HOW TO DEFEAT THE DEVIL PART 7

TEXT- JOSHUA 9:1-27

INTRODUCTION

EACH FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH OUR CHURCH EMPHASIZES OUR GOALS AND THEME FOR THE YEAR.

THIS YEAR OUR THEME IS, "THE CHURCH WITH A MISSION" AND OUR GOALS ARE PRINTED IN TODAY'S BULLETIN.

AS A MEANS OF EMPHASIZING OUR THEME I HAVE BEEN PREACHING A SERIES OF SERMONS FROM THE BOOK OF JOSHUA AND COMPARING THE MISSION THAT GOD GAVE TO ISRAEL TO THE MISSION THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO US AS ONE OF HIS CHURCHES.

A WOMAN WENT TO THE BUTCHER TO BUY A CHICKEN. THE BUTCHER ONLY HAD ONE CHICKEN LEFT IN HIS FREEZER BUT PRETENDED HE PICKED THE BEST FROM MANY. HE WENT INTO THE FREEZER, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND THEN RETURNED TO THE COUNTER WITH HIS ONE AND ONLY CHICKEN. AFTER WEIGHING IT HE TOLD THE WOMAN THAT IT COST $1.98. THE WOMAN SAID, "IF YOU DON'T MIND I THINK I WOULD LIKE ONE JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER." THE BUTCHER WENT BACK INTO THE FREEZER, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, THEN RETURNED WITH THE SAME CHICKEN AND TOLD THE WOMAN THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST HER $2.25. TO WHICH THE WOMAN REPLIED, "I THINK I WILL TAKE BOTH OF THEM."

TODAY OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN JOSHUA 9:1-27 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW THE DEVIL TRIES TO DEFEAT YOU."

IN OUR TEXT TODAY WE FIND JOSHUA AND THE NATION OF ISRAEL BEING DECEIVED BY THE GIBEONITES AS ISRAEL CONTINUES ON THEIR MISSION TO CONQUER THE PROMISED LAND.

LAST MONTH WE LEARNED HOW ISRAEL WAS DEFEATED AT AI AND HOW MANY OF US AS CHILDREN OF GOD LIVE DEFEATED SPIRITUAL LIVES TODAY BECAUSE WE BECOME SELF-CONFIDENT AND FORGET THAT VICTORY COMES BY THE HAND OF THE LORD AND NOT THROUGH OUR OWN EFFORTS.

THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO CONTINUE WITH THAT THOUGHT AND SEE HOW ISRAEL ONCE AGAIN FAILED TO SEEK GOD'S COUNSEL AND AS A RESULT WERE DECEIVED INTO MAKING A COVENANT WITH THE GIBEONITES.

THE CITY OF GIBEON WAS ABOUT 6.5 MILES NORTH WEST OF JERUSALEM AND IS KNOWN TODAY AS EL-JIB AND WAS EXCAVATED FROM 1956-1960 BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS.

GIBEON WAS LOCATED ON A MAIN ROAD BETWEEN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND THE COASTLANDS OF ISRAEL.

THEREFORE IT WAS CONSIDERED A STRATEGIC AND CHIEF CITY OF THAT AREA.

AS WE EXAMINE OUR TEXT TODAY I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT FOUR PRINCIPLES IN FIGHTING AGAINST THE DEVIL.