Turn Defeat Into Victory By Waiting On The Lord And keeping His Way

Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it - Psalm 37:34. 

               Israelites who were defeated for the first time at Ai got victory second time as they waited on the Lord and Kept His way by following His instructions.But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint - Isaiah 40:31. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. - Psalm 27:14.

The hearts of the people melted and became like water 

The hearts of the people of Israelites melted and became like water when they faced defeat first time at Ai. 

And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water - Joshua 7:5.

God promised victory

Israelites were hesitant to go up against Ai second time as they had been defeated first time. But God encouraged Joshua to not be afraid and dwell in the defeat and promised victory.

Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king" - Joshua 8:1,2.

God gave instructions for carrying out the attack

To take all the people of war to Ai 

Take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai - Joshua 8:1.

To do to Ai and its king as they did to Jericho and its king, except that they may carry off their plunder and livestock

Do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves - Joshua 8:2.

To set an ambush behind the city

Lay an ambush for the city behind it - Joshua 8:2.

To stretch out the spear toward Ai

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand" - Joshua 8:18. 

Israelites did everything as God instructed & got victory

And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai - Joshua 8:11. 

As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire - Joshua 8:19.

For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai - Joshua 8:26. 

Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the Lord which He had commanded - Joshua 8:27.

So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day - Joshua 8:28. 

Worship after destroying Ai

The Israelites gave God the glory and praise for the victory. 

Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings - Joshua 8:30,31.

                                                                                           

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us turn our defeat into victory by waiting on You, keeping Your way and by following Your instructions. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

God of Peace

 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord                                                  Jesus Christ be with you. Amen - Romans 6:20.

Great peace

Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble - Psalm 119:165.

Perfect peace

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You - Isaiah 26:3. 

Peace like a river

Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river - Isaiah 66:12. 

Peace within your walls

Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces - Psalm 122:7.

God's peace given

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid - John 14:27.

Peace of God which surpasses all understanding

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus - Philippians 4:6,7. 

Peace as you trust in him

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 15:13

Peace of God ruling our hearts

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful - Colossians 3:15. 

Peace always in every way

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all - 2 Thessalonians 3:16. 

                                                     

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are the God of peace. We thank You for Your peace that is ruling our hearts and minds. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Live As Wise

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil - Ephesians 5:15,16.

             Our God is wise and He wants us to live as wise. To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen - Romans 16:27. Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves - Matthew 10:16.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is - Ephesians 5:17.

Be wise In speech

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing - Proverbs 12:18. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness - Proverbs 31:26. Wise words bring many benefits - Proverbs 12:14. Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious - Ecclesiastes 10:12.  

Be wise in doing good deeds

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom - James 3:13. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us - 1 Peter 2:12.

Be wise in heart

The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning - Proverbs 16:21. The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips - Proverbs 16:23. My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed - Proverbs 23:15.

Be wise In the way when  acting toward outsiders

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity - Colossians 4:5.  Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm - Proverbs 13:20.

                                                                                                             

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us live as wise and make the most of every opportunity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Godliness With Contentment Is Great Gain

Now godliness with contentment is great gain - 1 Timothy 6:6.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows - 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment - 1 Timothy 6:17. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” - Hebrews 13:5.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength - Philippians 4:11-13.

We cannot serve both God and riches. No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon - Matthew 6:24. 

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him - 1 John 2:15.

Do not love the world or the things in the world - 1 John 2:15. 

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy - 1 Timothy 6:17.

Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse - Proverbs 28:6.

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God - Luke 12:19-21. 

It is He who gives us the power to get wealth and the ability to enjoy them. to You say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth - Deuteronomy 8:17,18.

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity - Ecclesiastes 5:10.

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil - this is a gift of God - Ecclesiastes 5:19.

Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase - Proverbs 13:11.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" - Matthew 19:21–24.

He who trusts in his riches will fall - Proverbs 11:28.

If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them - Psalm 62:10. 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also - Matthew 6:21.

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness - Proverbs 23:4.

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death - Proverbs 11:4.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! - 2Timothy 3:1-5.

And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you - Luke 12:29-31.                

                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                       

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Godliness with contentment is great gain. Let us keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

The Word of God Is Living And Powerful

  For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart - ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬.

Health to all our flesh & refreshing the soul 

              The word of God that is living and powerful gives health to all our flesh and refreshes the soul. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh - Proverbs 4:20-22. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul - Psalm 19:7a.

Joy & delight

              The word of God that is living and powerful gives joy and delight to our heart. When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty - Jeremiah 15:16. I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure - Psalm 119:162. 

            Let us treasure the living and powerful word of God more than anything. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold - Psalm 19:10. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver - Psalm 119:72. I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food - Jonah 23:12. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! - Psalm 109:103. Your Word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You - Psalm 119:11. 

                                                                     

                               
PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for Your living and powerful Word that gives health to all our flesh, refreshing our soul and joy and delight for us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

All The Promises of God In Him Are Yes And In Him Amen

  For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us - 2 Corinthians 1:20.

            All the promises of God are Yes and Amen in Him and they will never fail. Does he speak and then not act?  Does he promise and not fulfill? - Numbers 23:19. For no word from God will ever fail - Luke 1:37. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away - Matthew 24:35. The LORD is faithful to all His promises - Psalm 145:13. 

Joshua

Joshua declared that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke has failed and all have been fulfilled.

Later, when Joshua was an old man and preparing to die he said, “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed" - Joshua 23:14. 

Solomon

Solomon declared that not one word of all that the Lord had promised had failed and it was the Lord who fulfilled all the good promises he had given through his servant Moses.

Then he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses" - 1 Kings 8:55,56.  

                                                                                             

PRAYER: Dear Lord, All Your promises are Yes and Amen and You are faithful to all Your promises. We thank You for fulfilling all Your promises in our life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.  

Walk In Obedience To Him

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him - Psalm 128:1. 

Noah's obedience

            So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. Noah did everything just as God commanded him - Genesis 6:13, 14, 22.

            By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith - Hebrews 11:7.

          So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it - Genesis 8:18-20. 

Abraham's obedience

              Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him - Genesis 12:1-4.

               By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God - Hebrews 11:8-10.

               I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me - Genesis 22:17,18.

            Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him - Genesis 21:2.

Naaman's obedience

           Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” - 2 Kings 5:9,10.

             So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean - 2 Kings 5:14.      

                                                                                       

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us always walk in obedience to You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.