Who’s Plans are These?

My Plans Verses God’s Perfect Plans!

Have you ever felt like you were doing what God wanted you to do, but your plans were totally frustrated? I believe this was how Joshua felt.

“And Joshua said, ‘Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!'” – Joshua 7:7

Joshua demonstrates some cool things here. I can relate.

1)Rather than simply grieving or railing. He immediately comes before the presence of the Lord & cries out to him, asking why this has happened. He’s emotional and distraught but he takes it to the right place.

2) Joshua doubts his decision. This is cool because I do this all the time!
Joshua is overwhelmed by failure, fear, and disappointment & begins to doubt whether they should have come. This is understandable, the Lord promised them the entire land and commanded them to claim it, then this? He’s confused and starts to doubt.

No surprise, we do it all the time. We hear an amazing promise from God, maybe get an miraculous sign confirming it. We know better, but still, high on the promises of God, WE foolishly ASSUME it is going to be a smooth ride or that we can handle the bumps.

Then we are defeated. We stumble over a task that should have been easy. Bewildered, disillusioned, angry, and humiliated, we think, “I should go back to that place where God demonstrated his power! When things felt good & made sense.”

Its not right but its still encouraging.
The Lord had been with the people of Israel as they entered the Promised Land.
*They defeated every enemy because of God’s blessing and protection.
*They had just taken the city of Jericho. The next battle was the city of Ai. They scouted the enemy and determined it would require only 3,000 men to defeat them.
They attacked, and soon the reports came back that they were being routed. Joshua could not understand this. He cried out to God asking why this was happening.

The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.”
That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction.
I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction” (Joshua 7:10-12).

***Whenever we open ourselves up to sin, we become liable. God removes His protective shield from our lives in order for the sin in our lives to be purged out.

God often uses the enemy of our souls to accomplish the task.
If you feel you are being thwarted in some way, examine your life to see if there is any sin that is the cause of the problem. (Mine was Pride and selfishness to start with).
I know Adversity is not always due to sin, but it can be. Ask Him. He will show you!!!!

As with Joshua, God immediately answered this prayer when Joshua asked.
God desires for His children to live in a right relationship with Him

Circumstances changed for Joshua and he cries or feeling failed. He wants to TURN BACK! Because the plan did not go accordingly— Joshua wants out. “why would God do this to us? Why is He mad?”
*How quick Joshua is to want to go backward!
I feel like so many times, especially after an amazing VICTORY, we can get caught up in trying to do things in our OWN strength instead of allowing God to do it all.

A lot of times, though, it can be traced back to a simple act of disobedience, even a slight one such as taking for yourself something that was supposed to be for God, or taking the glory for something that God did.
In that one moment of pride, we can find ourselves defeated in our next battle. We ask God, “Why?” His answer? You have sinned. Get up and cleanse yourself from your sin, for tomorrow you will go up against the same battle.
ROOT out that which is holding you back and burn it out. Then you will be victorious. Let God have control.

Romans 6:7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Heavenly Father, forgive my foolishness for being fearful of my circumstances rather than fear You. God thank you that you are always the same, Your plan is always perfect, so that when I fail and my surroundings fail- You NEVER do. That’s amazing. God I pray that when my circumstances shift you would put it in my mind to remember who You are. Help me to see that You are still at work and still in control. God it is never about me it is always about you Jesus. I don’t wanna go ANYWHERE without you. I need you, I desire you, I long for you. I love you. In Jesus name I pray. AMEN!