God Has A Plan

Pastor Allan Kircher

Sept 8, 2013

Judges 7:1-23

GOD HAS THE BEST PLAN

***Please note: Sermon is condensed. You need to add in between / spaces.

Intro: Read James 4:13-17.

James councils men against/foolishness making plans without consideration/will of God/matter.

• You and I can make any plans we wish to make

• God always has the final say in any matter.

• when we learn His plans for the situation

• then we make our plans based on His plans

• We find out that He had the best plan all along!

• We humans like to make our plans, don’t we?

• We want things to go the way we want them to go.

• Have you ever thought that God might have a better plan?

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Peter/others/fished all night w/o catching a fish Luke 5

• Jesus told/put/deep water/they would catch fish

• Peter’s plan/forget fishing for/day/go home.

• But, when he obeyed/Lord, he found out/God had the best plan!

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When Jesus told His disciples that He was going to die, Peter rebuked the Lord, Matt. 16:21-23.

• Peter thought he had a good plan

• when Jesus went to the cross and paid sins forever

• Peter found out that God had the best plan.

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When Goliath saw David coming to meet him for battle

• he/plans/kill David/feed/carcass/scavengers/field, 2 Sam 17

• when/stone sank deep into/forehead/he fell/earth dead

• He found out that God had the best plan!

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When Israel sent spies/Canaan/saw/giants/lived there, Num13

• Made plans/find themselves/new leader/go back/Egypt.

• But, over/next forty years/died one by one/wilderness

• They learned that God has the best plan.

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I could go on giving you example/example/pages/God’s Word,

• This truth/fleshed out well/passage we have read/Judges.

When Gideon/his army/battle, must have had/plan

• Before/battle/joined/victory was won

• They found out that God had the best plan.

I would like for us to consider that thought today:

• God Has The Best Plan

• let’s learn/lesson/God’s plan may not/easiest plan

• not be/most popular plan

• not even seem like/smartest plan

• but God always has the best plan!

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I. THE REALITIES OF GOD’S PLAN

a. v. 2-7 God’s Plan Is A Different Plan

• Gideon planned/march/battle/32,000 soldiers

• But God had a different plan!

• Context/how God whittled down army

• Trembles with fear—20,000 left.

• Still too many!!!!!!!! I will sift them!!!!!

• Lap/tongues—kneel down to drink

• 300 lapped with their hands…..

• Let the others go each to his own place.

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When we make our plans for our lives, we always try to stack the deck in our favor.

• That is human nature!

• However, God will usually have a different plan for your life than you do!

• David/just a shepherd, but God had a different plan.

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Job/wealthy man/just wanted to worship his God

• Love his family and enjoy his wealth

• But God had a different plan.

Joseph/Mary/young couple/wanted/get married/raise a family

• But God had a different plan.

Saul of Tarsus just wanted to destroy Christianity

• But God had a different plan!

Test/truly consecrated life/willing/submit/plans of God

• Even when His plan contradicts our plan

• Paul Acts 16:6-9.

• Remember, God’s plan is a different plan!)

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B. v. 9-14 God’s Plan Is a Declared Plan

• Here/Gideon/32,000-man army reduced/300 men.

• ready/attack/force/many times larger than his own, v12

God is not asking/leap/dark, he/asking/clear step of faith.

God knew Gideon’s fears and concerns.

• What Gideon heard from the enemy, v. 13-14.

Comes to you/me/Lord expects/walk/obedience/His will

• He never asks for a blind leap/dark.

• He always asks His children/respond/taking/clear step/faith.

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God uses many means to speak to His children!

He speaks:

• Through His Word, Rom. 10:17

• through the Spirit, Acts 13:2 16:6-8

• Through other believers, Acts 9:17-18

• Even through/circumstances of life Gen. 24:12-16.

The bottom line is this; God will always direct your feet plainly!

He will not leave you in doubt. His plan is a declared plan!

Here’s the key!

• Knowing His plan takes requires prayer/holiness/patience

• But be sure, in His time, He will reveal His plan.

When He does, you see different plan/declared plan/is best plan!

• surest path/knowing His plan is to practice Rom. 12:1-2

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C. v. 15-23 God’s Plan Is a Distinct Plan

• Gideon’s men were to surround the enemy

• 300 hundred against thousands!

• Sound their trumpets, shout/battle/break a little clay pitcher containing an oil lamp.

• God said that this would give them the victory, and it did!

• What a distinct plan!

• No man would ever have come up with a plan like that!

Gideon/men not been willing/follow God’s plan

• Would have missed out/God’s best/their lives!

• So it is with the plans of God.