WARFARE 4 (Sustenance)

The common saying goes thus "Getting to the top is hard, staying at the top is even harder"

Sustenance is a significant part of every warfare. At first sight, we may take this as provisions or edibles or materials that are needed to wage a good war, but rather I’m talking about maintaining or sustaining the gained victory.

In the last three post, I've talked about self-discipline, purpose and integrity as things we need to wage a good war and to come out victorious.

Using these three things, we can start fighting our way to victory, but also, we should not be involved with or do things that will bring defeat.
Fighting to win is as important as fighting not to loose.

Too many times, victors have slumped into defeat just moments after being victorious, and we should also note that the looser does not necessarily give up trying again. Staying on guard is definitely needed as the story might not be finished yet.

A common saying in my high school when you're trying to intimidate someone you want to fight is "I will so beat you, there will be no part 2"
We need to do that more in our daily life... i.e winning outrightly.

There are quite a number of things we can do to let victory slip away from us, but I'll discuss one which God opened my understanding to and I pray that by the end of this post you'll be more enlightened and equipped in holding on to your victories.

Exodus 20 vs. 15 “Thou shall not steal”

As isolated as that verse might look... its significance must not be overlooked... We only need to look at a few books in the bible to realise that “stealing” is one of the many ways we can revoke our victory.

The definition of stealing might be subjective... I’m sure taking something behind someone’s back is not too far from the real thing.

Stealing is one of the fastest ways to experience defeat... Comfortable victorious living can be brought to a premature end when caught out by stealing.

You may not have thought about it yet, but do you know that as much as we categorise it as disobedience.... what Eve did in the Garden of Eden was disobedience acted out through stealing?
She stole from God and Adam accepted that which was stolen too. So his excuse that it was the woman who caused him to sin was not valid enough to stop the punishment ... why? ....Because he knew too well that the apple was a stolen product.
Man fell because he stole.

Joshua 7 vs. 1-26 tells the story of how the children of Israel were defeated by the people of a small town called Ai. It is something that shouldn’t have happened but it did because Achan (of the children of Israel) stole from the previous battle.
The Israelites were coming off the back of a scintillating victory; they have just defeated the most fortified city of their time, namely Jericho. The Israelites were the toast of the region, their God is doing wonders and there army is formidable. In fact, they didn’t have to lift a finger against the wall before it came crashing down.
In Joshua 6 vs. 27 the bible says “So the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all the country”
But then, when it came to fighting a town of much smaller proportion, they experienced defeat, because someone STOLE.
What are the consequences of stealing?

In vs. 11-12 we learn the following ... that

· Stealing contaminates us
· Stealing makes defeat a must.
· Stealing Forces God to withdraw His hands
· Stealing sets us up for destruction

Stealing in this age maybe regarded as common place, but every reasonable person knows that the consequences of being caught can be severe.
Punishments include being smacked (at home), expulsion (academia), getting the sack (corporate), or even being jailed (society)

As a believer, the devil turning you into a laughing stock and God being unable to help you out tops the list of consequences.

How then do we get back to winning ways?

· By confessing our sins
· Removing the accursed thing from our midst.


Joshua 8 finished the story with a “Back to Winning Ways” account...

Folks, we need to understand that winning is not the end.... we need to start staying as winners. DON'T STEAL

Eph 4 vs. 28 tells us what is required
"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."

... and in Titus 2:8, the bible explains “Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say evil of you”

NEXT WEEK: "KNOW YOURSELF"