WINNING THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO DIVINE INSTRUCTION [Part 1]
Josh 6: 1-5
The relationship that exists between a child of God and God is a relationship that is
established upon instructions. How well we will do on earth is directly tied to our ability not
only to receive instructions but to obey instructions. The things that God has done and He has
prepared for you, the resting place that He has done that you are only going to work to go and
possess, there is a way you are going to work into it. You cannot work into it without
understanding the instruction God has given you and obeying it.
There is a strategy to divine victory, that which the Lord said He has given to you there is an
entry into the city. Yes the Lord has given it to you but you need to know that you cannot go
take it without the precise step by step instruction of God letting you know the way God has
designed for you to take over the city. After God tells you what He has given to you He will
now tell you how you will get what He has given to you. If you are going to win that battle
that God has given to you that God has won already, you must understand that the secret to
victory is divine instruction.
In Joshua chapter six the children did as the Lord instructed Joshua and the rest was history:
the wall of Jericho fell down; the children of Israel went in and dispossess the enemy; and they
made away with spoils. But just the next chapter afterwards, we see this great people who
have experienced victory, who had won through obedience to divine instruction, fall prey even
to a smaller enemy. This enemy they fell prey to did not even have as much men of valor as
Jericho, did not have a wall that must fall flat, did not really have the machinery the gadget to
confront the children of Israel yet the children of Israel lost to Ai. God trying to say something
to us, the church of all generations that, the victory that you experience is not a function of the
size of the enemy you are fighting, you can conquer great grounds and be conquered by lesser
grounds. You can conquer great kings and be conquered by the slaves of lesser kings. Your
victory is purely a function of your ability to stay in obedience to the word of God.
Joshua did not inquire of the Lord about Ai, he sent experts to the field. There is the spiritual
side to every expert report, no matter what the battle assessment you get is, turn to God and
ask “Lord what are you saying.” when they brought that report if Joshua went before God,
God would have said “yes it is indeed a small city but you are going to fall.” Joshua would
have said “Lord why are we going to fall” and God would have said “because one of you has
disobeyed me all of you will fall”, and so they fell because of the sin of one man. They would
have won that battle because God told Joshua that no one will be able to stand before you all
the days of your life. So in the spirit Ai was a conquered ground but Ai conquered simply
because one of them was in disobedience to God. The only way we are going to win is by
obeying divine instruction.