I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Joshua, Joshua
chapter 11, Joshua 11. Last time we were in this book,
we considered the fight that Israel was engaged
in with the inhabitants. of the land of Canaan. But these
kings that raised themselves up against Joshua and Israel
were not merely resisting men. They had lifted up their hand
and their heart against God. Land of Canaan was Israel's by gift from the
Lord. The Lord gave them that land.
The Lord told them, you go in, I've given it to you, you take
it. But those found within the land
resented, hated not only the people of God, but hated God. And that's the way it is today.
John 15, one verse, John 15, verse nine, tells us plainly. Now this is the Lord speaking.
His word is to be heard, believed. He said in John 15, 19, if ye
were of the world, If you were of this world's religion, man-centered,
God-hating, man-exalting religion, free will, despising the sovereignty
of God, if you were of this world, the world would love his own.
But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out
of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Let me tell you when
you will find the world, as the Lord has revealed here, hating
God's people. Whenever they hear that God's
will is to be exalted over man's will, when you hear that, because
this is what they're going to understand, you're telling me
that I don't serve or love God, that's what you're telling me.
And we will agree with them. The God of this world is no God. There is no God but God. So knowing
that, knowing what's been going on, this fight, the book of Joshua,
the whole book of Joshua is concerning in Titan picture, the Lord's
deliverance of his people in the midst of this wicked world. God's going to deliver his people
and give them what he's told them he's going to give them.
They're going to have life. So I've entitled this message,
Christ's Total Victory. The enemies of God had determined,
God and Israel, were determined that they were going to destroy
them, but the Lord is going to defend his people. He said, those
that touch you have touched the apple of my eye. God takes it
very seriously. He takes it personally. Whenever
Saul of Tarsus, turn over to Acts 9, read this passage, you
know what he said, but let's look at it again. Acts chapter
9. Saul of Tarsus, a religious man, he's a Pharisee. One that
thought himself to be right with God, a keeper of the law, all
the right credentials, all of his heritage, everything, everything
was right in his eyes. Acts 9, 1 to 4, and Saul, yet
breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went unto the high priest and desired of him letters
to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any of this
way, Whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound
unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came
near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him a light
from heaven. He fell to the earth and heard
a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Why are you persecuting me? Well,
I thought it was the people of God he was persecuting. The Lord
said, you're persecuting me. God's people is his body. That's
his bride. It's his people. That's his sheep. And it's personal. It's personal
with the Lord. These people in Canaan had raised
themselves up against Israel, they've raised themselves up
against God. So Joshua, back in Joshua 11,
7 and 8, I'd like to go through verse 20 here. I'll just make
a few comments on these passages. Joshua 11, verse 7. So Joshua
came and all the people of war against them by the waters of
Merom, suddenly. And they fell upon them, and
the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel who smote
them. and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephoth, Mimrim,
and upon the valley of Mizpah, eastward. And they smote them
until they left them none remaining. And Joshua did unto them as the
Lord bade him." That word huffed, it cut the tendons of a horse. Cut their tendons out of their
feet so they can't do what they normally would do. hoofed their
horses and burnt their chariots with fire." Now, what happened
was, I want you to look at verse 5. These kings had raised themselves
up together. They've all got together in verse
5 of chapter 11. And when all these kings were
met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom
to fight against Israel. Well, verse 7 says, and Joshua
came and all the people of war with him against them by the
waters of Merom suddenly. So you know what happened? God
brought the fight to him. God brought the fight. He brought
the fight to Israel's enemies and he smote them all. They were
all bewhacked in this area right there. They're all kind of making
their plans and this is what we're gonna do to them. We're
going to destroy them. And the Lord sent Israel led
by Joshua to them and he smote them right where they were. Now,
as we consider this victory, I want us to all remember that
this, this is a beautiful picture and this is a type of the mighty
victory that is ours by the Lord Jesus Christ over all the enemies
that we possess in this world. The final victory, our Lord came
into this world. He walked in this world, wrought
out righteousness for us that robes us. We're robed in his
righteousness. And that final victory, the final
act of his victory, he was that calvary bearing all the sins
of his people. And he bore them in his own body,
and he answered before the law of God's demand for judgment. Where sin was found, judgment
was found. The wages of sin is death. He
wasn't a sinner, but he was made sin. And he answered, and he
said, finished. So there was the mighty victory,
but we know that we're, we're still, we're still in a, in a
conflict here that we've been, we've been delivered from the
very guilt and bondage of sin, but we've got presence of sin
in this world. And God's been pleased to, to
leave us in this world until he decides that it's time for
us to go home. And he's done this according
to his wisdom, his counsel, his will, his good pleasure. He's
going to demonstrate his glory by having his people have to
go through this world and suffer. Trusting him, looking to him. But I can tell you this, in this
world, though we're going through some tough trials, I know we
are. Brethren, all found in Christ
are safe. Turn with me to Romans 8. We're
safe and we are secure. Romans chapter 8. How safe are we? Look at Romans chapter 8, verse
35. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Tribulation or distress or persecution
or famine or nakedness as it is written, for thy sake we're
killed all the day long. We're counted as sheep for the
slaughter. Nay, in all these things we're more than conquerors
through him that loved us. For I'm persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth,
or any other creature shall be able to separate us from the
love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We're in a fight. This is a fight. We're in a battle. We fight the good fight. We fight
the good fight of faith. And we do. We put on, by faith,
the whole armor of God. We put on Christ. When we say
that, what do we mean? We believe him. We trust him.
We trust him. We rest in him. We look to him.
But we know this, that all that we're engaged, in all that we're
engaged, I'll read this for you. Here's the battle, here's who's
fighting the battle. We're in it, I know that. 2 Chronicles
20 verse 15 says this. He said, hearken ye all Judah
and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem and thou King Jehoshaphat, thus
saith the Lord unto you, be not afraid. nor dismayed by reason
of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but
God's." Now isn't that comforting? I'm telling you, every time I
find myself all bothered and dismayed and frustrated, then all of a sudden I begin
to think, wait a minute, Who is ordering all these things?
Since the Lord is ordering all these things, why am I tore all
to pieces? This is for my good. I know that,
I know that, but I need to know it again and be taught again. Joshua did as the Lord commanded. Therefore, we see that we too,
we're to strive, resist that which would entice us, lure us
from obedience toward Him. Those who've been mercifully
and powerfully delivered from the bondage of sin, when we're
reproached by others, for Christ's sake, and I know you are, we
all are, We are to esteem, I want you
to turn to Hebrews 11. We're to esteem that reproach
for Christ's sake to be, according to the scriptures, I'm gonna
read it in Hebrews 11, to be of greater value, the reproach
that we receive from this world because of our love for Christ,
love for the gospel. We're to esteem that reproach
reproach to be of greater value than any pleasure or temporal
glory that this world offers. Look at Hebrews chapter 11. This
is what the scripture says concerning Moses. Hebrews 11, 23. By faith, Moses, when he was
born, was he at three months of his parents because they saw
he was a proper child They were not afraid of the king's commandment.
By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for
a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than
the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense
of the reward. Let me ask you this. Is it a
grieving thing to you? that believe. Is it a grieving
thing to you because you're reproached for the name of Christ? No. No. That's a, that's, it's an honor. We're his servants. We're his,
his, his children. And we love him. We love his
honor. We love his glory. We love his
name. We love his, we love everything
about him. Oh, we struggle with ourselves. I know that, but we
love him. Back in Joshua 11, verses 10
and 11. And Joshua at that time turned
back and took Hazar and smote the king thereof with a sword.
For Hazar before time was the head of all those kingdoms. And
they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of
the sword utterly destroying them. There was not any left
to breathe. And he burnt Hazar with fire. Now here we continue to notice
the mighty victory of the enemies, over the enemies of Israel. And notice the attention that's
given to the destruction of Hazor. That was a city. Jabin was the
king. That's what it says in 11.1.
But that city, the scripture says in verse 10, and Joshua
at that time took turned back, took Hazar, smote the king thereof
with the sword for Hazar, the city before time was the head
of all those kingdoms. That was the chief. That was
the big one. That was a big place. And here
we continue to see the promise of God being fulfilled. That was the head. That's what
struck me. That city was the chief. That was the head. Do
we not behold in that picture the type of that city being a
picture of the crushing of the head of Satan? That was the head.
He burnt that one. Now, we're going to say in just
a few minutes, he killed the rest of the people in those other
cities, but he didn't burn those cities, but he burnt that city.
That was Hazar. That was a big place. That was
the head of the rebellion. That city that actually initiated
through the king, Jabin, they initiated the fight. Jabin, the
king, was the one that called up the rest of them and said,
let's get together and put this issue to sleep. Let's end this
thing of these Israelites coming in our place. Was not Satan the
one that initiated man's fall? through the temptation of Eve
and then on to Adam against God. And did we not hear the Lord
promise Satan? He said, you'll crush his heel,
you'll bruise his heel, but he's gonna bruise your head. He's
gonna put you down. That's what pictured right here.
That head city, that one was burnt and he killed the king.
Then in verses 12 to 15, And all the cities of those kings
and all the kings, them did Joshua take and smote them with the
edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them as
Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded. But as for the cities
that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save
Hazar only. That did Joshua burn. And all
the spoil of those cities and the cattle, the children of Israel,
took for a prey unto themselves, but every man they smote. with
the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, neither left
them any to breathe. As the Lord commanded Moses,
his servant, so did Moses command Joshua. And so Joshua, so did
Joshua. He left nothing undone of all
that the Lord commanded Moses. Now, again, noticing the victory,
the mighty victory of the people of God and the utter destruction
of all that opposed the bride, the Lord's people. These rebels
were absolutely destroyed. All the rebels were destroyed.
But, as I said a moment ago, all the cities except for that
city, Hazar, were spared. It was spared. And the scripture
says it's what happened to them. Verse 14. All the spoil of those
cities and the cattle and the children of Israel took for a
prey unto themselves. All the people they killed, but
all of the stuff, the spoil, belonged to Israel. I read that
and it made me think of this. Beloved, the earth is the Lord's
and the fullness thereof. If Almighty God is pleased, He'll
judge this world and take the riches of this world that He's
created. These riches that the world thinks
belongs to them, they're not. They don't belong to this world. They're the Lord's. They're the
Lord's. They're the Lord's. And if God's
pleased to send wrath and judgment to the rebels of this world against
him, against his people, and give it to his people, he has
the right. God's gonna provide for his own.
What the Lord did, these that raised themselves up against
God, against his people, God killed them. And gave the stuff
that was the Lord's, all this silver, he said cattle and thousands,
that's mine. You don't own that, that's mine. And he gives it to whomsoever
he will. Back in Joshua 11, so verse 16,
so Joshua took all that land, the hills, all the south country,
all the land of Goshen, the valley, the plain, the mountain of Israel,
and the valley of the same, even from Mount Halak, goeth up to
Seir, even to Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon, under Mount
Hermon, and all their kings he took, he smote them, slew them.
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. Now, we need
to be reminded of something. That last line that I just read,
in that verse 18, Joshua made war A long time. This whole chapter
here has been talking about the battle. He smoked this one, he
smoked all of these, he smoked all of these, he smoked all of
these. God Almighty is going to put down all that resist Him. I'm telling you, God is going
to destroy all that resist Him. Men that raise their hand, their
head, their mind, their heart against God, against God's right,
against God's sovereignty, against His counsel, against His will.
Those that resist Him, He will destroy. He will destroy. Joshua was in this land. The
scripture says he was there fighting a long time. But I want us to remember something. We're in a fight. And as long as we're in this
world, we're gonna be in a fight. We're in a fight. Let me ask you this. Where is the battle? Where is
the battle? I know Paul said, I fought a
good fight. Finished the course, I've run
my race. Fight the good fight of faith. Where's the battle? Where is the battle? You say,
I don't really think I'm really in a battle. Well, let me tell
you where the battle is. First of all, we're in a battle
with our own flesh. Romans 7 verse 23 says this,
but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my
mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in
my members. Now let me ask you something.
You know anything about that struggle? You know anything about
the struggle with your flesh, with your doubts, with your fears? with your resentment? Do you
know anything about that? Sure you do. You that know him,
you know. You know. There's a war going
on right here in me. There's a battle going on. I'll
tell you another thing. Turn to 1 John 2. 1 John 2. We're in a war concerning the
things of this world. There's a battle going on. 1
John 2, verse 15 to 17. 1 John 2, 15, love not the world. Now let me ask you this. Do you think the Spirit of God
put that in there for no reason? You know why? By nature, we love
the world. Love not the world. neither the things that are in
the world. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father
is not in him, for all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of
the Father, but of the world. And the world passeth away, and
the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth
forever. The Lord has blessed all of us
with some wonderful blessings. We've got, we got blessings. We have things I just enjoy. I love them. I thank God for
our home. I thank God for, I'm thankful
for a car. I'm thankful for, I'm just thankful. I appreciate these clothes. But
we need to be real careful. Let's take care that we don't
love the things of this world, the pleasures of this world,
the entertainment of this world, above our love for God. That's
another fight. I mean, it starts inside me,
but then I live in a world, and you do too, and we're, I mean,
come on. I know the struggles that we
all have. I like to, you know, I like to,
Do stuff, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. All these things will be added
to you. Don't let the things mess and stuff of this world. Don't love the world. Now, we're
in a battle. And then next, we're in a battle,
a war, with things we can't even see by the natural eye. Ephesians
6.12, listen, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. There is a spiritual battle going
on Satan as a roaring lion seeketh whom he may devour. I mean, we're
just, we're in a battle inside, around this world that I can
see, and then things I can't see. And it's not gonna stop
until we leave this world. We're gonna struggle. We need
just, the scripture says concerning Joshua, he would just, Verse 18, Joshua made war a long
time with all those kings. And then verses 19 and 20, we'll
end here. There was not a city that made
peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites, the inhabitants
of Gibeon, all others they took in battle. For it was of the
Lord to harden their hearts. that they should come against
Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that
they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them as
the Lord commanded Moses. No one in this area except for the inhabitants of
Gibeon, the scripture says, made peace with Israel. And the only
reason that peace was made with the Gibeonites, with Israel,
was because it was the Lord's will to spare them. That's the
only reason. That's the only reason. They were no different. It wasn't that they just more
sensitive or something. God was pleased to show mercy. That's the only reason, just
as Noah. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. That's the only reason anybody
is spared from the wrath to come. But beloved, if the Lord leaves
a man or a woman to themselves, that good pleasure of God to
do that which He's been pleased to do, just leave them alone.
Just leave them alone. is referred to as the Lord hardening
their heart. Now, he's not the author of sin,
but he's God. He's God. And the thing that
we need to realize is that what saith the Lord is the way it
is. This is what happened to Pharaoh. Scripture said Pharaoh hardened
his heart, but it said God hardened his heart and left him to himself. I want you to turn to the last
passage right here. As I was reading over this passage,
Romans 9, I'm sorry, Romans chapter 9, verse 15 to 18. Love it. Whatever the Lord reveals,
concerning himself, concerning us, concerning this world, concerning
salvation, whatever the Lord reveals is the way it is, and
it's right. I know that by nature, I know
this flies in the face of our flesh, I get it, I get it. But I'm gonna tell you this, this word's gonna stand. Romans
9, the Lord, back when Joshua was fighting over there in Canaan,
God, scripture says, hardened the hearts of these people that he might destroy them. And whatever the next word that
comes out of our mouth, whatever the next thought that enters
our mind, better bow to that. We bow to
that. You say, well, I don't understand
it. Okay. I get that part of it, too. But this is the way
it is. Romans 9, verse 15, where he
saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I'll
have compassion on whom I'll have compassion. So then it is
not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth. But of God
that showeth mercy, for the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for
this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my
power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout
all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom
he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. The God we serve is just. He's holy. He's right. And we bow. By the grace of God, we bow and
thank Him. If God's been pleased to show
mercy to any hell-deserving sinner, it is according to His goodwill
and pleasure. And in that, We give thanks. Amen. All right, let's take a
quick break.