When I landed my first job, I was just three credits short of my bachelor’s degree—just a little chemistry course. So I walked in my graduation ceremony, threw my hat in the air, and planned to sort out the nagging little detail of those three little credits at a community college… later. After all, my degree was ninety-eight percent finished, and such a little thing hardly seemed important. I was pretty much a college graduate, and no one would care about all the nuts and bolts involved with my degree. Oh, but they did care. To my boss, it was less a matter of what percentage of the degree was finished and more a literal desire to see my actual diploma.
Obedience matters. Actual black-and-white, toe-the-line obedience matters. In an age of self-worship, the notion of true obedience is an offense, making it a neglected virtue. We like to assert independent thought and maintain our autonomous individualism. But God is absolutely clear: He commands our obedience. It bears mentioning that God can require our faithfulness because He is actually God. Indiscriminate or blind obedience to earthly authorities can be at odds with what God asks of us. Petty, earthly rulers have the limited power God grants them, but our first allegiance is always with the King who sits on the eternal throne (Psalm 9:7).
The first defeat at Ai was the result of the disobedience of one man, Achan. As with Adam and Eve, however, his self-serving theft undid an entire people. Shiny things are tempting, but God had called His people to do more than just lay hold of territorial possession; they were to establish a culture rooted in His covenant with them. The conquest wasn’t about stuff—it was about culture. He was their God, and they were His people. And so Joshua instructed them as such:
“Follow the LORD’s command—
see that you do as I have ordered you” (Joshua 8:8).
The conquest of the land was built upon covenantal relationship. God wasn’t just giving earthly land-grants or stocks and shares in the gold market. He was doing something altogether different. He was calling His people to take dominion, as He had called Adam to take dominion. They were to remove idolatry from the land and be a people who honored God’s statutes and commandments.
Mercifully—though the lesson of obedience was costly—God restored the set-apartness of His people. They were called back to Ai, to this time be obedient to everything God commanded. Before, they had tried to go out in their own strength and had failed. But when they obeyed, they gained victory.
Disobedience undermines our fitness for the work of God’s kingdom. We cannot expect to see victory in our lives if we dally in disobedience. Still, God is merciful, and because of His great mercy, we can once again return to Him, making His word our joy and His command our delight (Psalm 119:16).
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70 thoughts on "Conquest & Commitment"
The part that stuck out to me was when the first group of Israelites who fled to the wilderness were used as a distraction so that Ai was left defenseless and the Israelites could overtake it. Then the people of Ai were then chased back to their death. I feel like that’s what happens when we’re disobedient to the Lord. We get distracted and leave our hearts defenseless against Satan and if we’re gone too long or far we get lost and can’t find a safe place to run to. But God is strong and no matter how far we let evil into our hearts, our own kingdoms, God can overthrow him and take control again just like with Ai.
God will be Stephanie’s God, and Stephanie will be God’s person.
I’ve recently been struggling with obedience and just being really comfortable in some of my sin. Consider me shook! This was so timely and appropriate for my current season. Thank You God for Your patience with me as I sometimes stumble through sanctification. Amen.
Trusting and obeying the Lord ♥️
Shiny things are tempting but they DO NOT DEFINE MY WORTH
‘We cannot see victory in our lives if we live in daily disobedience.’ It’s kind of like me cheating on my diet every day then getting on the scale and then expecting to lose weight. I need to make changes 1st intentional changes to expect to see a difference. Thankfully God has for grace than my scale!
God always turns what the enemy tries to use for good!
This is good
Tracy, how is your son doing today?
So awesome!!!!
So true!! God can turn it all the way around to work in our favor!
May the repercussions of defeat and judgement lead us back to repentance and obedience that we may experience victory and blessings of God. Obedience to God matters!
Thankful to have a merciful God who I can turn to again and again.
❤️ going to pick one area I know I struggle with obedience and seek Him there
“We cannot expect to see victory in our lives if we dally in disobedience.” Love this quote!
How is your son?
As Charles Stanley so often says…Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him❤️
I’m thankful for second and third chances when I get it wrong and disobey. And I’m thankful I can’t lose my gift of salvation because it was never earned to begin with. I’m going to be looking for ways I’m disobeying or worshiping myself more than him. I think I am wholly more concerned about what I want normally.
I noticed that God used the initial defeat at Ai in His battle plan for victory. Thinking the 5000 Israelites were the whole army, the men of Ai went out and left their city unguarded. They became proud after their initial victory. It’s encouraging to know that God uses even our failures for His good. Truly nothing is wasted when we walk in obedience.
Amen
Go to shereadstruth.com/shownotes and click on the podcast from this week! It was such a good one.
Today’s reading struck me with how God called Joshua and the people make to a place where they have failed before. The first time, they weren’t obedient, didn’t seek His direction, acted out of self-importance. After facing the consequences of their sin, God calls them to return and fight the battle again- His way- the only way. This really met me where I am as God is calling me to prepare to be married again. I fought that battle before on my own terms and failed. Now God is calling me back there on His terms. Being obedient in this season is an hourly (if not minute-by-minute) struggle to refocus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy instead of being bogged down in the fears and what-ifs. The major difference between the two battles: God’s calling and presence from beginning to end. May our obedience be an act of worship worthy of our King!
I can’t find the show notes from last night’s podcast.
Does my obedience indicate a set-apartness for the Lord.
Victory is gained through obedience to God. This reminds me of an incident that the Lord called me to obey in the context of marriage. There were once battles raging. My husband refused to learn bible or grow in the word, he chose to be “lukewarm” in his walk, and I just had enough. Strife, conflicts were present and I fought it my way. Just like the initial battle of Ai that 36 men died, I also failed with some damage. And guess what, for the same reason, due to hidden sin. The “gold and silver hidden under the tent floor” that God called out was my precious pride hidden under my marriage tent. He gave me solution through this verse, “Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over WITHOUT WORDS by the behavior of their wives” (1 Peter 3:1). God showed me “Without words” is the way I should win my husband back- no nagging, no complaining, no condemning using scriptures, the “silent marching” around Jericho for 6 days straight. I did, and I saw victory. I learnt that God’s simple instruction can change critical circumstances around. His instructions are NOT to be overlooked to the smallest detail. It is full of wisdom and clever solutions that bring life to “dead” situations. I hope this might help someone going through a marriage battle.
Thank you Tina for the update on Kane, how powerful God works! I am rejoicing with you, and I love the beautiful story of obedience you shared. It takes humility on our part and humility comes before honor. Please keep your amazing stories coming.
Bless you all dear SRT sisters. Obey the Lord and you will see victory.
♥️
God loves us and He requires obedience. He will not leave us. However, He will teach us and discipline us. Follow His lead he knows what is best for all of us.
Thank you❤️
It has just dawned on me that the word obedience/ disobedience doesn’t just apply to children. It just hit me that I am disobedient to God almost daily and never looked at it in that way. Wow what an awakening. God is so amazing how He gently nudged me just now and let me see that it’s very much applies to me.
It’s not often that I sense God ask something BIG of me. But, the little, constant steps of obedience over years add up. I forget that. I’m thinking of how He’s called me to a long season of helping aging parents and supporting ill family members while navigating hard family dynamics. I haven’t wanted the job, to be honest. I wanted something splashier to do for God. How funny is that? God knows best and He placed me within the circumstances I am in for His glory and for my good and the good of others.
Noticing today that God made the first move in restoring the covenant with his people—GOD told Joshua why their armies had fallen, GOD told Joshua how to make it right, GOD lead Israel to victory against Ai, and only after all of that did Israel go to Mount Ebal.
God is always the one making the first move (and sometimes second and third moves) to restore relationship with us. That’s his big grace. And all we need to do is follow his lead and obey.
Wow. Lots to think about. Obedience IS what God desires over any sacrifice that we make.
Love this so much . Need to obey and so thankful that God is merciful!
SRT sisters, if you could be praying for me as I am trying to decide whether to become an elementary school teacher and pursue a masters of teaching. My undergrad major isn’t in education (I’m graduating this spring), but I feel that this could be a path I can go down, since I don’t have any other options right now and the job outlook for my major field is low. I got to talk with an experienced veteran teacher yesterday, and she gave me a lot of great information and advice (but it was slightly overwhelming). I feel that I have the traits to be a teacher and that I would enjoy it, despite how it takes hard work (but I feel that most jobs require that anyways). It’s scary not knowing the future because I want to know it all now of course. But trying to take it one step at a time…I know God is in control and he will work things out. Praying I would continue to trust him.
So agree with Rebecca this morning. We cannot dally in disobedience. Trust me, I know this all too well. What I wanted was very hard to submit to God. But on that fate morning in June in front of the judge, the bailiff, court recorder and a couple of officers, I spoke out God says about the matter. My Christian godly friend who had accompanied me was taken by my words, knowing that they were not my words but God’s words. I had a choice that morning. My way or God’s. As hard as it was I chose God’s trusting He will take care of the rest.
Amen
“We cannot see victory if we live in daily disobedience”. Continuing to pray God’s point out disobedience in my life. I think it’s easy for me to overlook and justify things.
Praise God ❤️
I have been a lifelong Christian but just now learning and actually reading the Bible. I’m addicted.
Praying for all …. This touched me today God Bless you all
Since my divorce I feel like God has covered me in His grace. But lately, I can feel bitterness and resentment creeping into my heart. Yesterday someone posted about reading 1 Cor. 13 every morning and walking in love. I needed that. I need to be obedient to God alone and walk in His love, regardless of my broken heart. Praying for faithfulness that leads to my own victory. Life is hard, guys.
For everyone struggling with obedience to God, including myself, remember that if He called you to do something He will give you everything that you need to accomplish what He has told you to do. Do not fear. He will make your path straight.
This also touched me and pinged my heart❤️ praying I am obedient and not dallying in disobedience on an everyday level
“In an age of self worship”. Man that spoke to me today. There’s so much talk of self care, self love, self help … that I feel like we’ve lost our compassion and empathy for our neighbors. Obedience is hard and it’s not about yourself. Loved this today
Rebecca – your words are a confirmation to my heart and spirit in a crazy, daily getting crazier, society. My role is to listen to God and then obey…immediately. Thank you.
Thank you Tina. So grateful for your sharing! “It’s about obedience __________.” ♥️
Wonderful news. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness.
“We cannot expect to see victory in our lives if we dally in disobedience” – good truth for today!
Oh Tina I LOVE THAT STORY. Thank you for sharing it with us. ❤️
Feeling super convicted about something I feel God calling me to do as an act of obedience, but wrestling with not being ready/not wanting to do it/excuses excuses. Lord, I trust You. Help me into obedience. Amen <3
Living a life of obedience to God isn’t something I’m just called to, I’m commanded to! So often I allow my own comforts, ideas or wants to outweigh that command and make it just a suggestion. God is Lord over all…He has every right to require faithfulness from His creation. Not because He is a dictator, but because of His character. He is a God who pours out His lavish love and blessing on those who faithfully follow Him. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk in obedience.
Yesterday I read a quote from Lisa Terkhurst: “My job is to be obedient to God. His job is to take care of all the rest.” In the season I’m walking through, God is reminding me to just trust Him with all the rest…. like a loving father would allow and invite and enjoy his little daughter helping him with part of his work…. the part He knows she can do…. but the responsibility for the finished work is on His shoulders. Thank you all for your prayers. I am thankful for this little SRT community!
Tina thank you for the update on Kane. You are such a precious gran to him I am sure. I love your stories and how they encourage and challenge me.
Tina, rejoicing with you about the peace, and about Kane’s outcome. Praise God – He is faithful!
Old Testament books can be hard for me to digest sometimes (the war, bloodshed, and conquest at God’s command) but his word is good and his law and ways are perfect! How sweet is it that we have a written record to look back on to SEE how faithful he has been to his people, even in their disobedience.
God demands our obedience! I’ve always had a hard time with violence and killing in the Bible- especially as in Ai and Jericho where it says that the women and children were also killed. I had a Sunday School teacher that explained it well. She said that God wanted all idol worship, disobedience, etc to be eradicated so that people would turn to Him. In order for that to happen, everyone had to die because even the children had been taught the idol worship or whatever it was that God wanted to end. The children could carry on those practices, so they had to be killed, also. It’s hard to read such gruesome accounts, but God is faithful and His ways are right. Our job is to trust Him and to be obedient.
That second paragraph! thanks, Rebecca!
When I was a young small groups leader, I was under an amazing woman of God who led all of us leaders in a weekly accountability and encouragement group. Her favorite hymn was “Trust and Obey” and we sang it weekly, her eyes pointed up and her palms lifted high.
I couldn’t understand why she loved it so much. UNTIL! One day, God just blew the door off my soul and the words of the hymn humbled and admonished me. TRUST (rest fully on God, trust that He is God, trust that His laws and statutes are good and just, trust that God has me on the right path, trust that God is faithful) and OBEY (knowing God is good and His commandments are good, not worrying about if saying, “Yes” to God looks weird or different in the culture’s eyes, just taking that one step in front of another…did God command I…love, forgive, be truthful, avoid gossip, sacrifice my self, choose kindness, cover sins with love, etc.? Then, I must obey for I trust He is good). Ahh. Now that hymn plays daily through my head and I love it, too.
Can’t experience God w out first being obedient ♥️
Great reminder!
Very good & important reminder this morning!
Lord, put Your laws into my mind and write them on my heart. You are my God and I desire to be Your person. I do not want to sin against You but I too often do the very thing I don’t want to do. Thank You for second, third, fourth, a million chances. I’m so grateful for Your forgiveness. I’m a weak human being. You are a gracious and merciful God. Holy Spirit, nudge me hard to do and say that which honors You. Thank You for the peace that obedience brings. Amen.
I am so glad to hear the good report Tina! Praise the Lord!
I love the last paragraph.
This hit close to home here. Thanks and have a blessed day!
TINA – praises for Kane’s outcome, and love the dog story!
DANA – the first step is usually the most difficult and you’ve taken that one. Praying for you as you continue.
AMARIS – praying for you, for comfort as you grieve the loss of your dad, manage care for loved ones from a distance, for your relative and the trial they are facing, and strength and wisdom as you seek balance in all that you are responsible for.
JAEDYN – praying for continued improvement for your dad
Baby J in NICU – some improvement yesterday and praying that continues.
Dawned on me as I was studying today’s devo that obedience and forgiveness have something in common – they both help US, maybe the other person or maybe not … But they definitely help us grow in our relationship with the Lord.
Dana I am so happy to hear that you found comfort in comments from people AND that you reached out to your brother. I hope you feel spirit lead in that decision. I will continue to pray for you to forgive your brother.
Tina that is amazing awesome news and that fills my heart with joy. I literally wrote in my gratitude journal this morning that prayer changes everything. Not always in the way that we think it will go, but I am so happy to hear the good news for you and Kane. And, thank you for sharing your story about the dog. I had a similar story in which I didn’t feel like I should apologize and when I finally drove to the place, she was also not there. But, I felt good about acting in obedience and relayed the message to one of her coworkers. I do not know if she ever got the message, but I know in my heart that I did what God wanted me to do.
When kane was younger we used to walk around the village with our dog. On one of those adventures together, as we passed the local drinking hole, a dog smaller then ours started to bark at us and also to annoy our dog who was on a lead. The smaller dog wasn’t.!
I asked politely of the people sitting outside if the dog belonged to any of them as my dog got more and more agitated. Noone responded. I asked again, as now my dog was getting so agitated, she had managed to get free of her collar and was loose.. I could see what was going to happen and in a second, as I shouted her name, found myself on the ground holding my dogs back legs as she made to pounce on the annoying dog.
As I lay on the ground still holding her back legs, to protect the other dog, a couple came out shouting, “what’s all that noise about.” I’m afraid I shouted back, in some choice words. They then told me the litte dog was theirs . I asked why it was on a lead, their response was that it was a pub dog and therefore.. I lost the plot as I recovered both myself and my now calming dog! It was not pretty what ensued. I gathered my grandson and dog, fuming I walked walked away.
Here’s the thing…
But God..
I apologised to my grandson as we turned the corner, explaining that sometimes nannies have bad days and this was one of them!
But God..
As we got home, I felt a conviction to go back and apologise to the people involved. I poohooed it. Later the same, again, poohooed it! This went on best part of 5 days, I refused, even argued with God that I was not in the wrong! Day 5 and the conviction is so strong, I say yes, okay reluctantly..but on condition that He, God be with me. I set off, mumbling my prayers as I went.. take a deep breathe as I walk into the pub, and ask for the landlord and his wife..
Are you ready for the response.. you may need to sit down for this..
They had gone on holiday!
I looked up, quizzically to the heavens, and do you know what I heard from God.. ‘ ..THIS WAS ABOUT OBEDIENCE Tina..”
Pure and simple.
For days I had been discombobulated because of the incident, and I was uneasy..
God, had been offering victory, in the form of peace of heart, but the stubborn rebel in me was feeling justified in all that went down.
Obedience, not always easy, but so very important to our walk with our God, who only ever wants good for us.
Amen..
I’ve gone on, forgive me..
Blessed Tuesday sisters, Be blessed. ❤
Thank you to ALL of you for your responses. I needed to hear these truths. I reached out to my brother today to let him know I’m working on being obedient to God and making amends. And once again God confirms what He’s been saying to me by the study tonight on obedience. Only You, God. I smile at how You drive a point home…thank You.
Tina, wonderful news for you and Kane. Praise God!!
Dearest SRT sisters, With all I am, I say thank you so very much for your prayers and kind words yesterday for both Kane and myself. Peace, when received in answer to prayers made in love and from the heart is something else. Thank you!
Kane received a 6 months suspended sentence, and to wear a tag for that time too, a result that only God through prayers and intercession, made possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Every blessing dear sisters, every blessing, wrapped lovingly and gratefully in love.
Thank you!❤
Obedience is the way. Wishing everyone a wonderful day.
Hope you all have a blessed day!