AMBUSHING YOUR AI
Joshua 8:1-35

Introduction:     Chapter 8 finds Israel facing the same city that they faced in chapter 7. The reasons for their defeat was that there was sin in their midst that had not been dealt with. Ai, in the Bible, is a type of the flesh. The word "Ai" means "a heap of ruins." The first mention of this city is found in Gen. 12:8; 13:3. The Bible tells us that Abraham pitched his tent "between Bethel and Hai." Now, the name " Bethel " means, "The house of God." Many saints have pitched their tents somewhere between the house of God and a heap of ruins. We often lose battles to our Ai, (this flesh), but through the Lord, we can learn how to ambush our Ai and walk away with the victory in our lives. I don't know the battles that you are fighting with your flesh, but I do know that you can win the victory. These verses tell us how. Let's look together at these verses and learn How To Ambush Your Ai.

I.          VICTORY IS PROMISED (VV.1-2)

A.        God’s Guarantee Of Winning (v. 1)
God knew that they needed to overcome the defeat at Ai before they could move on in the conquest of Canaan . He told Joshua, "Fear not!" To those who have fallen and have lost a battle to the flesh, God says, "Fear not! I am giving you the victory!" It is a blessing to know that I am no longer a slave to sin, the flesh and the devil, Rom. 6:14! The Lord did not save your soul to leave you defeated and beaten by the flesh.

            B.         A Word About Waiting (v. 2)
They were to take all the spoils for themselves! If Achan would have waited he could have had all the riches that he could have imagined. Instead, he ran ahead of God and paid the ultimate price. When we can learn to wait on the Lord, we are well on our way to victory in the Christian life, (Psa 37:34) "Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."

II.         VICTORY IS PURSUED (VV. 3-26)

A.        They Had God's Plan (vv. 3-17)
They were to lay an ambush for Ai. If you are going to have victory over your flesh, then you must go about it God's way. You need constant contact with the things of God. There are several that need to be a huge part of our lives:

1. The Word of God - 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Tim. 2:15
2. Prayer - Luke 18:1; 1Thes. 5:17; James 4:2
3. Church Attendance - Heb. 10:25
4. The Fellowship of the Saints - 1 Cor. 12:27

When we feed the flesh and ignore our spiritual needs, then we are headed for trouble in our spiritual lives!

B.         They Had God's Power (vv. 18-23)
Israel fought the battle, but God gave the victory!
( Ill. There is a lesson here for those of us who struggle with this flesh. The battle will not be won by our ability to say "No!" I'll tell you how to fight the flesh: fight it in God's power - Eph. 6:10; Phil. 4:13; (1 Cor 10:13) "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." The only way any of us will ever see victory over this flesh is through the power of God!)

C.        They Had God's Performance (vv. 24-26)
Israel trusted in the Lord and absolutely prevailed over their enemy. God did what He said He would do! When we are engaged in a battle with this flesh, we need to count on God! He is all powerful and He is able to help you as you fight the flesh and the battles of life. (see Heb. 4:14-16)

III.       THE VICTORY IS PRESERVED (V. 27-35)
Now they must maintain their victory. They take two steps that make this a reality for them.

A.        Victory Is Preserved By Death (vv. 27-29)
Joshua knew that this enemy had to be totally eradicated or there would be problems down the road. We need to understand some things about our flesh if we are to have the victory over it today.

1. Your flesh is alive and is at war with the Spirit of God - Gal. 5:16-24. ( Ill. We have been given the divine nature - 2 Pet. 1:4) (Ill. This is a struggle that the Apostle Paul dealt with in great detail - Rom. 7:14-25.)

2. At the same time, your flesh was crucified with Jesus Christ - Rom. 6:6-7. ( Ill. This is our positional standing. In the eyes of God, our flesh, all it works and everything it stands for was crucified with Jesus at Calvary . God reckoned the wicked, sinful natures that we possess to be in His Son on the cross.)

3. We are to put the flesh to death daily- Col. 3:1-10. ( Ill. This is how we are to live practically everyday.) Why this list of sins? Because these are things that seem to have a way of dominating our lives. Notice what some of them are:

a. Fornication - Illicit sexual activities. There is only one appropriate place for the expression of the sexual appetite and that is within marriage. You can either live to please the flesh or you can live to please God.
b. Uncleanness - Moral impurity. Doing things that dirty and pollute the soul life.

c. Inordinate Affections - Passions for things that are forbidden by God. This is a desire or craving for wrong things.

d. Evil Concupiscence - evil desire, a yearning and an aching for all kinds of evil. It is that within a person that pulls him to desire, grasp, grab, and take hold of all forms of evil that give pleasure to the body and its members.

e. Covetousness - Craving, grasping, grabbing, and desiring to have something. It is desiring to have something when it is not needed; it is desiring more than what we need and more than what we should have. Note that covetousness is idolatry.

4. The secret lies in being able to reckon the flesh dead like God does - Rom. 6:11-14; Gal. 2:20. When we come to the place that we can look at our flesh and its lusts and remind it that it is dead to sin then, and only then, can we expect victory in our lives. ( Ill. We don't crucify the flesh by gratifying it! You cannot feed every lust that enters your mind and claim to be living a life that is pleasing to the Lord. The flesh must die today! When tomorrow comes, it must die again. I must reckon it dead to sin and to the lust for sin!)( Ill. We are told to flee those things that tempt us - 2 Tim. 2:22.

5. It all boils down to whether or not you want to please the Lord by the life you live - Rom. 8:1-13.

6. Thankfully, there will come a day when the battle with the flesh will end. One day, the Lord will deliver us from this vile flesh and we shall be changed to be like Him. You see, position ally, God says that our flesh is dead to sin. Practically speaking it can be, but only as we take the initiative to reckon it dead day by day. However, one day, we will be changed and we will be perfected by the power of God , Rom. 7:24-25.

B.         Victory Is Preserved By Devotion  (vv. 30-35)
After the enemy had been eradicated and victory had been preserved, Israel finished by doing what the Lord had told them to do through Moses, Deut. 27:1-28:6. (expound) There was a devotion to living by the Word of God.

Conclusion:       If we are to ever experience lasting victory over this flesh, then we too must learn to walk in the Word of God. If we are to win and preserve the victory day by day, then we must learn to live by the Word of God. If God said do it, then do it! If God said don't do it, then don't do it. If you have a doubt, then don’t! Where is your devotion this morning? It needs to be to the Word of God! Are you living by the book like you should? Can you honestly say that what God says matters in your life? If you want lasting victory over the flesh, there must be absolute devotion to the Word of God! I don't know your need this morning, but I do know a God Who can help! Will you come to Him and seek what you need to be able to live your life in a manner pleasing to Him?