“Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver them into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us… the Canaanites and other people of the country will surround us and wipe our name from the earth” (Joshua 7:7-9).

Has God told you to shut up before? Has He ever called you out of your prayers to get up and get on with the business before you?

Poor Joshua! He thought he had God where he wanted Him after Israel’s defeat by a very tiny town called Ai (Joshua 7:4). He had just won an impressive and miraculous victory over Jericho, a much bigger fortified city. So what was Ai against Israel, with the Commander of the LORD’s army leading them? What happened to God’s promise that no one could stand against him all the days of his life (Joshua 1:5-6)? Where was God, and what is He going to do for His name?

Those were the questions Joshua may have asked God when he prostrated and lamented before Him. Joshua needed a lesson in corporate obedience and walking with a holy God in holiness.

“Stand up… What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant” (7:10-12).

Joshua acted quickly on the Lord’s instructions, and God purged the new nation from sin. Against God’s word, Achan had stolen some dedicated items from the Jericho conquest. He couldn’t resist the beautiful Babylonian robe, the silver, and gold from the victory (20-21), and Israel suffered because of his selfishness. Israel stoned Achan, and the Lord turned from His fierce anger (25-26). At His instructions, Joshua attacked Ai with the entire army and destroyed it (8:28). But did Israel have to go through that humiliation?

The problem we all have is that we are slow learners. We do not apprehend God’s will that easily for our guidance when we need it most. The Lord has promised to fight our battles for us (5:14-15; 2 Chronicles 20:15), yet we carelessly forget and take up arms without His guidance as Israel did and suffered a humiliating defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:3-5).

The lesson from the Ai debacle is that we are most vulnerable after a glorious victory. When we stand on the shoulders of grace and touch the mountain top, complacency and arrogance often become sources of our weakness. We overestimate our abilities and quickly forget the providential hand that accomplished it—a lesson from the experience of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:33).

The world can offer many excuses to cover itself in this matter, but not the children of God. Jesus takes command of the life of every believer and calls for total allegiance to His authority and obedience to His word (John 14:15, 23). Never should the attitude of the child of God be, “I have this worked out so well, Lord, so just put your stamp on it and see what I will do to honor your name.” Divine instructions must precede our plans and actions. That is the way of victory (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Joshua and Israel suffered unnecessarily for what could have been an easy victory at Ai. We can also avoid unnecessary defeats and sorrows if we commit our ways to God for direction.

So, ask the pertinent questions on your knees before you suffer a terrible defeat and then run to Him to ask, “Lord, why?”