- Joshua 9
- Psalms 89:19-37
- Proverbs 14
- 1 Thessalonians 3
There are rules in sports that level the playing field between the teams. It is important that one team does not create an unfair advantage over the other team outside of pure skill. The ages are set, controls put in place, and footballs pumped to the exact pressure, all so that one team does not steal the win through cheating.
There are even rules in battle and warfare. Not all countries abide by them, but there are rules of engagement that protect those that are not in the battle. The goal is that, after the last bullet is shot, people can live together again, peacefully.
The problem that we have as Christians is that we forget that we are in a battle and that the devil is not going to play fair or follow any rules of engagement. Anything goes. We erroneously believe that since we are not on the “battlefield” and armed with weapons, we will not be a target. How wrong and dangerous is that assumption! When your heart is not prepared for an attack, it is open and vulnerable to being overtaken by his devices. He is a sneaky enemy and will overtake you and defeat you before you ever realize that you are under attack. The damage will be done just as you are realizing that you are under attack.
Joshua and his men were under attack and they did not even know it. You see the craftiness of the devil through the devices used by the men of Gibeon. Joshua is continuing his conquest through the promised land and the Gibeonites feared for their lives, so they devised means of trickery to get what they wanted.
Joshua 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
Joshua 9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
Joshua and his men had been tricked. The men from Gibeon pretended to be something they were not and made Joshua’s men promise to protect them. They had been deceived. Had they asked on the Lord, the trickery would have been revealed.
The Bible reminds you to be on your guard because the devil plays by no rules. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8 )
The devil may leave you alive, but he will leave you afflicted, injured and deceived. The devil is not out to haunt you or to continually torment you. He has one thing in mind. That is to make you ineffective for Christ. He does not have to destroy you to accomplish this. If he can discourage you, cause you to doubt, make you believe that God is not good or that God does not love you, then he has won. These attacks will be subtle, you may not even know that you have been attacked, but you will know that you question your Lord’s personality. You will notice that you really do not trust God anymore.
The only way to fight off the devil and his trickery, and cunning ways is to seek the Lord’s counsel.
Psalm 89:21-22 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
In this verse, the Lord is speaking about David. The Lord will strengthen him and protect him and protect him from wickedness. The same it true for us, but that does not requite you of the responsibility to be aware and ready for the attack. It means you have to ready to ask the Lord for direction to make sure you are not being deceived. You need to make sure you are not being attacked and made to believe something that is not true.
Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident
You are foolish to believe that the devil will not attack. You are foolish to believe that he will leave you alone. Maybe you have already been attacked and you don’t even know it.
- Has something convinced you that you don’t need to tell others of Christ?
- Do you believe that God does not love you?
- Do you believe that you can’t get anything from your Bible reading so you don’t read?
- Have you been convinced that church is a waste of time?
If any of these things (and many others) are true, then you have been attacked and the devil won. Turn to the Lord and turn away from the wounds of deception caused by the attack. You can turn back to the Lord for healing.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
Glory, Strength, & Beauty 