The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn't ask God about it. Joshua 9:14
It's hard to remain humble when you've just walked through the Red Sea without getting wet, and conquered Jericho , the biggest city in the Promised Land. Over-confidence can be deadly! Flushed with victory the Israelites thought they didn't need to consult God or listen to what He had to say concerning their next move. It's quite a story. The crafty Gibeonites realised they couldn't win against God's people so they sent out a team of negotiators to make peace with them. And it worked! Even though they were lying, Joshua presumed they were telling the truth and signed a peace treaty. It was one of the biggest mistakes of his life! From that day on the Gibeonites were a constant thorn in Israel 's side. Joshua lived to regret that he "didn't ask God about it." Fanny Crosby, the blind songwriter, wrote: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer!"
It's frightening how easily we move from relying on God to relying on ourselves, or trusting in a method because it worked in the past, or doing what everybody else is doing. Hearing from God for yourself is what gives you the edge; leaving Him out is what gets you into trouble.
If you have a tendency to move too quickly or to operate in your own strength and skill, pray for a red light in your Spirit. Ask God to let you know when you're moving in your own will rather than in His. It'll save you untold heartache!
