RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

One of my greatest weaknesses is discernment. When someone tells me something, I take what they say at face value. I believe what they tell me. So I’m having to learn I need to exercise more discernment in dealing with people.
Many people dream of being famous. But success brings dangers that are very subtle. When a person or group experiences a victory, it seems that everyone else wants a piece of their victory. They want to join the inner circle of the successful and famous. Rather than honesty, openness, and transparency, they use flattery to develop relationships.
After the children of Israel defeated Ai, Joshua brought them back to the basics. He lead them to return to worship and an exposition of the Word of God. Still, the enemy will always attack when we think we’re strong. And Satan will attack through the most subtle means.
Israel had enemies who staunchly opposed them. The Scriptures say, “Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things — those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites) — they came together to make war against Joshua and Israel” (Joshua 9:1, 2). Those were the direct enemies of Israel, but they were not the greatest to be feared. The children of Israel had a history of defeating the powerful. No enemy is strong enough to stand in the face of God.
But another enemy was much more subtle. This enemy decided to use flattery, not the machines of war. There were a group of people called the Gibeonites. They knew they were no match for God’s people. So they decided to flatter them — and through their honeyed words entice the children of Israel into a covenant. They said to Joshua and the men of Israel, “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of Him: all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan — Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us”’” (Joshua 9:9-11).
Instead of seeking God and asking Him for wisdom, Joshua and the men of Israel entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites. They were deceived. But Joshua quickly corrected the situation. There are several truths we can learn from the way Joshua handled his circumstances.
First, as soon as he realized what had taken place, he confronted the deceivers. There’s only one way to deal with deception: with truth. Too many Christians are afraid to deal with deception. They would rather run and hide. But if we are going to be all that God intends, we must confront the lie with the truth.
Second, though Joshua had been wronged, he kept his end of the bargain. He had entered a covenant, and he refused to break that — even though the Gibeonites had lied to him. That translates into character. It gave Joshua an opportunity to become more like the coming Christ. Even when we are faithless, God remains true to His Word. Joshua did the same.
Finally, Joshua allowed God to deal with the Gibeonites. They became woodcutters and remained woodcutters at the place God directed — and they remained that for a long time. God’s discipline was what was needed for the moment.
We, like Joshua, will fall on many occasions.  If we are to walk and live in victory, we must learn to do what Joshua did. For victory comes from the Lord.