Disobedience Is Sin

Conquering the Flesh

In our devotions during the past few months we have been on a march to destroy the seven major obstacles which block the fulfillment of God’s promises and provision for your life. These barriers – walls that are standing in your way, hindering you from taking possession of God’s promises – are as formidable as the walls of Jericho which prevented Israel from taking possession of their land.

During February, we marched against the obstacles of fear, unbelief, and confusion. Last
month we spent the entire month discussing a major barrier – the battlefield where most spiritual attacks occur – your mind. This month’s devotions focus on the last three remaining obstacles: Disobedience, the flesh, and the tongue.

Disobedience is sin and it cuts off communication and separates us from God. Without obedience, you can have no covenant relationship with God because disobedience breaks your fellowship with Him

In Joshua chapter 5, God told Joshua that Israel must be circumcised, a sign of dealing with the flesh, before advancing into their land to claim His promises:

Joshua 5:9 (CSB)
⁹The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal today.

Israel had to deal with the flesh in order to subdue their enemy and enter into God’s rest. We, too, must deal with our flesh if we are to experience victory miracle living in the new millennium.

The Bible indicates that your tongue controls your destiny. You can change the entire course of your life by bringing your tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you are living in discouragement, failure, or defeat in any area of your life, you can change it by changing how you speak, by restraining your tongue, and speaking forth life, blessing, and words of faith.

When Israel marched around Jericho on the seventh day, the Lord directed them to shout with a great shout. This was a shout of faith and victory because God had promised that the Jericho walls would fall flat and they would go in and take the victory that was theirs.
Joshua told the people, “Shout, for the Lord hath given you the city’’ (Joshua 6:16).

This is your time to take possession of the promises you have been believing God for –
Healing, deliverance, family restoration, and financial provision are yours. During this month, the final walls that stand in your way- disobedience, the flesh, and the tongue – are going to crumble as you learn and apply powerful God-given strategies. So, go ahead – “Shout; for the Lord has given you the city” (Joshua 6:16).

Journey Into The Promised Land

Joshua 6:1–20 (CSB)

THE CONQUEST OF JERICHO

6 Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites—no one leaving or entering. ²The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its best soldiers over to you. ³March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. ⁴Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the rams’ horns. ⁵When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance, each man straight ahead.”

⁶So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” ⁷He said to the troops, “Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed men go ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

⁸After Joshua had spoken to the troops, seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the Lord moved forward and blew the rams’ horns; the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ⁹While the rams’ horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of the priests who blew the rams’ horns, and the rear guard went behind the ark. ¹⁰But Joshua had commanded the troops, “Do not shout or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Shout!’ Then you are to shout.” ¹¹So the ark of the Lord was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.

¹²Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of the Lord, ¹³and the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns marched in front of the ark of the Lord. While the rams’ horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of the Lord. ¹⁴On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. ¹⁶After the seventh time, the priests blew the rams’ horns, and Joshua said to the troops, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. ¹⁷But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the messengers we sent. ¹⁸But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it. ¹⁹For all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to the Lord and must go into the Lord’s treasury.”

²⁰So the troops shouted, and the rams’ horns sounded. When they heard the blast of the ram’s horns, the troops gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city.

The city of Jericho actually was Israel’s from the very day they began their first march around its massive walls. They had God’s promise and that was the same as if Jericho already belonged to them, but they were unable to take possession of it until they completed all God had directed them to do.

The powerful key to their great victory in taking the city of Jericho was not based upon Israel’s natural abilities, their military strategies, their wisdom, or their strength. It was based upon their obedience. At any time during their seven marches around the walls of Jericho if they had failed to do what God directed them to do, they would have forfeited God’s promise. The walls would not have fallen and they would not have taken possession of Jericho.

Disobedience will block you from taking possession of the promises God has given you. It will hinder your personal relationship with God and, unless it is dealt with, it will cause you to forfeit your spiritual inheritance.

Our entire relationship with God is based upon obedience. If there is no obedience, there can be no relationship. Our God, Who is altogether holy, pure, and undefiled, cannot be joined together in covenant relationship with those who are disobedient and rebellious. He will not do it!

Disobedience and rebellion cut off communication and separates us from God. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, their intimate relationship with Him was broken. They were driven from the garden and separated from God. When the children of Israel continued to rebel against God in spite of His warnings, He hid His face from them and their relationship was broken (Deuteronomy 31:17). God’s covenant with Abraham was based upon obedience. By faith he obeyed and obtained the promise (Hebrews 11:8).

Disobedience is sin and if you fail to acknowledge it and repent, it will lead to defeat and destruction. The Church today is filled with Christians who are living defeated lives, unable to take possession of their inheritance as joint-heirs of the Kingdom of God because they are walking in disobedience to God and His Word. Many have refused to hear the Word of God, have closed their ears to hearing the truth, and are only willing to hear those things which “tickle” their ears. They are living in rebellion, following their own self-will. Others have yielded to the temptations Satan has placed before them and have compromised the Word of God to accommodate their own fleshly desires. As a result of their continual disobedience, they are living defeated lives because disobedience is sin.

Make this declaration:

I recognize disobedience for what it is — sin. I will not live a defeated life because of disobedience.

*Adapted from MCWE email – Journey Into The Promised Land by Morris Cerullo

Disobedience Is Sin – 4/1

Conquering the Flesh

Journey Into The Promised Land