The Urban Alternative - Tony Evans

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
A lot of people will do what half of would
God ask him to do, and then get mad because
God hadn't done anything yet.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Doctor Tony Evans says, partial obedience won't bring full victory.
You've got to go all the way with God.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
If a running don't cross the finish line, it doesn't
matter how much they ran. They've got to finish.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless Biblical teachings
from the archives of doctor Tony Evans. Following turn by
turned directions doesn't really help if you decide to skip
some of those turns along the way. Today, doctor Evan
shows how Israel's greatest biblical victory quickly gave way to

(00:39):
unexpected defeat, and how our faith and obedience determine whether
we move forward with God or fall back on ourselves.
Let's join him in the Book of Joshua as he
gets started.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Now, Jericho six was tightly shut because of the sons
of Israel. No one went out or came in. The
Lord says the Joshua. See, I have given Jericho into
your hand with its king and the valiant warriors. Now
what's interesting about this verse is the battle hadn't happened yet,

(01:15):
yet God says they've already lost. What's a New Testament principle.
You are more than conquerors in Him who loved you
and gave himself for you, that when you and the
Lord are on the same page, you've already won, even
if you haven't won yet. So he speaks about a
victory that has not occurred in history, but that has

(01:38):
occurred in eternity. Which is why we need to maintain
a heavenly perspective, because when you see what Heaven has
done or is doing, it shifts your anticipation and confidence
on earth. Because he hears before the battle is raging. Now,
why does he tell him, see, you've already won. The

(01:59):
reason why he wants to know that is because he's
getting ready to give him a battle plan. It doesn't
make sense, so he gives him the battle strategy verse three.
You're to march around the city, all the men of
war circling the city. Once. You shall do it for
six days. Seven priests shall carry seven trumpets on the

(02:19):
seventh day and march around the city seven times. So
you keep seeing the word seven. As you know, seven
is the number of completion in the Bible. So he
tells him the march around the wall. It shall be
that verse five, that when they make a long blast
of the rams horn, and when they hear the sound
of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a

(02:40):
great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall flat,
and the people will go up, every man straight ahead.
If you follow my instructions, what I prophesied in the
spiritual will become visible in the physical. Don't lose sight
of that. What God says that you do not see

(03:04):
may be waiting on you to do what you're supposed
to do. So Joshua, the son of None, caused the
priest to take up the ark of the Covenant, which
remember manifested the presence of God, and to go forward,
that is, to do what God said do so. In

(03:28):
verse twelve, Joshua rises up early and the priest with him.
They take the art God's presence. They do exactly what
they were told to do in verse thirteen. The second
day they do exactly, and they did it for six days.
According to verse fourteen, Then on the seventh day, at
the seventh time, when the priest blew the trumpets, Joshua

(03:48):
said to the people, shout for the Lord has given
the city to you. Hebrews eleven says that the Jerichole
walls fell down by faith, because remember, the Old Testament
gives us the story. The New Testament gives us the
principle of the story for us to use today. They

(04:11):
had to act in faith on something they did not
see simply because God said it would happen. A lot
of people will do one half of what God asked
him to do and then get mad because God hadn't
done anything yet. When you will see over and over
in the scripture, be careful to do all He told

(04:32):
Joshua that and Joshua chapter one, be careful to do
all to complete the faith journey and not stop halfway.
If a runner doesn't cross the finish line, it doesn't
matter how much they ran, They've got to finish. So

(04:53):
that's the principle. The wall came down by faith. So
the question you've got to ask yourself. I've got to
ask myself is what am I keeping God from doing?
Because I won't finish? What am I holding God? I've
been praying for it and begging God for it. Hallylujah,
Praise the Lord. Wave your hand in the head like
you just don't care. I mean, I've been doing all

(05:15):
that stuff for it and nothing has happened. But have
you finished the seventh time? Have you completed? Have you
completed the process? So the people shouted verse seventeen, the
city shall be under the band it and all of
it belongs to the Lord. Only Ray have the harlan,
and all who are with her in the house shall

(05:35):
live because she hear the messages. And as for you,
only keep yourselves from the things under the band, so
that you do not covet them, or take some of
the things under the band and make the camp of
Israel a curse and bring trouble to it. Under the
band means it was set apart for sacred use. Okay,

(05:57):
it was set apart for God. Sacred use either to
be preserved because God had a purpose for it, or
to be destroyed. But you can't mess with it because
it's underneath the band. It is it is, we would
use the word it's restricted. So you are not to
take anything from the city. Now, this is gonna be

(06:19):
very important for chapter seven. It's gonna be very important
for chapter seven, But for right now, he gives them
a warning that they are not to take anything from
under the bed. All the silver and gold and articles
of bronze and iron. Verse nineteen are wholly to the Lord.
They're restricted to him. They shall go into the treasury
of the Lord. So the people shouted, and the priest

(06:42):
blew the trumpets, And when the people heard the sound
of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout,
and the wall fell flat, So that the people went
up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they
took the city. So the stones are the wall became
the steps that they walked on the end of the city. Okay,

(07:04):
wait a minute. The wall is the problem. The wall is
the problem. They got these two walls. Okay, there's the
outer wall in a wall six feet wide, twelve feet wide.
So the wall is the problem. The problem is how
we're gonna get over this wall. It's too big, it's
too thick. He says, well, you're not gonna get over it.

(07:24):
You're gonna walk around it. And when I say scream,
you're gonna scream. Okay, And everybody screams, and the walls
come down, and we are told, we are told in
the verse that they fell down flat. So the people
went into the city, every man straight ahead, so the
wall becomes stepping stones. You remember in the New Testament

(07:46):
Jesus when the disciples were in the storm and Jesus
came walking on the water. He was walking on the
very thing that was the problem. And there's nothing like
seeing Jesus walking on top of what was messing you up.
Seeing God just walk on top of it and let

(08:07):
you walk with him. That's called making your enemies your footstool.
That's what that's called. So they utterly destroyed everything in
the city, both man and woman and young and old,
and ox and sheep and donkey at the edge of
the sword. Okay, why would God destroy everything in the city,
especially the people. The Canaanites were extremely wicked people, and God,

(08:31):
not wanting his people to be contaminated with that kind
of wretched evil, would destroy it rather than allow them
to be contaminated by it. So, on the one hand,
emotionally we say that's cruel. On the other hand, God

(08:52):
is looking long term and not just short term. So
he says to the men, go to the heart's house,
because remember the Bible never wants you to forget her occupation.
To show you how far God can take a person
because when you get the Matthew chapter one, she's in
Jesus's lineage, so he can take a street walker and

(09:16):
turn her into the great great grandmother of David, who's
the ancestor of Jesus Christ. So he doesn't want you
to forget that which gives people hope that even if
you can't shake your historical reputation, God can do amazing
things with your life. Okay, So the young man they went,

(09:37):
who were the spies, went and brought Rehab her father,
her mother, her brothers, and all they had, and brought
them out. Because she was righteous and brought everybody under
her roof. They were protected by her righteousness. It's covenantal covering.
First Corinthian seven. The principal talks about covenental covering. So

(09:57):
they burned a city with fire, and all that was
in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of
bronze and irons they put into the treasury of the
house of the Lord Rahab. You know, she lived in
the midst of the iss so she lives in the
midsts of Israel. She gets relocated to this day, to
the day of this writing, because she hid the messengers.
Then Joshua made them take an oath that time, saying

(10:19):
curses before the Lord is the man who rises up
and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his
first born, he shall lay its foundation, and with the
loss of his youngest son, he shall set up its gate.
In other words, this city will not be rebuilt as
to be utterly, totally, completely, ongoingly destroyed. So the Lord

(10:39):
was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
But the Israelites faithfulness was soon to be tested, and
we'll learn what happened next when doctor Evans returns. In
just a moment. Before he does, though, I want to
remind you about a powerful resource we're making available right now.
It's Tony's current sermon series from the Book of Joshua,
a nine message audio collection that shows how God's guidance

(11:05):
can help you navigate both triumphs and trials as you
pursue His promises for your life. When you support the
Ministry of the Alternative with a donation, we'll send you
the complete nine part Joshua series as our thank you gift.
And because God has a plan for every part of
our lives, including our families, would also love to include

(11:26):
the Kingdom Family Devotional as a special bonus. This fifty
two week devotional, written by Tony and his son Jonathan,
covers practical topics like faith, priorities, relationships, and handling LIFs
every day Challenges. Each Weekday offers short but meaningful devotionals
that are engaging for kids and spiritually enriching for parents.

(11:50):
Don't wait. This double offer will only be available for
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to make your request, or call our Resource Request line
at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two.
Our team is available around the clock to assist you.
That's one eight hundred eight hundred three two two two. Well,

(12:12):
now let's get back to doctor Evans with part two
of today's message. From the Book of Joshua.

Speaker 1 (12:18):
In chapter seven, we move from the thrill of victory
to the agony of defeat. The sons of Israel Verse
one acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the band.
For Aikan, he takes some of the things that are
under the band. Therefore, the Lord burned against the sons

(12:42):
of Israel. So Aikan steals stuff from God because it
was restricted. But It also says Israel acted unfaithfully. So
in some general way, Israel was being very casual about
this sacred thing, and in a very specific way Achon

(13:05):
actually stole some stuff. So Joshua in verse two sends
men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Bethaven eath
the Bethel, and said to them, go up and spy
out the land. So the men went up to spy
out the land, which is what he did in Jericho.
But they returned to Joshua and said, don't let these

(13:27):
people go up. We don't have to fight much up
here because they ain't got nothing going on. Only about
two or three thousand men need to go up because
they only have a few they only have a few fighters.
So we got this, you know, we got this. So
about three thousand men went from the people went up there,
but they fled from the men of Ai. The men

(13:50):
of Ai struck down about thirty six of their men
and pursued them from the gate. The end of the
verse as so the hearts of the people melted because
of the water, because of how far they've been beaten back. Well,
of course, Joshua is town up from the floor. Then

(14:12):
Joshua tore his clothes and fell to earth on his
face before the ark of the Lord. Until the evening
both he and the elders of Israel and put dust
on their heads. This is a position of anguish and sorrow.
Joshua said at last, Oh Lord, meaning okay, God, why

(14:38):
did you bring this people over the Jordan only to
deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?
If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan.
In other words, why you're letting me go through this? Okay?
We got this great victory here and Jericho, and we
come out here and we are routed. Oh Lord, what

(15:02):
can I say? Since Israel has turned their back before
their enemies, we're running from the enemies. We thought we've
supposed their victory over. He's confused as to why this
has happened Verse ten. God responds, So the Lord says
to Joshua, rise up. Why is it that you have

(15:22):
fallen on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have
also transgressed my covenant. There was an official agreement. A
covenant is a divinely orchestrated agreement which I commanded them.
I told them, don't mess with the restriction, and they
have even taken some of the things under the band

(15:43):
and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also
put them among their own things they've taken from me,
and acting like it's theirs. Therefore, the sons of Israel
cannot stand before the enemy principal, their sin was controlling
their circumstances. Their sin was controlling their circumstances. Joshua is

(16:09):
asking a question, what about my circumstances? God was saying, well,
what about your sin? In other words, your righteousness can
give you victory a Jericho, your unrighteousness can bring you
defeat at Ai. So Jessica's God was with me yesterday

(16:32):
doesn't mean he's hanging tough with me today if I
am rebelling against his agreement, his covenant. And he says, therefore,
the sons of Riseral cannot stand verse to our before
the enemies. They've turned their backs before the enemies, for
they have become a cursed rise. Up verse thirteen, consecrate

(16:54):
the people, and say, consecrate yourselves for tomorrow. For thus
the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, there are
things under the band and your midst, Oh Israel, you
cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the
things under the band from your minst We got to
straighten this up if we want the Lord on our side. Now,

(17:22):
the Lord Israel was still as people, and they were
still under covenant. He just wasn't fighting for because they
had stolen that which was restricted. And so in the morning,
you shall come near to your tribes, and it shall
be that the tribe which the Lord takes by lot

(17:43):
shall come near by families, and the family which the
Lord takes shall come near by households, and the households
which the Lord takes shall come near man by man.
So he says, it shall be verse fifty that the
one who is taken with the things under the band

(18:03):
shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs
to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord,
and because he has committed this disgraceful thing in Israel.
When they got rid of the accursed thing, we now
have a reversal of circumstances. Now, the Lord said, the Joshua,
do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people

(18:25):
of war with you, arise, go up to Ai. See
I have given it into your hand. The King of
Ai is people, his city, and his land. Oh here
we have a promise again that has not yet occurred,
as if it has occurred, because he says, I've already
given it to you, because I've given it in the spiritual,

(18:45):
but I'm gonna give you a plan to activate it
in the physical. Now here's the principle I want to
share with you. Because remember we're not trying to repeat
the story. The stories are given to share the principles.
So here's the principle. God's method yesterday may not be
God's method today. Okay. He ain't tell him walk around nothing.

(19:08):
He ain't tell the priest to go out front. He
didn't give him a technically religious strategy. He gave him
a military one. He said, you set the ambushing the back.
We're gonna come up in the front like we're gonna
fight them. They gonna see us and come after us.
We're gonna run like we're scared. They gonna keep running
after us. When now you see them running after us,
you come from the back into the city, set the

(19:31):
city on fire, and we got it from there. That's
a different strategy, which is why you gotta stay in
contact with Heaven and not be using what he gave
you yesterday today because today he may have a whole
different plan. He got a whole different plan, because his

(19:52):
ways are not our ways, you know. And so you've
got to stay you've got to stay fluid with God,
because he'll he'll throw curveballs at you, okay. And so
so Joshua rises in the morning and with all the people,
he takes five thousand men and sets the ambush between

(20:14):
Bethel and Ai. And so they stationed the people, and
so he's getting them ready for this fight. And then
in verses twenty three to twenty nine, they've destroyed the city,
They've slain all the men, verse twenty one, they take
the king in verse twenty three, and when they had
finished verse twenty four, killing all the inhabitants of Ai
in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them,

(20:37):
and all of them were falling by the edge of
the sword until they were destroyed. Then all of Israel
returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of
the sword, and all who fell that day, both men
and women, were twelve thousand. All the people of Ai
noticed something when he first went to Ai. The spy
came back and said, all we need is a few
men because they only have a few people. Well, they

(21:00):
didn't have a few people. There was misinformation given, but
also there was no divine instruction as to how they
would go about it. Given. See when they defeated Jericho,
they got divine instruction. When they went to area the
first time, there was no divine instruction. There was just

(21:21):
a military strategy. God is not against the military strategy,
because he gives them one when they go back. But
even when you know what you're doing, he doesn't want
your knowledge of what you're doing to be done independently
of him, because he may want to use your knowledge
even in a different way, strategize it in a different way.

(21:45):
So that's why you treat each situation uniquely before the Lord,
because he may have a different set of circumstances. But anyway,
to bring this to a close, Joshua has defeated the
folks in Ai. He burns thee in verse twenty eight,
he hangs the king in verse twenty nine, and then

(22:05):
in verse thirty then Joshua built an altar to the Lord,
the God of Israel, in Mount Ebol, just as Moses
the servant of the Lord, had commanded the sons of Israel,
as it is written in the Book of the Law
of Moses, an altar of uncut stones, on which no
man had wielded a iron tool, and they offered burnt

(22:26):
offerings on it to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings.
He wrote there on the stones a copy of the
Law of Moses, the ten Commandments, which he had written
in the presence of the sons of Israel. He ends
this victory in Ai with the word of God. He
reached God's requirements that they might understand between these two mountains,

(22:50):
half stood on Mount Jerusalem, half stood on Mount Ebol,
the blessings and the curses. Now to understand what that's
all about, read Deuteronic. Because he keeps going back, just
as Moses had done. So there's a connection here between
what Joshua is doing now in chapter eight and what
Moses had done.

Speaker 2 (23:11):
Just reachapter thirty, doctor Tony Evans pointing us back to
God's word as the key to understanding both our victories
and our setbacks, and how obedience positions us for lasting success. Now,
don't forget today's lesson is part of Tony's powerful nine

(23:32):
parts sermon series from the Book of Joshua, a journey
through spiritual victories, life lessons, and God's promises. When you
support Tony's ministry, we'll say thanks by sending you the
full audio series along with a bonus copy of The
Kingdom Family Devotional, a fifty two week guide designed to
strengthen your family's faith one day at a time. This

(23:54):
special double offer is only available for a short time,
so visit Tony Evans dot org to make your request,
or call us at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty
two twenty two. That's Tonyevans dot org or call one
eight hundred eight hundred three two two two. Some contracts

(24:16):
are loaded with fine print, but God's covenant with the
Israelites was clear. Choose obedience and live in his blessing Tomorrow.
Doctor Evans uncovers how deception and distraction can detour us
from our purpose, and how God's grace can still bring
victory even if we've made bad deals in the past.

(24:36):
Be sure to join us