Scripture Reading: Joshua 7:19-25
The Way of Escape
Intro.
1. The devil is trying to devour
you and me! 1 Pet. 5:8
2. We can resist him, steadfast in the faith, 1 Pet. 5:9.
3. Peter refers to the commonality of suffering as our incentive to resist and remain steadfast in the faith.
4. Paul said much the same thing when he assured Christians of God's way of escape from sin, 1 Cor. 10:12-13.
5. We can (must) equip ourselves to resist the devil and his temptations by looking at the nature of temptations and the alternate ways of escape that exist when we are tempted. (Eph. 6:10-13)
I. THE SIN OF ACHAN AND THE WAYS OF ESCAPE.
A. The Command of God and Sin of Achan, Josh. 6:18; 7:1.
1. His sin affected the entire camp of Israel, Josh. 7:2-9.
2. Our sin can bring evil consequences on others!
B. Achan's Journey Toward Sin and the Way of Escape, Josh. 7:20-21.
-He didn't start out in sin: He had seen God's great victory at Jericho! (Christians have seen Christ's victory at the cross in our lives! 1 Cor. 15:57)
1. I saw it, 7:21. Sensory perception; the potential for sin is around us every moment of every day, cf. David, 2 Sam. 11:2 (1 Jno. 2:16).
a. Moments of curiosity, wonderment, exploring, excitement, etc.
b. Must be the time to be aware of spiritual dangers.
-The way of escape:
a. Make a covenant with your eyes, Job 31:1 (Matt. 5:28).
b. Do not put yourself in the middle of temptation, Psa. 1:1-2; 26:5 (1 Cor. 15:33).
c. Get busy with doing the work of God, 2 Sam. 11:1; 1 Ths. 5:5-7 (cf. Heb. 10:24-25; Gal. 6:1-2; etc.).
2. I coveted it (the heart is captured by desire), 7:21; Jas. 1:14-15.
a. To desire and take pleasure in (châmad), cf. 2 Pet. 2:14.
b. Lust (1:15, epithumia): "to fix the desire upon".
-The way of escape:
a. Control your mind (your will), Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:1-3.
b. Put covetousness to death, Col. 3:5.
c. Take control of how you use your body, 1 Cor. 6:20 (Rom. 6:13).
d. Remember and use the word of God, Psa. 119:9-16; Heb. 4:12.
3. I took it (7:21), Jas. 1:15; 2 Sam. 11:4.
-The way of escape:
a. Be content with what you have, Heb. 13:5-6.
b. No fulfillment in the pleasures of sin; only death, Heb. 11:25.
4. I hid it, Gen. 3:8; Jno. 3:19-20 (2 Sam. 11:6-26, 27; Psa. 32:1-4).
a. Our sin will "find us out", Num. 32:23.
b. Nothing is hidden from God's sight, Heb. 4:13.
-The way of escape (from sin):
a. Christian: Confess your sin to God! Josh. 7:19; Psa. 32:5; 1 Jno. 1:9
b. Lost sinner: Believe, repent and be baptized, Acts 2:36-38.
Conclusion
1. When we yield to sin we become accursed and we trouble the people of God, Josh. 6:18.
2. Sin in the camp started with sin in the heart of one man. It led to the death of 36 men (Josh. 7:5) and finally, to the death of Achan and his family in righteous judgment (Josh. 7:25).
3. We will perish in eternal fire unless we take the God-given ways of escape from sin.