honestly, and solving it. Sin always carries consequences.
3. SIN MUST BE DEFINED AND ELIMINATED
Joshua 7:10-12 – But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hid the things among their own belongings.”
There is only one right way to experience God’s miracles, and it requires handling sin decisively.
A. Sin is never purely personal: Our choices affect the people around us. Beware of the temptation to rationalize behavior by saying it is "too small" or "too private" to hurt anyone else.
B. Unaddressed sin drains our power: God told Joshua, "Cursed things are among you. That is why Israel is powerless." God still had a plan for victory, but Israel's hidden choices had stalled the plan.
C. The ultimate risk: God threatened to withdraw His presence entirely. For a leader, this is total devastation. God’s promises are true, but we can forfeit the experience of them through direct disobedience. As leaders, we must refuse to cover up systemic issues. We must tell the truth in love—even when it is incredibly difficult.
4. REPENTANCE RESTORES THE PATH TO VICTORY
Achan was eventually identified from among all the tribes, clans, and families of Israel, and he confessed. He had stolen a beautiful Babylonian robe, along with silver and gold, in direct disobedience to God's order. The hiding place –“in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath"—makes it clear it was a deliberate, calculated cover-up.
A. God requires purity:
Joshua 7:13 – “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow.”
The Israelites had to undergo purification rites just as they did before crossing the Jordan River. These rites served as a stark reminder of human weakness in the face of God's absolute holiness.
B. A leader's shared responsibility: Although it was one man's covert action, God addressed it as national disobedience. God required the entire community to be fully aligned and committed to the mission they had agreed to. Achan underestimated God's standard. God is a loving Father, but He is also a God of justice.
Stop the rationalization: God doesn't just see our external actions; He knows our hidden motives and the thoughts of our hearts.
C. Judgment is not the end of the story. Victory was on the way.
Joshua 7:26 – Afterward, Yahweh’s anger subsided against Israel.
Repentance does bring victory. This was an example of how Jesus turns the Valley of Trouble into a door of hope. There was a right way to conquer the city of Ai and God always had the plan.
CONCLUSION
This lesson might seem heavy or negative on the surface, but as leaders, we occasionally need to look squarely at what we should not do.
The encouraging news here is that God welcomes completely honest prayers. He wants us to express our true frustrations to Him, just as Joshua did. We can be entirely transparent in prayer because we know that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and His love is everlasting.
However, God is not content with partial obedience. He wants our full devotion. As leaders, we must be willing to eliminate any thoughts, habits, or compromises that hinder our commitment to Him. There is a wrong way and a right way to lead. I pray that we will always choose the path of obedience when temptation strikes.
When we follow God's blueprint, victory is guaranteed. What happens next in Chapter 8 will beautifully demonstrate that obedience truly is the ultimate key to victory.
REFLECT & APPLY
We often learn our greatest leadership lessons from our mistakes.
Can you recall a time when you forged ahead with your own strategy instead of seeking and following God's plan?
What was the outcome? Did you find yourself discouraged, or perhaps even tempted to blame outside circumstances for the resulting "mess"?
What practical steps did you take to correct your focus and realign with the right plan?