THINGS DEVOTED TO DESTRUCTION

The Lord warned Israel against taking any spoils from the enemies they defeated. Why this prohibition? It was so they would not trust in the power of man or try to conquer their enemies for material gain. God wanted their eyes fixed on things above, not on things “devoted to destruction” (material goods that would fade like the grass—see Joshua 6:18).

But one man, Achan, decided to take some things for himself. “When I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them” (Joshua 7:21, esv). It wasn’t much, really—just a pretty coat and a handful of silver and gold. Yet it’s always just one little thing that God puts His finger on. Why? Because He knows that one thing can hinder the fulfillment of His whole destiny for us.

Do you have something you’ve been negligent about—one thing that could hold back God’s best for you? For many of us, these could be reasonable things. Perhaps a desire to hold on to savings that the Lord wants us to give away, or clinging to a demanding career that takes us away from our family. Like Achan, we can hold on to something “insignificant” without considering what it does to our hearts. God says to us, “Yes! Take out that thing that doesn’t belong. Get at it because just one small hidden thing can hinder the unparalleled victory that I want to give you.”

Our God wants to do mighty things through us. He wants to express His love to the world through us. So if we’re clinging to one thing that gets in the way of His accomplishing that—some willfulness, some refusal to trust Him for everything—He points it out to us.

What is the Lord putting His finger on in your life? Is it to take away one small thing? Or to add something you’ve neglected? Don’t delay in your response to the Spirit’s faithful voice.