Topic: Understanding The Devil’s Strategy
Text: Joshua 7:1-21

You cannot win the battles of life except you understand the strategy of the enemy. You have to locate your enemy’s position, assess his strength and methods before you can know how to come against him. If you understand the devil’s methods you will always triumph over him. When does Satan come against us with battles? Is it in the morning, afternoon of night? Is it when you are sick or otherwise? Satan prefers to come after you have just won a victory; when you are rejoicing. Satan will not come when you are in trouble or going through tribulations. He knows that when you are in trouble that is when you draw closer to God. We have examples in the Bible. Let us start with Joshua. In our text, something interesting happened. The Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land. When they got to the wall of Jericho, the people of Jericho thought they were from attack because they knew that the Israelites could not pass through the wall. God however gave them victory. The wall fell. After the victory, as they were rejoicing, Satan came into their midst. Satan would always want to spoil good things. Satan knew that God had told the Israelites that they should destroy Jericho completely and not to take any spoils for themselves. Satan crept into Achan who took some spoil of war, contrary to the instructions of God (Joshua 6:18). God became angry with the Israelites. After the defeat of Jericho, the people thought that taking Ai would be a child’s play. Only a few of them went against Ai. Satan made them forget that it was God who actually gave them the victory at Jericho, and not themselves. They did not know that God was already angry with them. They were defeated. Do not relax after any victory because this is the time the devil likes to attack. It is after your victory over sickness and over your enemies that Satan gets poised for another battle. The higher you go spiritually, the more intense the battle becomes. The battle continues until we meet Jesus. Are your battle-ready?

Memory Verse: I John 3:8 - “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”