Pretenders Are Winners

We have a lot of people right now that aren't experiencing the victory God has for them because they keep operating by feeling instead of operating by faith. Jonathan Evans poses the question, Do you want to experience victory God's way, or do you want to continue to try it your own way? God is calling you to operate by faith.

He's not calling you to operate by instincts. This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans. God's direction for our lives isn't always comfortable, or predictable, or even logical, but it is always right. Today, Pastor Jonathan Evans explains why the best way to guarantee victory in life is to get out of the Lord's way and start operating by faith instead of feelings.

Let's join him as he begins. Joshua now has a new plan from God. Joshua now is in the position to win. Joshua now has the opportunity to experience victory where he formally experienced defeat.

And so today, what I want to talk to you about is pretenders are winners. God's plan for Joshua is found in Joshua chapter eight, verse two. And he would tell Joshua, Hey, I'm going to have you set up an ambush on the west side of the city.

Now I need you to come up from the north side of the city. And that's what Joshua would do. And then you see in Joshua eight, 15, that Joshua pretended to be beaten before the men of AI, because when the king of AI saw Joshua and he saw him in his vulnerability to God's plan, he pursued Joshua and Joshua fled, but understand that Joshua was operating by faith. He's not operating by his feelings because God's plan was totally opposite from Joshua's nature. God's plan would ask Joshua not to operate on instinct, but be spiritually responsible. God would tell Joshua again, not to be a warrior, but this time I'm a need you to be a runner because I have something set up on the west side of this circumstance.

And if you go forward, instead of going backwards, you won't get to experience the victory that I have set up an ambush. We have a lot of people right now that aren't experiencing the victory that God has for them because they keep operating by feeling instead of operating by faith. The question is, do you want to experience victory God's way, or do you want to continue to try to do it your way? Joshua has learned his lesson. Joshua has understanding now, you know what?

I tried to be a warrior on my own, but right now I'm going to do what God says and be a runner. And even though it's confusing, sometimes his word, we're to never let our confusion be the criteria of our devotion, because even though God's plan may be confusing, it's the right plan for your victory. Now, I know there's many people who will say in their situations, when things come up, you'll say, listen, I'm just trying to stay saved. Y'all know that saying, I'm just trying to stay saved. I'm just trying to stay in the spiritual atmosphere right now.

I am just trying to stay saved. And really, even though that's a funny statement, what people are talking about is the crux of being the Christian that God is calling us to be when we're trying to decide between our old self and our new self, when we're trying to decide if we're really going to operate as Galatians 2 20 says, I've been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me, the life that I now live, I live by faith in him who gave himself up for me. The life that I now live is not like the life that I used to live. Even when I'm facing problems that make me feel like I used to. I hope you're keeping up with me because when you're facing problems that make you feel like you used to, you got to realize that you're still crucified in Christ, in your current chapter. And God is calling you to operate by faith. He's not calling you to operate by instincts.

God is telling Joshua, I'm not interested in you being a warrior. I'm interested in you being a runner. I'm interested in you taking a step back so that what I have for you can take a step forward. I have an ambush waiting for you. I have an ambush on the West side of your circumstance that your circumstances unaware of, but if you keep putting your hands on it, then my ambush is nullified. If you keep moving forward, then what I have for you is nullified and when you stay in defeat, Joshua, you will lose to AI a second time, even though you have a plan to win.

That's been made evident because you're not willing to run. You still want to go to war. That's why Deuteronomy 20 verse four says, I fight your battles and I give you victory.

That's why second Chronicles 2015. Once again, we need to know this, that the battle is not yours. It's the Lord's well, if it belongs to him, no wonder why God is telling Joshua, I'm not interested in you being a warrior. I'm not interested in you putting your hands on it. I'm really not interested in you stepping up. I'm interested in you stepping back so that you can create the vacancy that's needed for my power to occupy my ambush to move forward.

The things that I have for you to actually give you victory so that I can get the glory. Jesus Christ, God emptied himself. Watch this. He's the perfect example. God emptied himself into the form of a bond servant, taking on the likeness of men. Jesus was almost pushed off a cliff in his own town by his own people.

They tried to stone him and they most certainly crucified him, the people that he came to save. And more than that, the people that he created, even in Luke 22, he says, not my will be done, but your will be done by feelings. He said, Lord, if there's any other way, let this cup pass from me.

If there's any other way to go about this, I would like to, to, to take a step forward, but I'm going to go ahead and take a step back. I'm going to be vulnerable to your word and believe that what you have set up, believe what you have set in ambush will give us victory. And he says, not my will be done, but your will be done. And y'all know that he was crucified and, and the enemy saw him when he was that vulnerable crucifying him and, and, and putting him to death and, and, and putting him to shame. And it looked like Jesus lost taking a step back. It looked like Jesus did not win at all and, and didn't have a chance, but wouldn't you know it acts two 24 says, but God raised him, God raised him. And on the third day he raised and he's seated with God in heavenly places. And now he, all authority has been given to him in heaven and on earth, the earth is his and the fullness thereof. It seems to me that taking a step back and doing God's will and being vulnerable to God's word and allowing God's plan to ambush this situation gave him and all of those who are in him, even greater victory. Jesus is the perfect example. That's why Hebrews chapter 12, verse two says, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross and despise the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let me say that backwards. He's seated at the right hand of the throne of God, because he despised the shame. He didn't care about how he was perceived. He, he despised the shame and he was seated with him, despising the shame and he was crucified, but why for the joy set before him. In other words, he knew that there was something that God had set up. He knew that God, the father had set something set up so he can say, not my will be done, but your will be done.

I'm feeling it. This is a hard battle, but I'm going to take a step back because I know God's going to raise me from the dead. I know that I'm going to win and give victory to everyone who will lose themselves so that they can win in me. Joshua, having to be a runner and not a warrior, you know what the Bible says in Matthew 16, 25, it says those who try to step forward and save their own life will lose it. But those who take a step back and lose their life for my sake, they will find it.

It's the upside down kingdom. Matthew 23, 12, those who exalt themselves and want to push up themselves, they will be humbled. But those who humbled themselves will in fact be exalted, which is why Philippians two, after God emptied himself, took the likeness of man.

Then it says, and God highly exalted him for this exact reason. God is going to give Joshua victory, but he's waiting on Joshua to take a step back. He's waiting on us to take a step back.

He's waiting on you to say, you know what? This is God's battle. You know what? I've been trying on my own for so long to try to conquer this thing. This is God's battle.

You know what? I'm not winning. I need to take a step back and operate by faith and no longer operate by feel because God's plan requires me to take a step back so that what he has for me to have victory can ambush what I allow to be vacated because it gives space for him to occupy. One of the reasons we're not experiencing God in our lives and in our situations and experience winning in the things that we're going through is that we will not get out of the way. God is telling Joshua get out of the way.

I know what you did in chapter seven and you ran up, but you got beat back down because you used your own hands. This is God's territory. Get out of my way. Operate by faith. Totally coming to me, understanding that it is my battle and the reason why we're losing it in these situations and we can't figure it out and we're so frustrated by what we're going through is simple. You stepped in God's territory.

It's very simple. The reason why you're so frustrated in what you're going through is because you are not God and you can't win this battle. You, my friends, and I have stepped into God's territory and he tells Joshua, don't be a warrior.

I need you to get out of my way and be a runner. And when you are vulnerable to my word, the enemy will see you. Verse 14 says the King of AI saw Joshua and pursued him. Perfect.

Because that is going to create the vacancy for my ambush to occupy your situation so that you can have victory and you can give me the glory. Jonathan will share a profound observation on how Joshua was able to actually pretend to be beaten when he continues this message in just a moment. First though, I wanted to let you know that today's lesson comes from Pastor Jonathan Evans' 10-part series called Survivor. It's a collection of lessons that will show you how to face hardship with strength and hope, confident that God will use your trials for his glory. If you're facing struggles in life that seem unbeatable, this series will help you see those struggles from God's point of view, empowering you to overcome and endure as you grow in your faith and draw closer to the Lord. Because this is such an important teaching, we want to give you all 10 messages from the audio series as our gift when you make a financial contribution to keep the alternative coming your way.

And for a limited time, we have an added bonus. It's a popular, concise devotional book meant to be read daily that explores the core themes of Dr. Tony Evans' legacy work on the kingdom agenda. This 365-day devotional book is called Life Under God, and we're including it right now with every request for Jonathan's Survivor audio collection. You can get both of these resources when you visit tonyevans.org or give one of our friendly resource team members a call at 1-800-800-3222. They're happy to help you. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222 or online at tonyevans.org.

Right now, let's get back to today's message from Pastor Jonathan Evans. Now, if it says that Joshua was pretending to be beaten, how is he pretending to be beaten? How is he actually pretending to lose?

Simple. He knows he's going to win. You can only pretend to lose if you know you're going to win. You're only pretending if you know the opposite is going to take place. He can't pretend to lose and lose. That's not pretending.

That's real. Pretending means, if he's pretending to lose, that means he knows that he's going to win. God gave him a plan that told him to run. He had faith in that plan because he knew that there was an ambush set up that was going to give him the victory. So it wasn't hard for Joshua to express faith in God because he already knew that he was going to win. So it was easy.

I keep saying it. It was easy for him to pretend to lose. You know why? Because he knew he was going to win. I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking, well, wait a minute now. That's easy to say for Joshua because it's clear that God gave him a plan that there was going to be an ambush. So it's easy for him to run and be a pretender because he knows that he's going to be a winner. He knows that he has victory, that I'm different than Joshua.

Are you? 1 John 5, 4 says, all those who are born of God are overcomers. Romans 8, 37 says, you are more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ. Romans 8, 29 says, those that he foreknew, he already predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. Those that he predestined, he called. Those that he called, he justified. Those that he justified, he glorified.

So what then can you say? If God is for you, then who in the world can be against you? That's why Philippians 1, 6 says that he who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

That's why John 16, 33 says, yes, there will be troubles in this world, but be of good cheer because I have already overcome the world. It seems to me that God has given you victory. It seems to me that you know what Joshua knows that God has already stated that you're a winner. It seems to me that there's no reason for you to fear to have faith. And there's no reason for you to think that you can, you still have to be a warrior in your circumstances. There's no reason anymore for you to think that you have to go forward instead of taking a step back because God has already given you victory.

Listen, you have already won. And the reason why we keep going forward is because we don't believe that we've already won. It's an issue of really believing what God said is true.

Because if you believe what God said is true and you believe that you are already a victor, we don't have any problems. I'm good. I know it's hard. I know it's tough.

Jesus expressed that in Luke 22 42 in the garden of Gethsemane. It was hard. It was tough. I feel it, but not my will. Your will be done.

I'm good. You know why? Because I already know I won.

We're supposed to be fighting from victory, not for victory. Why are you so stressed? You can be stressed or you can rest.

The situation is still the same, but if you operate on feelings, you'll be stressed. If you operate on faith, it doesn't mean that you won't feel, but at least you can actually rest. That's why God says, come to me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, I will give you rest. Matthew 11 28, Psalm 55 22 says, cash your cares on me and I will sustain you.

It seems to me that God is trying to take responsibility, but he will not take responsibility from those who will not step back. Joshua, I don't need you to be a warrior. I need you to get out of my way.

I need you to be a runner. Joshua pretended to be beaten and the only way he can pretend is because he knew the opposite was true. It was easy for Joshua to express faith because he knew he was going to win. Thus, it should be a lot easier for you and I to express faith because we know we're going to win.

I can pretend to lose and take a step back because I know that when I pretend to lose and take a step back to the way I feel that I just create a vacancy for God to go get the victory. Joshua was not concerned with his perception of victory. Joshua was more concerned with the reception of victory. Joshua was not concerned with the perception of victory. Joshua was concerned with the reception of victory.

And we have a lot of Christians today, a lot of people today in the day of social media and me, myself, and I, we're more concerned about the perception that I'm victorious and not the reception of the actual victory. Well, I don't want help. I don't want accountability. I don't want counseling. I don't want to go to rehab.

I don't want to do those things because then people will find out that I'm hurting. Then people will find out that things aren't working out. So you actually have to take a step back from your pride, take a step back from your ego and no longer be worried about being seen, no longer be worried about the perception of victory. Because if you're no longer worried about the perception of victory, then you're taking a step back to yourself so that God can actually give you victory. There's a lot more people who are worried about perception than they are reception. And so they don't receive because they're worried about the wrong thing. When you're vulnerable to God's word, you will be seen, but at least you will win.

It's the opposite. Don't worry about the perception. Worry about the reception, which means we have to take a step back. Joshua pretended to be defeated. He wasn't worried about the perception.

He was worried about the victory and that's exactly what he was going to get. Finally, my friend Jeremy, Jeremy heard he is the greatest high school quarterback of all time. He was the quarterback for Duncanville high school, the quarterback for Duncanville high school.

I remember it like it was yesterday because he was my idol, not like idol in the Bible, that kind of thing. I just looked up to him. So he didn't really know this, but he was my guy. I would be blocking for Jeremy as a tight end and I'm blocking form. And then I would see this four, three 40 number 13 go whizzing by and I'd be blocking my guy and I'm blocking my guy, but I'm watching Jeremy because I'm a fan. I'm blocking my guy and I'm saying, Ooh, look at Jeremy at boy fast.

Dime him up, Jeremy, come on, Jeremy, get there. So I'm cheering for Jeremy while I'm blocking my guy because I was a fan and I still am. Jeremy, I still am.

You're a fan. I am a fan of Jeremy heard greatest high school quarterback of all time. In high school we ran the option offense.

Now I know many of you may not know football like that, but let me explain this real easy. That means Jeremy, the quarterback has an option. He can keep the ball or he can pitch the ball.

That's it. That's the whole offense. Jeremy has an option. He can keep it or he can pitch it to the running back. It's his choice.

It's his option. One time I missed my block tragically and my guy hit Jeremy so hard, the whole crowd said, Ooh, it looked like Jeremy lost big. And when I tell you it looked like Jeremy lost big, it looked like he lost big. His face mask was twisted to the side.

His shoulder pads were all unbuckled. I mean, he looked like it was a tragic accident on the football field and everybody was holding their heads and said, Oh, and then suddenly the crowd said, yeah, and everybody cheered and I'm confused cause I don't know what just happened. I'm looking at Jeremy looked like a loser and everybody's cheering.

And then suddenly I looked up and I saw our running back, running down the sideline, the score touchdown. Jeremy took the option before he took the hit. He took the option and he pitched the ball.

So even though he looked like a loser, the entire Duncanville Panthers were winners. I'm letting you know today that you have an option. You have an option to keep the ball and take the hit or you can pitch the ball to the one who can actually score. And God is waiting with his hands up. It's your choice. It's your option, but let me remind you it's his battle.

Let me help you pitch the ball. Pastor Jonathan Evans will come back in just a moment with a closing word for anyone struggling with a tough decision in their life. But first, don't forget about that special double offer I mentioned earlier, Dr. Tony Evans' daily devotional book called Life Under God, plus the 10 lessons survivor sermon series from Jonathan Evans on CD, USB stick or instant digital download. They're all yours with our thanks for your donation to help make this listener supported program possible. Make the arrangements today at 1-800-800-3222 before time runs out on this exclusive deal.

Again, that's 1-800-800-3222 or visit us at TonyEvans.org. Before I share what's coming up next time, I want to tell you about a special Easter episode of Stories from the Storyteller. In Kyler's Crazy School Day, Kyler's first day of school doesn't go as planned.

Her siblings' promises to support her fall short, much like Peter's denial of Christ. It's a powerful, kid-friendly way to explore the meaning of Easter. If the children in your life haven't discovered this popular animated series yet, now's the perfect time to introduce them. Learn more at TonyEvansTV.com.

That's TonyEvansTV.com. Until next time, we learn why winning the battles ahead of us may depend on remembering the victories behind us. Right now, though, Jonathan is back to close our time together with these words. For all of you who are struggling in battles right now and you're trying to figure out do I pitch the ball or do I keep it because I really need this to end.

This is really hard. I'm really suffering. I want to help us all in our faith. I want to end today just by praying for you. Heavenly Father, we love you and honor you. We give you the praise and glory for who you are. If you don't do anything else, Lord, we're not entitled to anything because you've already done enough when you sent your son Jesus Christ to down the cross for our sins.

But we are coming before you asking for help. We're coming before you, Lord, wanting to express faith and be vulnerable to your word. Help us all to express faith by taking a step back to who we are so that we can create the vacancy for who you are. We pray for every believer and even those who are still considering the faith and even non-believers, Lord, to put themselves down so that they can pick you up and have victory both here and in eternity. Help us ultimately, Lord, to give ourselves to you. We love you and honor you. In Jesus' name, amen.