Don’t Get Drawn Away
Don’t Get Drawn Away
Text: Joshua 8:14–21
After Israel’s humiliating defeat at Ai, God commanded Joshua, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed” (Joshua 8:1). Those words suggest that some fear and discouragement remained from the previous battle. In Joshua 7, God told Joshua to “get thee up.” Now, in Joshua 8, God told him to go up against Ai.
This time, Israel would not move in pride or self-confidence. Joshua followed the LORD's command and used the strategy God had given him.
The first attack against Ai involved approximately three thousand men. The second involved thirty thousand—a 900-percent increase. God did not use the same strategy at Ai that he had used at Jericho. At Jericho, Israel marched around the city until its walls fell. At Ai, God used an ambush.
Joshua and part of the army approached Ai openly. When the king and his men came out to fight, Joshua and Israel pretended to flee. Believing Israel was retreating again, the men of Ai hastily pursued them and left their city unprotected. The Israelite soldiers waiting in ambush then entered the city and set it on fire.
When the men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke rising, they realized they had been deceived. Joshua and his men turned against them, while the soldiers who had taken the city attacked from behind. The men of Ai were caught in the middle and defeated.
It was a brilliant military strategy, but it also teaches a serious spiritual lesson: Don’t get drawn away.
Drawn Away in Haste - “And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early” (Joshua 8:14).
The king of Ai acted quickly, but he did not act wisely. He saw what appeared to be an opportunity and rushed into battle without recognizing the danger surrounding him.
Haste is more than speed. It is rash, impulsive action taken without sufficient knowledge, prayer, or discernment.
Charles Spurgeon reportedly observed, “Man’s haste is often folly, but God’s apparent delays are ever wise.” Man frequently creates trouble by moving before he has considered the consequences. God, however, is never late, careless, or uninformed. Proverbs 19:2 warns, “Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”
Haste can cause us to act without knowledge, overlook our surroundings, and fail to recognize an approaching enemy. Scripture repeatedly warns us against several forms of haste:
The train was moving quickly, but not safely. Speed without wisdom can lead directly to destruction. Before making a hurried decision, stop and pray. Seek counsel. Search the Scriptures. Consider what you may not be seeing. An apparent opportunity may actually be an ambush.
Drawn Away in Deception - “And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them” (Joshua 8:16).
The men of Ai were deceived by the performance of Joshua and the Israelites. Everything they observed appeared to confirm what they already believed: Israel was afraid and was fleeing from them again.
They were deceived by what they saw. Joshua and Israel appeared to be running away.
They were deceived by what they heard. The call went throughout the city for everyone to join the pursuit. They were deceived by what they thought. They assumed that the second battle would end like the first. However, appearances can be misleading. What seemed to be a retreat was actually part of God’s strategy for victory. Galatians 6:7 warns, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
The Garden of Eden provides an earlier example of deception. Eve listened to the serpent, looked upon the forbidden fruit, and reached a conclusion based upon the devil’s performance. She heard his words, saw what appeared desirable, and believed something that was contrary to the word of God.
The enemy still uses appearances, voices, and false conclusions to deceive people. We cannot safely judge everything by what we see, hear, or feel. Every impression must be tested by the truth of God’s word.
Do not allow another person’s performance to draw you away from what God has said. The enemy’s appearance may change, but the truth of Scripture does not.
Drawn Away from Protection - “There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel” (Joshua 8:17).
This was Ai's fatal mistake. The men became so consumed with pursuing Israel that they left their city completely exposed. Haste led to deception, and deception led them away from protection.
That is also the progression of temptation. James 1:14–16 explains: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.”
The enemy does not always attack us where we are strongest. Sometimes he tries to draw us away from the places where God has provided spiritual safety and strength. He seeks to draw us away from confidence in our salvation. He introduces doubts concerning whether Christ has truly saved us or whether his promises can be trusted. He seeks to draw us away from the word of God. He causes people to question its truth, authority, preservation, sufficiency, and application. He seeks to draw us away from the local church. He minimizes the importance of assembling, preaching, fellowship, accountability, worship, service, and spiritual oversight.
Once a person has been drawn away from these areas, he becomes isolated, vulnerable, and exposed to further attack. This does not mean that salvation itself can be lost. The believer is eternally secure in Christ. However, a Christian who loses the assurance and enjoyment of his salvation can become discouraged and spiritually ineffective. Likewise, neglecting Scripture and withdrawing from the local church can leave a believer unnecessarily exposed to temptation, deception, and defeat.
Don’t Leave the City Open
The men of Ai thought they were pursuing another victory, but they were actually abandoning their protection. They became so focused on what was in front of them that they failed to guard what was behind them.
The enemy may attempt to do the same thing in our lives. He may use urgency, anger, ambition, offense, temptation, disappointment, or distraction to pull us away from the places where God strengthens and protects us.
Where are you being hasty? What decision are you making without sufficient prayer, knowledge, or counsel? What performance has captured your attention? What spiritual protection have you begun to neglect? Consider your prayer life, Bible reading, church attendance, giving, fellowship, service, and witnessing. Do not allow the enemy to draw you away and leave your spiritual life open to attack.
Ask God to expose the ambush, strengthen the weak places, and give you the wisdom to remain where he wants you to be.
Don’t get drawn away.
Text: Joshua 8:14–21
After Israel’s humiliating defeat at Ai, God commanded Joshua, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed” (Joshua 8:1). Those words suggest that some fear and discouragement remained from the previous battle. In Joshua 7, God told Joshua to “get thee up.” Now, in Joshua 8, God told him to go up against Ai.
This time, Israel would not move in pride or self-confidence. Joshua followed the LORD's command and used the strategy God had given him.
The first attack against Ai involved approximately three thousand men. The second involved thirty thousand—a 900-percent increase. God did not use the same strategy at Ai that he had used at Jericho. At Jericho, Israel marched around the city until its walls fell. At Ai, God used an ambush.
Joshua and part of the army approached Ai openly. When the king and his men came out to fight, Joshua and Israel pretended to flee. Believing Israel was retreating again, the men of Ai hastily pursued them and left their city unprotected. The Israelite soldiers waiting in ambush then entered the city and set it on fire.
When the men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke rising, they realized they had been deceived. Joshua and his men turned against them, while the soldiers who had taken the city attacked from behind. The men of Ai were caught in the middle and defeated.
It was a brilliant military strategy, but it also teaches a serious spiritual lesson: Don’t get drawn away.
Drawn Away in Haste - “And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early” (Joshua 8:14).
The king of Ai acted quickly, but he did not act wisely. He saw what appeared to be an opportunity and rushed into battle without recognizing the danger surrounding him.
Haste is more than speed. It is rash, impulsive action taken without sufficient knowledge, prayer, or discernment.
Charles Spurgeon reportedly observed, “Man’s haste is often folly, but God’s apparent delays are ever wise.” Man frequently creates trouble by moving before he has considered the consequences. God, however, is never late, careless, or uninformed. Proverbs 19:2 warns, “Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.”
Haste can cause us to act without knowledge, overlook our surroundings, and fail to recognize an approaching enemy. Scripture repeatedly warns us against several forms of haste:
- Do not be hasty in spirit or anger (Proverbs 14:29; Ecclesiastes 7:9).
- Do not be hasty in seeking success or riches (Proverbs 21:5).
- Do not be hasty with your words (Proverbs 29:20; Ecclesiastes 5:2).
The train was moving quickly, but not safely. Speed without wisdom can lead directly to destruction. Before making a hurried decision, stop and pray. Seek counsel. Search the Scriptures. Consider what you may not be seeing. An apparent opportunity may actually be an ambush.
Drawn Away in Deception - “And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them” (Joshua 8:16).
The men of Ai were deceived by the performance of Joshua and the Israelites. Everything they observed appeared to confirm what they already believed: Israel was afraid and was fleeing from them again.
They were deceived by what they saw. Joshua and Israel appeared to be running away.
They were deceived by what they heard. The call went throughout the city for everyone to join the pursuit. They were deceived by what they thought. They assumed that the second battle would end like the first. However, appearances can be misleading. What seemed to be a retreat was actually part of God’s strategy for victory. Galatians 6:7 warns, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
The Garden of Eden provides an earlier example of deception. Eve listened to the serpent, looked upon the forbidden fruit, and reached a conclusion based upon the devil’s performance. She heard his words, saw what appeared desirable, and believed something that was contrary to the word of God.
The enemy still uses appearances, voices, and false conclusions to deceive people. We cannot safely judge everything by what we see, hear, or feel. Every impression must be tested by the truth of God’s word.
Do not allow another person’s performance to draw you away from what God has said. The enemy’s appearance may change, but the truth of Scripture does not.
Drawn Away from Protection - “There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel” (Joshua 8:17).
This was Ai's fatal mistake. The men became so consumed with pursuing Israel that they left their city completely exposed. Haste led to deception, and deception led them away from protection.
That is also the progression of temptation. James 1:14–16 explains: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.”
The enemy does not always attack us where we are strongest. Sometimes he tries to draw us away from the places where God has provided spiritual safety and strength. He seeks to draw us away from confidence in our salvation. He introduces doubts concerning whether Christ has truly saved us or whether his promises can be trusted. He seeks to draw us away from the word of God. He causes people to question its truth, authority, preservation, sufficiency, and application. He seeks to draw us away from the local church. He minimizes the importance of assembling, preaching, fellowship, accountability, worship, service, and spiritual oversight.
Once a person has been drawn away from these areas, he becomes isolated, vulnerable, and exposed to further attack. This does not mean that salvation itself can be lost. The believer is eternally secure in Christ. However, a Christian who loses the assurance and enjoyment of his salvation can become discouraged and spiritually ineffective. Likewise, neglecting Scripture and withdrawing from the local church can leave a believer unnecessarily exposed to temptation, deception, and defeat.
Don’t Leave the City Open
The men of Ai thought they were pursuing another victory, but they were actually abandoning their protection. They became so focused on what was in front of them that they failed to guard what was behind them.
The enemy may attempt to do the same thing in our lives. He may use urgency, anger, ambition, offense, temptation, disappointment, or distraction to pull us away from the places where God strengthens and protects us.
Where are you being hasty? What decision are you making without sufficient prayer, knowledge, or counsel? What performance has captured your attention? What spiritual protection have you begun to neglect? Consider your prayer life, Bible reading, church attendance, giving, fellowship, service, and witnessing. Do not allow the enemy to draw you away and leave your spiritual life open to attack.
Ask God to expose the ambush, strengthen the weak places, and give you the wisdom to remain where he wants you to be.
Don’t get drawn away.
Posted in Patience, Prayer, Spiritual Warfare, Deception
Posted in Prayer, patience, Deception, Spiritual Warfare, Choices
Posted in Prayer, patience, Deception, Spiritual Warfare, Choices
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