FAITH CAPSULE: Is it that the challenge you need to overcome is now overwhelming you?

Joshua 7

It is clear that one that is not contented in life shall become a covetous one… (Envious, greedy and jealous) Greediness is rooted in lack of contentment. One that is greedy is not generous. Covetousness is a command with no need for interpretation. Exodus 20:17 clearly stated in the Ten Commandments: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.
After having brought down the wall of Jericho in your life, you will expect victory to be your identity. However, when you fail to identify with the commandment of God, you will lose your identity as a winner.
On the way to God’s promise, challenge is a frequent engagement but full compliance with the word of God is the only way of getting to God’s promise. After bringing down the wall of Jericho, the children of Israel set for war against the people of Ai. Being a winner, they assumed victory because the people of Ai were few in number but they fell and could not stand before their enemies.

As a result of the Israelites loss to Ai, Joshua went before God “And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!” (Joshua 7:10) He considered their past as better than their present. (Oh that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan Joshua 7:7)  Are you experiencing a situation where it feels that your past is better than your present? It could be that God has departed you just like He departed the Israelites as a result of Achan’s covetousness. Joshua pleaded before God and God told him about Achan’s sin of covetousness.
God called covetousness sin; Covetousness is transgressing God’s command and He also called it deception. (Joshua 7:10-11) Covetousness brought them down and they could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies. Are you turning your back before your enemies? Is it that the challenge you need to overcome is now overwhelming you? God does not waste His word and the bible testified that He magnified His word above all His name. (Psalm 138:2) Why not consciously engage His word? The word which you obeyed for Your Past victory will not compliment for your present battle. Every battle demands consistency with obedience to the word of God. For the Israelites, past victory could not compliment for the future victory because of the sin of covetousness. The Israelites violated God’s word and could not stand a lesser opposition in their direction. They were stricken; they were chased; the heart of the people melted.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace not to operate covetousness in every walk of your life.