Joshua 7:1-26 (focus verse 13b – NLT)
“…Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things.”
Achan’s disobedience to Joshua’s warning (6:18) caused Israel’s defeat. Achan sinned in that: 1) He took something that God had called “cursed,” 2) He disobeyed in that the silver and gold was to be consecrated to God, and 3) Achan lied and hid the things he took as though they were his own. Individual sin weakens the whole group, whether it is a family, a church, or a small group. Sin affects everyone. It opens the door to the enemy gaining a stronghold, creating an area of weakness that he can use to drive a wedge between us and God, to set up a base camp to influence everyone within range and challenge God’s standards of righteousness, pitch lies, level accusations, and wreak havoc. Sin is dangerous. “Deal with sin quickly and forthrightly.” * If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleans us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).