"Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city." vs18

The javelin in Joshua’s hand is similar to the rod that was in Moses’ hand; it is the means whereby God saves people, which is the gospel. The rod and the javelin are nothing without God, and so it is with the gospel. Without God’s power, it is unable to save. Isaiah 64:1-2, "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence-- as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil-- to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence!"

We speak empty words. We must have the power of the gospel, and stretch it forth. We must have God in our gospel, and preach it. This is why we study and pray. Give yourself to God’s word, so that God may give himself to you and others. This is the means appointed.

Secondly, God’s destruction of sin is serious. Joshua 8:24 - "When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword." He punishes all sin in his wrath. Nothing escapes; it is punished in Jesus Christ, or by him at the Judgment.

Believers, likewise, have power over sin! No enemy is too strong for us. Samuel Bolton, the Puritan preacher, said, “A weak Christian and a strong Christ shall be able to do all.” We are to defeat sin utterly. Psalm 108:7-8 - "God has promised in his holiness: "With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter."

Do not coddle iniquity, and do not play. Make an end of it, says God. This is for your betterment, your family, and your society. This is for all the people, and the stakes are huge. Let no one say, “I will let sin slide. I do not want to be fierce.” Kill it all, or it will kill you. Fight it utterly, and destroy.

Thirdly, this is critical: we must not touch our gospel or add anything to it. Joshua 8:31 - "just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, "an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool." And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings."

The gospel is the power of God when unadulterated. We must not change or diminish it. It must be preached as is with God providing the power, and not man. 1 Corinthians 2:13 - "When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths." It is not something that we contrive: God’s word comes to us, and then we speak it. It comes to us with power, if it will have power in someone else. It is not made good news by our flourishes of oratory; it is not by our power.