Things that Block God's Power

A message from Joshua 7 by Steve Jones 08/06/08

To listen to Steve's message click here mp3

This is the story of the defeat at Ai and the sin of Achan.
1. Sin is serious - because we understand God's grace we can take too light a view of sin. We rationalise it and yet we know mit is wrong, so we hide it. But God sees everything - he knows.

2. Sin has consequences. There are consequences despite the grace of God. God is not mocked. Whatever we sow we reap. e.g. the 36 soldiers who died in the battle of Ai & in the NT in Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira. Sin in particular blocks God from blessing us and showing his power in the way he wants to. It affects not only us personally, but also spiritually debilitates the whole community, the local church. Sin blocks the revival we would love to have God pour out upon us.

3. Sin has a penalty. By God's grace the Lord has taken the penalty of all our sinin his own body on the cross. This is the Gospel and having been delivered from the penalty of sin we make light of the Lord's salvation if we continue to sin. See Ephesians 5:1-21

As we saw last week - if there are any strongholds of sin in our lives we need to deal with them, repent, share with someone else get help. Let us not presume on the grace of God but deal ruthlessly with any sin in our lives.