Joshua and Israel attack Ai, but do it God's way. God reminds His children that He will never forsake them.

1. EXPERIENCING VICTORY
GOD’S WAY
JOSHUA 8:1-29
BASED ON JOSHUA: LIVING A CONSISTENT ROLE MODEL BY
GENE A. GETZ.

2. REASSURANCE AND REITERATION
• AFTER THE TROUBLE WITH ACHAN, JOSHUA NEEDED A LITTLE REASSURANCE
FROM GOD. (V.1)
• GOD ASSURED JOSHUA OF VICTORY.
• BY THE WAY, GOD HAS PROMISED YOU AND I VICTORY, TOO. ROMANS 8:37
• “FEAR NOT, NEITHER BE THOU DISMAYED” IS WHAT MOSES TOLD JOSHUA IN
DEUTERONOMY 31:8.
• GOD DOESN’T WITHDRAW HIS BLESSINGS PERMANENTLY WHEN WE FAIL. HE
DISCIPLINES US IN LOVE AND HELPS US REFOCUS ON HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES.

3. • GOD TELLS JOSHUA THEY WILL TAKE AI THE SAME WAY THEY DID JERICHO. THE
STRATEGY WOULD BE DIFFERENT BUT THE RESULTS WOULD BE THE SAME.
• OH, AND THIS TIME, THEY GET TO KEEP ALL THE SPOILS. (V.2)
• THE IRONY HERE IS THAT HAD ACHAN WAITED AND NOT BEEN GREEDY AND
SELFISH, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ALL HE WANTED IN THE NEXT
CITY.
• LESSON: NEVER GET AHEAD OF GOD. HIS BLESSINGS ARE ALWAYS BETTER, AND
ALWAYS WORTH THE WAIT.
• SO HERE’S THE NEW PLAN FOR DEFEATING AI…

4. • V.3-4. JOSHUA SELECTS A COMMANDO UNIT TO SNEAK IN LATER AND SET THE CITY
ON FIRE.
• V.12-13. JOSHUA SETS 5000 TROOPS TO FOLLOW THEM INTO THE CITY AND ACT
AS A REAR GUARD.
• JOSHUA THEN TAKES THE REST OF THE FORCES AND CAMPS IN FRONT OF AI, AND
RAN WHEN THE MEN OF AI ATTACKED.
• V.15-17. THE KING OF AI SENT EVERYONE AFTER THE ISRAELITES, LEAVING HIS CITY
UNGUARDED.
• V.18. JOSHUA LIFTS HIS SPEAR OR JAVELIN, AND SIGNALS THE COMMANDOS TO
ATTACK.
• V.19 THEY SET THE CITY ON FIRE WITH NO RESISTANCE.
• V.22 THE MEN OF AI WERE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE ISRAELITE FORCES AND ARE
DESTROYED.

5. • V.25 SAYS 12,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
• V.29 THE KING OF AI WAS HUNG, AND BURIED BENEATH A PILE OF STONES AT
THE ENTRANCE OF THE CITY.
• REMEMBER, THE BIBLE SAYS “CURSED IS EVERY ONE THAT HANGETH ON A TREE.”
GALATIANS 3:13
• V.27 THE ISRAELITES WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE ALL THE SPOILS OF THE CITY AS
PLUNDER.

6. 1. GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE HIS CHILDREN,
NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY HAVE
FORSAKEN HIM.
• ISRAEL WAS JUDGED FOR THEIR MANY VIOLATIONS OF GOD’S LAW ACCORDING
TO DEUTERONOMY 28:64. BUT GOD ALSO PROMISED TO GATHER THEM FROM
THE ENDS OF THE EARTH IN DEUTERONOMY 30:45.
• LIKEWISE, GOD PROMISES TO CHASTISE HIS CHILDREN WHEN WE DISOBEY, BUT
HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US.
• MATTHEW 28:20
• HEBREWS 13:5
• ROMANS 8:31, 35, 37-39

7. • NO CHILD OF GOD WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE FLAGRANTLY IN SIN AND NOT BE
DISCIPLINED BY GOD.
• HEBREWS 12:11 HOPEFULLY, THE CHRISTIAN WILL REPENT AND GO BACK TO
GOD’S WILL.
• HEBREWS 12:8 IF YOU ARE LIVING IN SIN AND NOT BEING DISCIPLINED, YOU MAY
NOT BE SAVED.
• IF THAT DESCRIBES YOU, REMEMBER I JOHN 1:9
• GOD IS PATIENTLY WAITING FOR YOU TO REPENT AND COME BACK TO HIM.

8. 2. GOD CAN TAKE THE MISTAKES OF HIS
CHILDREN AND TURN THEM INTO POSITIVE
RESULTS.
• THIS IS WHAT GOD DID WITH ISRAEL’S MISTAKE IN TRYING TO ATTACK AI WHEN
THEY WERE UNPREPARED BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND MILITARILY.
• HE EVENTUALLY USED THE SAME STRATEGY THAT ORIGINALLY BROUGHT
DEFEAT TO ISRAEL TO DECEIVE AND TRAP THE MEN OF AI.
• ROMANS 8:28

9. 3. GOD GIVES US FREEDOM TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGIC PLAN BUT IT MUST ALWAYS BE IN
HARMONY WITH HIS BASIC GUIDELINES AND
PRINCIPLES.
• GOD DIDN’T GIVE JOSHUA ALL OF THE ANSWERS FOR HOW TO FIGHT AI, JUST
THE OUTLINE OF THE PLAN.
• GOD GIVES US CLEAR GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES IN HIS WORD FOR CARRYING
OUT HIS WILL IN THIS WORLD.
• INSIDE GOD’S PARAMETERS, WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF FREEDOM TO DEVELOP
STRATEGIES THAT GOD WILL BLESS.
• WE MUST REMEMBER TO LISTEN AND BE ALERT FOR GOD’S GUIDANCE.