God cannot bless disobedience and will not bless sin.While all our sin - past, present and future - is covered by the blood of Jesus and will not affect our eternal destiny, disobedience does influence our earthly inheritance and hinders our ability to flourish and fulfil God’s purpose in this life.

In Joshua 7, Israel lost a battle they should have easily won. Joshua, their leader, couldn’t understand the reason for their defeat. When he enquired of the Lord, it was revealed that the sin of one of his men was the reason for their loss. One individual’s selfish disobedience removed the favor and blessing of God from a nation. It was only when they had zero tolerance for sin that the Lord’s anger lifted and blessing was restored.

They learned a lesson from their loss. You cannot compromise and continue to live in victory. You cannot wilfully sin and enjoy spiritual success. It’s only a matter of time before everything falls apart.

The only way to return to a life of blessing is through genuine repentance. Ruthlessly remove anything standing between you and your destiny.

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Joshua 7:1-26

“But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan...took some of them. So the LORD ’s anger burned against Israel. Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water....

....The Lord said to Joshua, “....Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction....

...Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.

They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan...

...Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger.“