LIGHT OF VISION FOR VICTORY (2)

“SEE, I HAVE GIVEN INTO YOUR HAND the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land” – Joshua 8:1b

After the conquest of Jericho, the Lord released again the LIGHT of VISION for VICTORY over the City of Ai: “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. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it” (Jos.8: 1-2). The Story of the Conquest of Ai is one of recovery from defeat, regaining lost ground, and turning defeat into Victory. Again, Victory became a reality by the Light of Vision – “SEE”!

The preceding chapter 7 narrates how Israel suffered a humiliating defeat when they tried to take the small fortress of Ai without God’s help.  Chapter 8 tells the story of God’s Mercy and Grace in leading His people into Victory by the Light of Vision at the place of their prior defeat. Believers will at times feel defeated in life. Like the Jews, sometimes we are responsible for our own defeat. Other times, we may be defeated by forces beyond our control. Whatever the case may be, God does not want us to give up or become discouraged in our fight for Him or in life’s battles. The enemy will seek to use past defeats to cause us to give up. But God wants to turn defeats into opportunities to grow and become victorious in warfare against the evil one. From this Victory at Ai come few salient lessons for turning spiritual defeat into victory:

First, God’s encouragement to the Jews after their self-inflicted loss at the first battle of Ai reveals that He wants us to trust in His Mercy and Grace to guide us if we ever suffer defeat in battles against evil (vv.1-2). Second, through His instructions for Joshua to use an army of 30,000 of his best soldiers against a town of only 12,000 people (including women and children), God reveals that some spiritual strongholds require the coordination and cooperation of the entire Body of Christ, under the guidance of God’s Spirit (vv.3-9). Third, Joshua’s meticulous adherence to God’s plan reveals that our victory will come when our faith in Him produces the fruit of obedience (vv.10-17). Fourth, the destruction of all of the residents of Ai (who symbolized the flesh) reveals that we should make no provision for the flesh (vv.18-22). 

Making up for lost ground is always difficult. However, a most admirable quality in the lives of God’s children is the grace to recover from failure. The vital principle for regaining lost ground is: Embrace God’s Light of Vision and Follow His Plan without Fear or Discouragement.