The enemy’s assault against you, your family, ministry, and calling may be intense. Do you feel knocked down? Oh friend, you are not out! In God’s Kingdom, the count against us is never final, no matter how great the failure or loss.
Softball became my sport of choice way back in country school. Children from grades one to eight attended our little school. A small-framed little girl, like me, didn’t stand a chance against much larger boys. I always held last place on the roster. Almost every noon hour over the summer, a softball game would occur. I stood at the plate. The bat dangled precariously off my shoulder, as I fixed my eyes on the incoming ball. SMACK! The bat dropped from my hands as I fell to the dirt. The incoming ball had slammed against my head, knocking me unconscious. Of course, no one considered the consequences of concussions back then Both softball and school resumed the next day.
We have all taken hits! Determined to keep our spiritual eyes open, we watched for anything that would harm us or our family. Almost out of no where it came and knocked us off your feet. Whatever the “it” was, we were left to eat dust, helpless to rise again.
“For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.“
Proverbs 24:16
Far from a game played by school children, the enemy we face plays hard. Oh, but may we remember that we are not out.
Seriously!
Sometimes, I am flabbergasted, totally shocked, at how quickly I trip and fall. I don’t even need a ball flying through the air to take me down. Sometimes fatigue, distractions, or petty insults set me off balance or topple me to the ground. But more often than not, I have simply drifted off course in my relationship with God. The pattern is predictable.
Remember the Israelites, who defeated mighty Jericho with a shout. Yep! One shout and stone separated from stone, disintegrating into dust at their feet. Jericho was Israel’s first victory in the land God promised to them. Next came a puny little town called Ai. No problem, they thought. Let our troops rest while a few of us go take care of it. But the battle didn’t turn out that way. The army retreated, leaving their fallen dead on the battlefield.
The soldiers of Ai couldn’t defeat Israel. They defeated themselves! Their downfall came from within their ranks. God would not allow Joshua or His army to experience another victory until they dealt with their internal issues. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Too many times, I have been in a similar state.)
God clearly instructed the people concerning Jericho that,
“The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord…”
Joshua 6:17
When God says, “All!” He means “All! Everything!” One man, Achan refused to listen. Allured by extravagant garments and shimmering gold and silver, he took them for himself.
More than one sin pierced Achan’s heart. He coveted and took what belonged to God. He lied to cover his tracks. Finally, Achan hid the evidence to avoid being discovered. Achan blazed the well-worn path we all follow. Brave soldiers died as a result. Destruction came to Achan’s entire family. He lost everything for the thrill of short term pleasure.
The consequences of our choices go far beyond any expectations — both for good and for evil.
Redemption
From that time forward the place of Achan’s deadly consequences became known as the Valley of Achor, or Valley of Trouble.
My sin may be different from Achan’s. Your sin may be different still. Without exception, however, disobedience and rebellion inevitably lead to the Valley of Trouble. Oh, but thanks be to God. He delivers us from the Valleys of Trouble we face. He sees us lying in the dirt of our own failures, unable to help ourselves out of our desperate condition.
God opened the way. He turns our fall into life and hope through Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the price for every one of our failures. He forgives all of our sins.
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”
Colossians 2:13-14
While the enemy taunts and shame tries to push us deeper into defeat, Jesus lifts us from it. Through His shed blood, He declares over us, “Forgiven!” Forgiven when we confess and run back into His loving grace. We, like Israel of long ago, experience defeat instead of victory until we stop hiding and confess our internal propensity to err.
Hope
We find a wonderful verse embedded within Hosea’s tragic life story.
“There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.”
Hosea 2:15
The deepest, darkest Valley of Trouble, God turns into a door or gateway of hope. Only God! Only His grace! By His mercy alone, He picks us up. Though knocked down, we are never out of His reach or absent from His love.
Doors and gateways offer easy access to things otherwise out of our reach. Doors remove barriers and blast open areas of containment.
I wonder how many doors of hope we have missed. How many God opportunities to realign ourselves with Him have we walked past or ignored? How many gateways to restored relationship with Him or others have we bypassed? Too many, perhaps!
Let’s not miss the one He provides for us today. No matter how hopeless our situation, no matter how grave our error, turn back to Him today.
“Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”
Psalm 50:15
We possess no ability to overcome on our own. When we place our hope in Christ and in His finished work of the cross, He rescues. He saves, when we call on Him.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me. I turn from pride and greed, from self-centered living and self-focused efforts. Lord, You are bigger than every trouble. I thank You that I am always within Your reach (Romans 8:38-39). Forgive me for trying to do things my way and in my time. Help me to trust You with every process for my life. You had so much for Achan and his family. You have so much more and better for me and mine.
Help me to walk according to Your principles. May I experience the joy of restored relationship with You and the freedom to walk in Your ways (Romans 8:1-2). I look ahead to the victories You have waiting for me and those I love. No weapon formed against me will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). You have determined my future. My past cannot keep me down. Through Jesus, You have made me to be more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).
Father, I choose to walk into Your promises through the gateway of hope You have provided. And each time I stumble, I look to You as my Strength and Shield (Psalm 28:7). You, LORD, help the fallen and lift those bent beneath their loads (Psalm 145:14).
Thank you, Lord. Thank you.
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Yes, we are worth fighting for