In obedience, Joshua and the children of Israel found the victory. What brought them to this point was their absolute trust in the Lord. Hence, they were able to prevail over the enemy totally. The good news for us is that we are serving the same God whom they served. He remains the same today and has not changed a bit. If we apply ourselves and trust Him absolutely, He will also help us in our battle. The enemy the Israelites engaged in battle then was the people of Ai, but the battle we fight against today is with our flesh. The victory they experienced over Ai was found in their total abandonment to the Lord. Victory over our flesh can also be achieved through our total abandonment and trust in Him.
What is more important to us is how can victory over our flesh be maintained? It is one thing to win a battle, but quite another to continue to walk in victory. Like the Israelites, in our spiritual journey, we must also take the same step if we are to experience continual victory over our flesh. Verses 27-29 show us what they did to preserve their victory. They did not leave a single person alive in Ai. Everyone from the king to the ordinary peasant was annihilated. Joshua knew that leaving anyone alive would only spell problems for them down the road. Everyone had to be eradicated and so they spared no effort and totally annihilated the enemy.
What is the lesson for us in our spiritual journey? Our life is God’s promised land to us. And in our life, we will discover our flesh is ever so alive and needs to be put to death. At least this was exactly what the great Apostle Paul experienced. So, in Roman 7:21-24, he said, “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” If we don’t put to death the flesh, which is ever so alive in each one of us, it will be impossible to keep our victory.
We need to know that there is a continual conflict between our flesh and the Spirit of God dwelling within us. However, be aware that in submitting to the Lordship of Christ, our flesh is crucified in Him and God now looks at us from the point of Calvary. Our past wickedness had been dealt with at the cross of Christ. But daily we have to put to death the carnal nature that will surface in our journey. With the help of God, we must put it to death every time it rears its ugly head. We cannot crucify our flesh if we continue to gratify it. We need to mortify the flesh. Here was what Paul did. He lived a crucified life. This is the secret to victory and he testified to it in Galatians 2:20. He said, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” This key is our victory over our flesh. When we apply it, we will be like him and live in triumphant jubilation. Know for sure that “There is now no condemnation for them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk every day by the Spirit of the Lord.” Why? “For the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus had set us free for the dominion of sin and death.” Hallelujah, a triumphant experience awaits us!
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