I often think that I can accomplish what I need to do in life all on my own. I have tried many times. It has never actually worked out. When I look back at my life I have come to realize that the big moments really had nothing to do with me. I mean I did play a role in the fact that I showed up, played my part and made the most out of what I was able to, but being in that situation, the circumstances and the outcome were not my own doing. In fact, the times where I tried to muscle through something and make it happen on my own were the times that I failed miserably.
The same thing holds true for the Israelites. They ventured into situations regularly on their own power and they lost repeatedly. This happened in the first battle of Ai in Joshua chapter 7. They went into the battle without God at their side and they lost. They could not win in their own power. They needed the power of God to be with them to be victorious. We also need that power so that we will be victorious.
The beautiful part of losing in our own power is that when we realize that we need God’s power He can turn those losses into victories. The second time that Israel takes on Ai in Joshua chapter 8 they are victorious. Why? Because God was on their side. They understood they needed His power, and they repented of their actions and decided to be on His side. He then turned their loss into a victory. In fact, the Israelites did the exact same thing in the victory that they did in the loss, but this time they listened to God’s direction and not their own wisdom.
Have you been losing lately because you have been operating out of your own power? Is there something between you and God that you need to let go so He can turn those losses into victories? Let it go and choose to be on His side and see what happens. Then commit going forward to using God’s power so we can win more than we lose!