There were a people who had escaped from their enemy. It was a marvelous victory and the people respected and honored their Deliverer. This Deliverer's leader, before he died, gave the people some guidelines by which to live. For example they were not to covet the things of the enemies they would conquer in the future. All things captured were to be given to the people and then divided as each had need, and some of it for the honoring of the Deliverer who had given them victory.
So this people went to war with a people greater and mightier than they and they wholly destroyed the wicked and vile people they had warred against. There were great celebrations that went on into the evening and days to follow. Finally it came time to war against a neighboring city. Not real big city but gated and fortified, the new leader, with the consent of his councilmen, decided they would only send a small contingent of soldiers and allow them to take the city. So early the next morning three thousand able bodied soldiers marched away from camp knowing that they would have victory. But to their horror, when the men of the city they were attacking came out, the enemy sent them running for their lives. 38 men did not return to their families that day and the rest of the troops returned in shame.
Wives, parents and children and people wept over the loss. And the leader fell on his face broken of heart and spirit over what had just happened. As the sun was setting on this brokenhearted people, a familiar voice from heaven spoke: “Someone in your camp has taken something that I have meant for destruction and kept it for himself. Tomorrow call all of the people together and I will call out the offender. When he is called out you shall stone him and all that he has and burn all that he has with fire!” (Let me insert a thought; Achan had all night to go to leadership and repent. So very much like human nature. If you are in sin repent now for you do not know what tomorrow might bring.
Early the next day the leader assembled all of his people and out of the all of the people one tribe was selected, out of the tribe one clan was chosen, out of the clan one family was chosen, and out of that family one man was chosen. Then the leader in righteous indignation asked: “ What have you done to so trouble our people that even we fled before out enemies and 38 men have died.”
So Achan the son of Charmi of the tribe of Judah was chosen, then he confessed that in the battle for Jericho he lusted after a garment, some gold and some silver and had kept it for himself instead of surrendering it the the people. The items were found in the floor of his tent. Then all of the people took him and his family out and stoned them for troubling the people.
This story is found in the Bible, in the book of Joshua chapter 7.
So what is the Spirit of God saying to the church today? “Oh My people you mock Me and My Word. I have called you to holiness, but you have accursed things in your home, at work and in your computer. You do things in which I do not delight and which I have specifically said, 'you shall not do'. You love the world and the things of the world. You chase after god's of pleasure, things which you delight in but are an abomination to me. For they rob Me of My fellowship. Are you like Achan thinking I do not see? These things are not hidden form Me. Shall I honor you? Shall I honor your prayers? Your children are wayward, not because you are bad parents but because I cannot honor you for you are backsliden.
“You make mockery of My Holy Spirit which I gave to My body the church and His gifts saying: 'Tongues are an abomination!' Do you not know that they are music to My ears. Yes people do abuse them, you don't have to. You say, 'healings are no longer for today.' That is not true My people, but the accursed things you honor and hide keep me from honoring you. People without a degree are healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons because they are fools for my sake. They are not ashamed to try and fail, but they believe and try again and some are healed.
You educated people where in the Bible does it say: “That the gifts of the Spirit have stopped?” It's a made up doctrine that give you an out to cover up your weaknesses and humanity. Humble yourselves turn from your sins and unbelief and believe the gospel. For it is the good news of salvation, not only for you but for your family and those you meet in your journey thru life.
If you continue on with chapter 8 of Joshua you will see that the people obeyed and removed the sin from their camp and then they were able to have victory over their enemy. It is now time for us to repent, to clean house, return to your first love, believe the gospel, not man and go and do what Jesus commanded you to do.
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