Understanding Roadblocks
“And Joshua said, ‘O Lord God, why did you bring this people over the Jordan to give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to live on the other side of the Jordan!'” -Joshua 7:7
Have you ever felt like you were doing exactly what God wanted you to do, but your plans completely fell apart? Joshua felt the same way.
The Lord was with the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land. Because of God’s blessings and protection he defeated every enemy. They had just captured the city of Jericho. The next battle was Ai Shahar. He reconnoitred the enemy and determined that only 3,000 men would be needed to defeat them. They attacked and soon reports came that they were being shot down. Joshua couldn’t understand this. He prayed to God why this was happening.
The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing with your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the dedicated things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have kept with their property. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run away because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you until you destroy everything that is dedicated to you” (Joshua 7:10-12).
Whenever we open ourselves to sin, we become liable. To remove sins from our lives, God removes His protective shield from our lives. He often uses the enemy of our souls to accomplish the task. If you feel you are being failed in some way, examine your life to see if there is any sin that is causing the problem. Adversity is not always caused by sin, but it can be. Ask him. He will show you. Like Joshua, God immediately answered this prayer when Joshua asked. He wants his children to be in a right relationship with him.
