Bible Study Lessons

Church of the Living God

Bible Study Lesson

Presenter: Overseer Ennis F. Tait

 

Date:   Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Series: Spiritual Warfare

Reference Scripture:  Joshua 7:19-21

Focus Verses: Joshua 7:21     

Today’s Discussion:    “A Fallen Soldier”

What are the main struggles of the people of God?  There are three in particular that outweighs them all:

·         Disobedience – [maw-raw']; a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel (or resist; causatively, to provoke):

·         Temptation – [pi-ras-mos] - a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity:

·         Covetousness – [khaw-mad']; a primitive root; to delight in:

The lesson aim is to show how Disobedience, Temptation and Covetousness (DTC) has caused many to fall.  More importantly, anyone that continues to struggle with DTC in the flesh will ultimately loss the spiritual battle.  There is biblical evidence that each believer will at some point or another struggle to maintain a life of true holiness.  DTC are real issues that work in the flesh to disqualify and destroy the believer by using an inward struggle to promulgate sinful nature. 

The tragedy of sin found in this text reveals the uncontrollable human nature of men and women of God.  God has to call to Joshua’s attention the root cause of the unexpected defeat at Ai.  Joshua has to pray to God for insight.  He is not privileged to know the spiritual ramification of Achan’s sin.  However, God uses this incident to set precedence for future cases. God shows great frustration in HIS response to Joshua.  Achan’s sin is the first act of DTC in the Promised Land.  Adam and Eve fell. (Genesis 3:23-24) King Saul fell. (I Samuel 15:26-28) Unfortunately, there will be others to fall to the same cause.

DISOBEDIENCE - “The Christian has no choice, therefore, but to engage in a kind of spiritual warfare against his own natural tendency to disobey God”

References: II Corinthians 10:5-6; Isaiah 3:8

TEMPTATION - The sufficiency of God’s grace is able to sustain us and keep us from yielding to the temptations of the flesh.

References: II Corinthians 12:8-9; James 1:12-14; I Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:15

COVETOUNESS - Covetousness is a very grave sin; indeed, so heinous is it that the Scriptures class it among the very gravest and grossest crimes.

References: Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; I Corinthians 6:10

What is our defense against DTC?  Obedience, Faith and Contentment are our strongest weapons.