It is impossible to walk in obedience to God’s will and purposes if we serve our own fleshly desires. We find a perfect example in the story of Achen, who made the unfortunate choice of choosing the world’s offerings over the will and purposes of God.
The Israelites had faithfully followed the Lord’s command and experienced great victory and blessing when Achen and Joshua led them in the destruction of pagan Jericho. But in doing so, God warned that anyone taking spoils from Jericho would “make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it” (Joshua 6:18-19 NIV).
Achen, “the troubler of Israel, broke faith in the matter of the devoted thing” (I Chronicles 2:7 ESV). And in defiance of God’s command to take nothing from the wicked city of Jericho, He kept a robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a fifty-shekel bar of gold, and hid all in a hole he had dug within his tent (Joshua 6:19).
We cannot serve both God and our own fleshly desires. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24-26 NKJV). Jesus was equating money with the world. Thus, we cannot serve God and the world that constantly calls to us with every form of temptation. The heart must choose what it will serve, and Achen chose poorly.
Achan kept his theft a secret until Israel was defeated at Ai, a small city that should have been easily conquered without Israel suffering casualties. God then revealed to Joshua the cause for their defeat and the loss of 36 men. Aiken admitted his sin, and he and his family and everything he owned were destroyed at God’s command (Joshua 7:25-26).
Achan was not the only one who sinned. Joshua, who had sought God in defeating Jericho did not pray and ask God for direction before attacking Ai. To his regret, he had decided in his own heart that Ai was an easy victory, so why confer with God. Had Joshua prayed first, he would have learned that there was sin within the Israelites’ camp, and he would not have engaged in battle until he dealt with the source of that sin.
God had a plan and a purpose for Achan. And before we were born, He established a plan for each of us. He dispensed special gifts and talents uniquely designed for every person (Jeremiah 1:5). For He says, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you… thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV).
If we ignore God and refuse to seek Him in prayer for His will and purposes, we are rejecting His blessings, joy, entitlements, protection, peace, and fulfillment of our appointed destiny. Sadly, Achen’s lust for riches cost him his life, the lives of his family, and God’s destiny for all of them.
Avoidance of God does not negate the truth that He is always with us. “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (Proverbs 15:3 NIV). God sees, hears, and knows our every thought, all that we have done, the choices we have made, and those plans to be made. Jesus said, “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NIV).
God knew that we could never “work” our way to heaven, so He provided a better way through His Son Jesus Christ, who in complete obedience to His Father, willingly sacrificed His life and paid a debt that we could never pay. His sacrifice opened the path for all to receive forgiveness and a life of promise and fulfillment. However, to take advantage of that great gift, there must be repentance and a turning away from disobeying God and His Word. Only then can heaven’s door open to those who surrender their will and heart to God who created them.
Most can admit that this earthly life is not always a bed of roses, but God can bring the sweet fragrance of hope, love, and blessings— even in the difficulties. He has all ability to help us overcome failure, hurt, pain, and disappointment. We might be able to hide our private lives and sins from the world, but we cannot hide from God.
Those who desire change and release from the things that hinder, enslave, and torment, must be willing to repent for their rebellion and disobedience. That repentance is then followed by surrendering their life and will to the capable hands of their heavenly Father. He then takes that repentant and willing person from their present circumstances and transform their life to what He intended for them.
Jesus said, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV). God desires to bless and see lives lived according to His wonderful purposes. But we can only receive all that He has for us when we ask ourselves four basic questions:
- Do I trust God with my life?
- Do I seek God’s will and not my own?
- Am I content in whatever circumstances I find myself?
- Is God’s Word and prayer central to my life?
If you are unable to answer “yes” to these questions then you might want to pray:
PRAYER: Father, I have always followed my own will—leaving a trail of regrets behind. I have blamed You for things that were the result of my choices. Forgive me for not praying and seeking You and Your will. I thank you for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who without sin, willingly died for me and rose again to victory. Today, I choose to have a clean slate and turn from my rebellious ways and surrender all that I am to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.