When we become serious about being Christ’s disciples, Satan will work harder to discourage and deceive us. And that is why we must know how to pray against deception. In Joshua 9, the Israelites were returning from a time of revival just before they encountered the Gibeonites. Had Joshua prayed for discernment, instead of relying on his own logic, he would not have been so easily deceived. Godly wisdom is our weapon against deception: “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways” (Proverbs 2:12-15). The Gibeonites knew that they could not defeat the Israelites with military might, so they decided to scheme against them instead. They knew that God had commanded Israel to destroy the Canaanites but to covenant with people of distant cities (see Deuteronomy 20:10-18). So they disguised themselves as travelers from a distant land and asked for a covenant. The Gibeonites told Joshua, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us” (Joshua 9:6). Sometimes the people who are most deceptive can quote the Bible as well as we can. They will use passages from the Bible to silence us from speaking the Truth. They quote the Bible—but twist the meaning—to deceive us and to intimidate us. The Bible warns us, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 5:6). The Gibeonites knew the Bible, and they used it to their advantage. If Joshua had sought God’s counsel and wisdom, then perhaps God would have shown him that the “travelers” were Canaanites in disguise. We must always be on guard against those who use spiritual language to seduce us away from the Truth. Prayer: Lord, give me discernment and wisdom so that I will be on guard against those who might try to deceive me. Guard my heart, anchor me in Your Word, and help me to walk in obedience when Satan attempts to draw me away from You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Even though we may be striving to obey God, we may yet make mistakes or occasionally give in to fear or self-serving interests. Read Joshua 6-7. When fear is up in our hearts, faith is down. When faith is up, fear is down. Achan was in a moment of fear. He had forgotten God’s supernatural provision—eating manna in the wilderness for forty years, crossing the river on dry land, watching the walls of Jericho collapse. He had forgotten the incredible supernatural hand of God. If you mistrust God, thinking that although He worked in the past, He may not be faithful in the future, this is deadly thinking that leads to calamity. When Achan deliberately disobeyed God’s command, not trusting God to provide gloriously for him, he brought failure to the entire nation. The Lord told Joshua the reason for the failure at Ai: “Israel has sinned; . . . That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction” (Joshua 7:11-12). When we fail, one of the hardest things we must do is confront the reason for our failure—especially if it is the consequence of a hidden sin in our lives. Unconfessed sin keeps us from being effective witnesses for Christ. That is why we must constantly purge these sins from our hearts. When we confess and walk away from those sins, we will find a new beginning in our lives. Ai was eventually defeated, but only after the sin was purged. Perhaps you have recently had a failure at Ai. What hidden sin is lurking in your camp? Confess it to God today and seek His help in purging that sin from your life. Prayer: Father, I pray that You would reveal any hidden sin in my life. Help me to purge it from my heart and to walk away from it. I humble myself before You, that You might cleanse my heart today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

This is only a fable, but the principle is very true: There was a hunter who had taken aim at a very large and angry bear. The hunter was ready to pull the trigger of his rifle when he heard the bear speak in a soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? Why don’t we negotiate this matter? What do you want?” The hunter lowered his rifle and answered, “I would like a fur coat.” The bear said, “This is good. I think there is something we can do about that. All I want is a full stomach. Maybe we can compromise.” So they sat down to talk. A little while later, the bear walked away alone. The negotiations had been successful. The bear had his full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat! There are many believers who think it is perfectly acceptable to enter a spiritual dialogue with the enemy. They lower their weapons and negotiate. But Peter admonishes us to be vigilant and firm in our faith (see 1 Peter 5:8-9). After the successful battle of Jericho, Joshua learned a painful lesson regarding the enemy’s tactics. He discovered that the consequence of sin is destruction—both spiritual and physical destruction. The next battle on Israel’s list was the little town of Ai, which should have been an easy victory (see Joshua 7). However, sin had entered the camp of God’s people. Joshua, celebrating his victory at Jericho, ceased to be sober, prayerful, and alert. He did not consecrate himself or remain watchful. As a result, many of his soldiers died in battle. The moment Joshua turned to the Lord seeking forgiveness, God revealed the problem and the solution. Are you remaining diligent in your devotion to Christ, or have you drifted spiritually? Prayer: Lord, help me to be spiritually alert so that I might serve You well in the tasks You’ve called me to. Grant me discernment to not compromise Your Truth. Help me to close any doors left open to sin. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Even if God’s strategy doesn’t make sense to us, faith will compel us to obey. The more time we spend with God and study His Word, the easier it becomes to exercise complete trust in His promises. As we develop intimacy with God, we can better hear His voice and understand what He is leading us to do and say. As Scripture reminds us: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). Whenever we act in obedience, God can work through us to touch even the most hardened heart. Whenever we follow His strategy, He will give us success. He will give us our Jericho, causing the walls to crumble. The secret of Joshua’s success at Jericho was not his own military ingenuity but his obedience to God’s plan. When we seek to obey and to spend time in His presence, God will give us the words to speak to someone who does not know Him. He will tell us when to speak and when to remain silent. He is the God of the harvest; He knows when the fruit is ready—and when it is not. When we are still and know that He is God, He will guide our words, our steps, and our minds. He will bless our service to Him, and He will dispel all our fears. God is looking for men and women, boys and girls, who will put their faith to work with unquestioning obedience. When we obey His will displayed in His Word, God will manifest His power and bless you as your serve to bless others and glorify His name. Prayer: God, sometimes Your plan doesn’t make sense to me. Help me to obey You even when I don’t understand. Help me to trust that You will guide my steps. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have you ever been trapped by fear? When we allow fear to build up and to affect us continuously, we begin losing not only our joy but also our effectiveness in witnessing. Ever-present fear steals our God-given potential. It causes us to keep quiet instead of testifying to God’s salvation. Fear keeps us from reclaiming our workplaces, neighborhoods, and schools for Christ. Fear keeps us from giving generously of ourselves to the work of God. Fear keeps us from telling everyone we know about the one who saved us eternally. Our only hope against conquering fear is faith. Fear will hold us back, but faith in God will lift us up. We can find comfort in the words of the psalmist: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, . . .” (Psalm 46:1-2). Read Joshua 6. As Joshua faced the fortified walls of Jericho, he must have had his doubts. The people certainly must have asked, “You want us to penetrate the impenetrable—by marching around the city walls once a day in silence and then seven times on the seventh day with trumpets and shouting? What will this accomplish?” But instead of giving in to fear, Joshua responded with unquestioning obedience to God’s battle plan. And that is what faith is all about—obedience, the evidence of trust and faith. What is your Jericho? What obstacle is hindering you from living boldly for Christ? Today you can begin to exercise complete trust in the presence of God by spending time with your heavenly Father. When you draw near to Him, He’ll direct you and give you confidence and peace for whatever trials come your way. Prayer: Father, help me not to be trapped by fear. Give me the strength to respond to intimidating situations with unquestioning obedience as I trust in You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

When God miraculously brought His people out of slavery in Egypt, they quickly succumbed to ingratitude toward God. They grumbled and complained and murmured every time they faced a new challenge instead of thanking God for His ever-present hand. Their attitude prevented them from entering the Promised Land for 40 years until that grumbling generation had died out in the wilderness. After God’s people finally reached the Promised Land, God told them to create a monument as a reminder of His supernatural aid in crossing the Jordan River (see Joshua 4:1-3). Joshua carried out the Lord’s commands and explained to the men that this would “serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. . . . These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” (Joshua 4:6-7). God wants to see prayers that are filled with genuine praise and thanksgiving for what He has done in the past. He wants our hearts to be filled with awe and gratitude for His blessings. He wants us to set up memorials in our hearts testifying to the provision He has given us. God does not want to be taken for granted. He does not want to be given our lists of wants without any true desire to know Him. We dishonor God when we relegate Him to the role of magic genie. God answers our prayers to strengthen our faith in Him, to help us trust in His Word, to glorify Himself, and to express His love for us. Prayer: God, help me to be mindful to set up memorials in my heart, that I would always remember the many blessings You have poured out on me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.