Beloved, the history of the battles between Ai and Isreal is one we must always remember and learn from. God’s people Isreal lost the first battle to Ai because they disobeyed God and fought the enemy in arrogance and without God’s direction. But, after they confessed their sins and reconnected with God, the Lord restored them and helped them defeat Ai at the 2nd battle.
Lesson here, because we are saints of God and belong to HIM, it does not mean we won’t suffer consequences for our sins. Don’t let the pride of your status with God as saints deceive you into trusting in your own strength or that your sins don’t matter. Humble yourself, confess your sins, repent, listen for God again and obey HIS directions and then you will overcome again.
Joshua 8:1-2, 26-27 (For full context read 1-29)
1 Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.”…
26 For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the Lord which He had commanded Joshua