Based on Joshua 2 (New King James Version)
“Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, ‘Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.’ So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, ‘Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.’ Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, ‘Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.’ (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: ‘I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted 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 to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.’ So the men answered her, ‘Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.’ Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. And she said to them, ‘Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.’ So the men said to her: ‘We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.’ Then she said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’ And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. And they said to Joshua, ‘Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.’”
In this passage, we see a faith that made great things happen where God’s purposes were accomplished, but because there were many people that agreed in the same faith. We see that Joshua sends the spies in obedience to God, because God had promised them that they would conquer the land. We see the faith of the spies because they risked their lives to follow Joshua’s orders, because they did something that was God’s will. And we also see the faith of Rahab the harlot because she had heard what the Lord had done with other countries, and that God was with Israel, and she wanted to be on the Lord’s side. And Rahab, because of her faith, risked her life and the life of her family to help the spies. All of these people had acted and even risked their lives because of their faith in the Lord, because they believed.
But it is necessary to understand something clearly here, and that is what faith is not, because many misunderstand today what faith is. Faith in God is not about looking to fulfill your own carnal desires, and least of all, looking for worldly triumphs. Faith has nothing to do with the flesh. And I know that this will be unpleasant to many, because the main reason for why faith is misunderstood is because the majority of people desire to fulfill their will rather than God’s will, and they see God as a vehicle, as a tool to get what they want, and that goes completely against all Biblical principle. This will sound bad, but everything that is based on the flesh is sin, and that will lead to death.
Now, some may say, “But God listens to me and He has me doing quite well.” And yes, it may seem that way, but a person must be very careful what they ask for, because they may just get it. Because it’s either one or the other; either they get what they want because God allows it, even if it is not His will, or because something or someone else that doesn’t come from God gives it to them. Just because you get what you want doesn’t mean that God gave it to you, or because it is something He agrees with. If a person really desires God’s will, then it needs to agree with God. And the only way that something can agree with God is if God is the One guiding. This is an irrefutable Biblical principle: “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:8. So then, if your desires and prayers are founded on the flesh, and you try to use God, employing a supposed faith, you will sow corruption no matter what, and corruption leads to death. And the opposite is also just as certain, that if your prayers and desires are founded on the Spirit (on God), then your prayers and your desires will yield everlasting life.
So then, how can we see this in application? Was it Joshua’s idea to conquer the promised land or God’s idea? Did the spies do their will, or were they following a divine design? Rahab the harlot did what she did because she had planned it, or because she saw that Almighty God was involved in what was happening and she chose to be on God’s side? The reason for why they all did what they did was because they wanted to follow and/or be involved with God. God was their focus, and not their carnal desires or worldly ideas. And this is the error that most people commit, that they think that God is there to serve them rather than the opposite. This is what the very Son of God taught: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10. If a person continues looking to do their will, no matter what it is, then they are still on a way to perdition. For it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. So then, are you living a faith that saves? Lord bless! John