Tonight, as we continue our study here in the book of Joshua, as you step out in faith for the Lord and press on for Him, you must know to whom you're giving your allegiance, as well as having a vigilance against sin. We spoke about this morning the condition for darkness. And Israel's two spies here in Joshua, chapter 2, are sent out to spick out the land. And God protects these spies, but also shows us, through the tenacity of a king, how we are to engage the very spiritual enemies of God. And we must know, like the spies of Israel, what is your mission, what is mine? As we daily enter into enemy's territory and resting in the protection of God. Your Christian life is a life of faith, a battle we must consistently push back against the enemy's assaults as well as my own selfishness. You know, sometimes our worst enemies are our own selfishness. And the lessons from this passage tonight show us how to be determined for the Lord, both in faith, identity, and in action. In Joshua chapter two, we're gonna read several verses here. Joshua chapter two, verses one through three. And Joshua, the son of Nun, sent out of Shittim two men to spy, secretly saying, go view the land, even Jericho. And they went and came into a harlot's house named Rahab and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to-night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house. For they be come to search out all the country. And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were. It came to pass, about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out, whither the men went I want not. Pursue after them quickly, for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan and to the fords. And as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof, and she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land. and that your terror has fallen upon us. And that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you, for we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when you came out of Egypt, and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites that were on the other side of Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. As soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt. Neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you. For the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath. And verse 16, she eventually sends them out, go to the mountains. And then verse 23, so the two men returned and descended from the mountain and passed over and came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them. As we find here these spies of faithful allegiance, we must step out by faith with a singular focus on God. And faith is, there's things that you know in your heart, you know by the word of God you are to do. When we decided to come to Thompson, we stepped out by faith. When I left the military to go to Bible college, I stepped out by faith. I didn't know what all that would entail. I'm glad I did. A lot of the blessings that God's given, many of the blessings that God's given, every one of them. But you step out by faith, knowing what God calls you to do, and you do it. And we must have a fervent passion tonight, let's pray. Our dear, heavenly and gracious Father, Lord, as I preach your precious word, Father, on this Sunday night, Lord, I thank you for your faithful believers. Lord, I thank you for the grace you've given and how you've The Father just loved us and cared for us, and Lord, there's so much that we need to do for you, and Lord, we just need to ultimately just live by faith. Rather than being overwhelmed by the amount of work to do, we just need to simply follow each step of direction. Father, as I preach your word tonight, I pray that you be glorified. Thank you for being our precious Savior. In your name I pray, amen. As we think on these truths tonight of a faithful allegiance, I think he might have gone outside, but yeah. Oh, okay. In a faithful allegiance, God led these spies away from their own people into enemy land with complete safety. Not only in safety, but God had to lead these men to the home of a disreputable woman. Here's a woman, as it says here, she was a harlot. Now, I'm gonna deal with Rahab in a future sermon, Lord willing, next week, but she is a woman that has made compromises in her life, and now it's these women that God is going to use. to send them out, to save them, and she came to faith. She doesn't have a great reputation. There's nothing stopping her from turning in these spies. What would prevent her from blackmailing these men in a place that it was not good? The rewards and scouting information is a dangerous journey and Joshua only sends out two this time. He doesn't send out the leaders of Israel, he sends out two men secretly because when he sent out the leaders, the leaders came back and they discouraged Israel and he doesn't want to repeat that whole process. Joshua needs a full report. He only wants a report on what he needs to do next. And Christian, you and I have been called to be ambassadors of Christ. If the spies compromise at all in their mission, a bad report to Israel rather than to Joshua, they could compromise on their morals. They could compromise on their testimony and seek to become a part of Jericho. There are numerous ways to compromise, but only one way to receive the blessings of God. These spies are coming in to a city, a place, and they are at the vulnerability of God alone to protect them. Here they are, they're in a place, a hostile land, all by themselves, two spies. They don't have an army to assist them. Joshua has covertly snuck these spies out so as to avoid any internal conflict or any potential bad reports from these men. He's taking care of the internal struggles, but as soon as you think all things are taken care of, beware. Understand, these men, they secretly sneak in. You know what, sometimes in our lives we are in hostile land, but we need to be always on guard. In 1 Peter 5, 8, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion. Walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Can I tell you in your life you have to be careful because when you least expect it, when things are going well and God is blessing and things are just on the mountaintop, I guarantee you there's an attack coming. But there's something about these spies, there's a furious vigilance. They think they're safe. They think they're in the home of a woman that cares for them. They think they're in a place. God, and the amazing thing is God led these spies to the only woman and the only person, all of Jericho, that could have kept them safe and God led them there. God led them. I'm telling you, faith will lead you to exactly where you need to be. These spies, they go into enemy territory, unguarded, unprotected, with only whatever weapons they may have had on them. We see here a king, verses two and three, it was told the king of Jericho saying, and he hears that these two spies are here. This king is vigilant. I want to know where those enemies are. We've got to kill them. As she says later on in the scripture, verse 11, our hearts did melt when we heard what God did for you in crossing the Jordan River, and crossing the Red Sea, and getting through the wilderness, and the Amorites, and Og, and we heard what God did for you. Our hearts melted because we saw the power of God. This king is concerned about an immoral society, an addicted society, an idolatrous society, but to lose his power and wealth, this is unconscionable. And here he is, he's concerned. You know what, Satan's aware of our service or disservice to the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is absolutely, he knows all about whether you're faithful or unfaithful. Ephesians 6 12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places See that there's very Satan is very aware. He's a defeated foe and he will not take his defeat idly Realize this above all taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked It's your faith It is your faith in spite of the terrible circumstances or harsh circumstances or in spite of the challenges that you may be going through. Faith quenches the fiery darts. You do what you know you're supposed to do based upon the word of God and you continue doing it even if it is challenging and difficult. Here is a A lost person, the king, he's concerned for his society. He's concerned because he realizes the power that stands behind the Jewish people. He's concerned about protecting them. He's concerned about protecting their idols. And you know what, sometimes this king, this king is vigilant. He even finds out a report of where the men are and he sends Soldiers there, sends people there. Tell me, where are those men? You know, this king is actually some, in regards to some Christians, he's more vigilant and more committed than some Christians are for the protection of his own country. Because he realizes the danger that lurks This king realizes that if Israel comes and we know that this is the promised land, we are in danger of being defeated. And he does all he can to fight and protect his people. Now we find something else about this spy's identity in verse two. It was told the king of Jericho saying, behold, there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel. They know where they're from. I mean, he gets the information who they are, how many. He gets the information where they're from and where they're being lodged. I mean, this king is vigilantly protecting. He realizes Israel's just on the other side of the Jordan River. We're just saying on Jordan's stormy banks. He has a complete understanding. He's an awareness that the enemy is nearby. Realize this, Christian. If you try to be anonymous in this world, you're gonna be found out. Christian, you cannot please the world and please God. People are gonna know that your Christianity will show. Excuse me. The spies would have entered in the dark night and yet they were still discovered. The city is guarded. And sometimes it's more guarded, this king is more guarded about his own city than many Christians today may be with respect to the relationship with God in their mind. We've got to guard our minds, protect our minds. What we see, what we hear, what we think. Everything about these spies missions is known to the king. The question I want to ask you tonight is why not rather live for the Lord than trying to be like the world and look like the world? Because if I try to look like the world while still trying to be like a Christian, I look pretty silly. If we try to honor God, but keep our Christian identity unknown, that we will be discovered. And God will reveal it. These spies might have been able to fool some of the residents. but they could not get past the ever-looking eye of that king. The king had spies, he had sentinels, he had cameras, I don't know, they didn't have cameras, but he had security there to discover the spies and they were looking. This king is fervent. Can I tell you how fervent are you, how passionate are you to protect your mind, your thoughts, your home against the things that want to destroy your home, destroy your mind? This king, he's looking. Many would have been, you know, and a true Christian will be noticed by others. In Matthew 5, 13, it tells us, ye are the salt of the earth, but the salt hath loosed its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? And the verse goes on, but you know, a salt that has, if you have salt crystals that aren't salty, it's of no use. In Acts 11, verse 26, and when they had found him, he brought him unto Antioch, and it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. You see, the name Christian is denoting to whom you're following. You see, for those who are true followers of Christ throughout the centuries, they haven't always been called Baptists, but there's a name, not a self-chosen one, but there were true believers through the centuries. Back to the time of the Lord Jesus Christ, true believers that stood for truth, and they were hated by those of the world. The Baptists, why they were called the Baptists, why the name Baptists came about is really rejected infant baptism. Many churches today will practice infant baptism, baptizing the child, whether they sprinkle, or pour, or full on immerse, they'll sprinkle that child, and they would use that as a candidate for, a condition for church membership, and these were stigmatized as Anabaptists, or Catabaptists, and sometimes simply Baptists. That word is meaning, as they were called by their enemies, you're re-baptizers. They weren't re-baptizing, they were scripturally baptizing them in the first place. because here are the places, these churches, and I'm going off on this because these spies were known who they were, how many, where they were at, and I'm telling you, the Christians through the centuries have stood for truth, they've stood for Christ, and you're of that way. They were called Christians. Oh, you're the disciples, the follower of Jesus. Oh, you're a Baptist because you only believe baptism after salvation. Why a scriptural New Testament church? And the enemies would call them re-baptized. Oh, they were baptized as an infant. They were baptized before they were saved, and now they need to be scripturally baptized. And you will be discovered. The enemies will have names for you. And this king, he was looking out. Let's look at the king's reasoning. that why would the king be so fervent to try to figure out who these spies were? Why would he be so... I remember we used to have a garden when we lived in North Carolina. And we had these little Japanese beetles that would come and they loved to eat our tomatoes. It was told that if you could kill the first few Japanese beetles that landed on your tomatoes, they would send out these kind of sentinels, these few bugs at a time. And if you could kill those first few, then they wouldn't send the rest of the swarm there. If you didn't get them, they would go there, they'd come back, and then they'd have a whole horde come, and then your whole garden of tomatoes and other stuff would be eaten up by these beetles. They were big beetles, like the size of your thumb. depending upon how big your thumb is. But I want you to notice with me something here in verse nine. She said it in the man, I know that the Lord has given you the land and that your terror has fallen upon us. For 40 plus years, for 40 years, this king had lived in fear of the Jews that were residing just east of the Jordan River. They knew the land had been given by the Lord. And the king is at the verge of losing everything. He is as vigilant as he can be. If he loses Jericho, he'll be an object of scoring. He has to realize, I have to wage an all-out war on these spies. And like manner, Satan knows that his time is short, and he wants to destroy as many homes as he can. He wants to bring as many lost people as he can with him to eternity in hell. But there is a problem. Satan has to get God's permission to harm or hurt these spies. I want you to look with me at Job 1, verses 6-12. And Christian, this is the truth that you and I must understand and we must live by. Job 1, verses 6-12. Job 1, verses 6-12. It says, Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And Job 1.7, and the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God? For not. Hast not thou made an hedge about him, about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? That was blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. The Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power only upon himself. Put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. I want you to understand that Satan required God's permission to even harm Job. Satan cannot touch you unless God gives permission. You say, why would God give permission? It allowed God to prove to Satan that Job was a man that was just. He was a faithful man. It also tested Job's faith. Do you realize that even humans can be harmed unless God allows it? In John 19, verses 10 and 11, then saith Pilate unto him, speakest thou not unto me? This is Pilate speaking to Jesus. Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, thou couldest have no power at all against me. Except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin Jesus says you can't touch me unless God allows it Can I tell you there's nothing in your life that can hurt you if You're walking in the right step if you're following the Lord you're seeking to follow truth If a Christian is willing to follow God and do right Satan has to get permission to access you Now when we leave the obedience of Christ, we refuse God's protection, we open ourselves up to Satan's attacks without any real protection. And the king in his tireless efforts and delegated effort is powerless to harm these spies unless God allows it. These two spies, they go into enemy territory, the most heavily fortified city in that region. I mean, Jericho was responsible, ultimately, I mean, it was like a major, major military hub to protect Canaan land. Heavily fortified, huge walls. These men go in by faith, try to go in under cover of secrecy, they are discovered. But God does something. She hides them under stalks of flax on her roof. She lies to the ambassador. And now you're thinking, well, is it OK to lie? Now let me read this for you. I like this explanation. She lied to these people that were coming from the king. Is that appropriate to lie? Follow along with me here. I like this explanation. I think it does well. Since Rahab was a believer at that time, how do we defend her lies? On the one hand, she demonstrated her faith in the Lord by risking her life to protect the spies, and she could have been killed. But on the other hand, she acted like any pagan in the city when she lied about her guests. Perhaps we're expecting too much from a new believer whose knowledge of God was adequate for salvation, but certainly limited when it came to the practical things of life. If seasoned believers like Abraham and Isaac resorted to deception, as well as David, we had better not be too hard on Rahab. This is not to excuse or encourage lying. but simply to take her circumstances into consideration lest we condemn her too severely." Warren Weirsbein. He's just saying, listen, she's a young believer. She doesn't quite know what to do. She makes a mistake. And you know what? That's true. In churches, there's people that are young believers or young in the faith, and they do some things that aren't the best. There's some grace. Did it work out? Did God know that she would do that? Yes, he did. Despite her pragmatic response, it is never right to do wrong. But pragmatism is, let me give you an example of what pragmatism is. Pragmatism is the end result justifies how I get there. For example, if I was in school and I cheated and I got 100% on my test or 98% on my test, I cheated and I got a good result. Is that actually a good result? No, it's not good how I cheated to get the test score. So just because I got a good test score, how I got there wasn't right. That's pragmatism. Now, this is not a permission from God to allow us to do white lies or black lies, but rather to tell the truth and trust the Lord. She did make a mistake, but God still, I mean, there was still being used of the Lord. Had she told the truth about these men's escape out of town, the ferocity of Jericho's men would have pursued them. It was not enough. I want you to think about this. In verse 7, she says, they left my house. Verse 7, and the men pursued after them the way to Jordan and to the forts. And as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. I mean, they don't just want them outside the gate. They want them dead. I'm telling you, the passion of this king is unparalleled by many. He said, we've got to protect our city. They have seen what's inside here. We must eradicate them. Verse 16, she said to him, get you to the mountains lest your pursuers meet you and hide yourselves there three days. Don't quit. They'll fervently look for you. They were willing to do whatever it took to kill these spies and save their cities. And I'm telling you, Christian, we must possess the same diligent, tenacious, and driven mentality about our Christian life. I'd like you to look with me at 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1, verse 13. There's many things that want to sidetrack us in our Christian life, get us off track, get us distracted, get us to believe or worry or fear. We must stay passionate. If we lose the passion, if we lose that constantly being on guard, I'm telling you, you're right pickings to be destroyed. In 1 Peter 1, verse 13, the Bible tells us, Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts and your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Gird up the loins of your mind, put on the armor, be sober, And I tell you, there's things in our life that can cause us to not be sober. It's not just alcohol. It's other intoxicating substances. It could be anger. There are things in our life that cause us to get away from a sober, God-ordered mind. A mind under control. You see, the great need today is to filter our actions, our hobbies, our thoughts, our careers, our affections through God's Word. That's being sober. God's Word shows us the standard of holiness. In Psalm 119, verse 9, See, here's the, I mean, this is the application of this, the fight of God's protection. You've got to know you're doing God's will. and you're in God's, and there's conversations I've had with family, and they ask me, are you, you know, you should do this, or they give me ideas. I remember when I was talking about going in the ministry, and my grandfather, who's now passed on, my grandfather says, well, you could stay on as an engineer and make good money. I said, yes, grandpa, but that's not what God wants me to do. I could have made money and been miserable, Are you telling me that God really cares what I do with my life? I'm telling you, he does care. Does God really care whether I was an engineer or I was a pastor? God cares. Does God really care where, with the church you're at? Does God really care in the job and all those things? God cares. And these spies did exactly what their mission was. They followed the advice of a woman of disreputable character. God used her. She put her faith in God. Now, that was her past, but her present was she put her faith in God. And her faith would actually spare her entire family. You see, your decision for God and your decision to move forward in faith has ramification, has continuing consequences where it affects your family. Families who decide to go away from faithfulness to God, it affects their family negatively. Families who decide to go forward in faith for God and do right, it affects their kids positively. Because you're telling them, we step out by faith, we do what God wants us to do, and we'll leave the consequences in God's hands. If you go this way, and you do it your own way, then you're allowing Satan to influence, you're allowing other things, and you remove yourself from God's protection. These spies went forward by faith. And the fight that is here, God would use a baby believer, a young believer, Rahab, to keep his spies safe. I want you to look with me at Exodus chapter 14 verse 25 and I'll come to the conclusion tonight. In Exodus chapter 14 verse 25, This king was passionate, he was fervent, he was diligent, he was on guard, he was everything that a Christian should be. Now he was on the wrong side against God, but he was what a Christian should be. And yet he couldn't touch one of God's own. Because it wasn't God's will. In Exodus 14, 25. and took off their chariot wheels. This is Egypt going into the Red Sea where they're swallowed up by the Red Sea when it crashes down on them. And took off their chariot wheels that they gave, that they draved them heavily so that the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Israel. For the Lord, that's Jehovah, fighteth for them against the Egyptians. God fights your battles when you're living by faith. It's an important point. God fights your battles when you're living by faith. These spies, two men, went up against a strong and mighty foe. They completed their mission, but God was their hiding place. Sure, it was Rahab that hid them. In Joshua 2.23, so the two men returned and descended from the mountain and passed over and came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell him. God's protective hand took charge of these men. I'm telling you the enemy is persistent, he's aggressive, but may we in like manner be persistent in our drive for the Lord, aggressive in our desire to be used of God. The lesson from this sermon is best understood by seeing God's persistent protection, the king of Jericho's persistence to root out all enemies. That king, he's some, and his drive to protect his country, drive to protect his position, to protect his family, protect his idols, we ought to admire that courage and that drivenness for protecting. That's the way we Christians ought to be. Many times we sit back and we get comfortable, oh, it's okay, when the enemy's just waiting to attack us. On the contrary, when we step out by faith, there is an enemy that is very persistent. He doesn't sleep, he doesn't give up, he has a bitter hatred. But yet at the same place, I'm in the hiding place, I'm in the secret place, I'm in the place of refuge before God when I'm living by You've got to know that what you're doing and where you're living and all of that, that I am doing God's will. And God's will, first of all, is for every person to be saved. Second of all, to be baptized and join a New Testament church. You see, the Christian life is to loose those enemies of our life that cause us damage. Those things in our life, they're gonna tear us down. They're gonna bring us away from Christ. They will not lift us up. They will not help us to be a better Christian. Those are the things in my life that I need to be willing to... I have a good friend of mine, Jake. I've been friends for a long time, since grade nine, back in 96. Been friends for a long time. And he's not saved. And I'll talk with Jake about the Lord, it's like it goes in one ear and out the next, and he's heard the gospel many, many times over. I'm still gonna give it to him. But I know with Jake, sometimes that there's, because of his affection still for the things of the world, I only spend so much time because I don't want it to lead, draw me in a direction I don't wanna go. I'm still friends with him. If he called me, needed something, I would do all I could to be there. But Christian, I've got to make, for the protection and the foundation of my life, I've got to depend upon Christ. My closest associates are not those who do not know Christ, but those who know Him. In Hebrews chapter 12, verses 1 and 2, these are my favorite verses in all the Bible. Hebrews 12, 1 and 2, Not that the rest of the Bible isn't great, but these just happen to be, for me personally, my own favorite verses. In Hebrews chapter 12, verses one and two. The Bible tells us wherefore seeing we also are compassed about. With so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, You know what? He says, listen, there's other people that have lived by faith. You can do it as well. That's the cloud of witnesses. We're compassed about. There's many, many, many, many, many people that have just lived by faith. You know what, you're not alone. You might be thinking, I'm all alone. And sometimes we feel like that. No one knows all that I'm going through. But understand this, that whatever the circumstances you're in, we must make a determination, I'm just going to walk by faith. And then, like the king, I need to be fervently and passionately on guard for those things that will get me to stop living by faith and instead living by just the immediate circumstances that surround me. We must rest in this promise that God is on the side of any Christian who will follow his direction for their lives. Romans chapter 8 verse 31. What shall we say then to these things if God before us who can be against us? We must be passionate on guard, but we also must be fervently on mission to do what God calls us to do. These spies let God control the destiny of their lives. Going into very dangerous territory and they allowed God to lead them. And we're still reading about that faith today. Can I tell you this morning, or this evening, I don't know what faith step God's wanting you to make next, but you must settle in your heart, despite any emotions, despite all of this, I must do God's will. I'm not saying throw caution to the wind and just, well, I'm just gonna do this. No, no, no, that's not walking by faith either. Because a walk by faith is a knowledge that this is God's will. And that God is in this, and that I will follow his leadership. It's not easy. It's easy if I'm willing to just follow. It takes some time to learn what is God's will. Number one, salvation. Number two, scripturally baptized and added to a local New Testament church. Then follow God by faith every day of your life. Are there times we mess up, we fail? Of course there are. Proverbs talks about just men follow seven times and rise up again. Get up. Don't stay down. Can I tell you, I'm sure those spies had some fear on their minds, but they knew what their mission was and they did it. You must know what God's desire is for your life and do it. As we think on these truths tonight, as we come to a time of invitation, I want to just challenge your heart to just pray and talk with the Lord. Are you living your life by faith or based on emotions? Are you living your life on guard against the distractions and the fiery darts of Satan? Or are you just going with the circumstances and whatever comes may come? We must have a fervent passion to be a guard. We must have a fervent passion to live by faith. There's a song, Take My Life and Let It Be, plays. I trust you just do business and pray and talk with God.