COMPROMISE…Snatching Defeat out of the Jaws of Victory!!!
Judges 8
There is a battle taking place for your home---An all out assault
-Your home is in this battle
-Ignore it you’re losing
-Christian homes are losing battle for marriages/children just like we lost battle against abortion – why—because we are ignoring it!!!
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal they crawled into their tent and went to sleep. In the middle of the night, Holmes awoke and nudged his friend. “Watson, look up and tell me what you see.? Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.? “What does that tell you, Watson?? Asked Holmes. Watson pondered a moment and then replied, “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is within the Leo constellation. Chronologically I observe it’s nighttime 3 a.m. on June 14th. Meteorologically, the air appears dry, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day. Why did you ask? What does it tell you?? Holmes says, “Watson, you idiot! Someone has stolen our tent!
People-the moment you’re not watching – the moment you let down - Satan is ready to move in and to steal your home
Survey done among 286 Christian teens
59% said they harbor bad thoughts about God
43% said they find it hard to pray & read their Bible.
69% reported hearing “voices” in their head
22% said they had frequently entertained thoughts of suicide
There is an attack taking place on our homes
-We have let our guards down and as a result our homes and our churches have been broken into—We have Lost ground
-It is time for us as Christians to go to battle for our homes
Folks if we are to keep from losing our homes we must wage battle on our enemy
This morning Id like us to dive into the book of Judges Chapter 8 and examine the life of Gideon
Gideon was the 5th of 15 Judges that ruled Israel-He set Israel free from the oppression of the Midianites and brought relative peace to Israel for 40 years. He was a judge who knew how to do battle-He was a warrior ruler.
Over the last couple of weeks we learned that Gideon, even though he was (a) indecisive, (scared) and (c) lacked faith…he finally arose and became a great warrior for the Lord.
This Morning I want us to look @ 3 Battle lessons from the life of Gideon
-I believe if you can grasp these things-revolutionize your home
The first lesson we learn from Gideon concerning doing battle is
I- It takes a warrior not a wimp
Judges 6:12-When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, The Lord is with you mighty warrior
Vs 14-Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the Midians hand
Strongs Dictionary-A man or woman engaged in or experienced in warfare
Hebrew-Chayil-a force, an army, able, active, mighty, power, strength, of substance, trained, valiant, virtuous
Head of household-look at me
-If you are to fight the battle that is taking place for your home you must be a warrior not a wimp
A force, an army, able, active, mighty, power, strength, of substance, trained, valiant, virtuous
How could that ever be me
A – The angel here in Judges calls Gideon something he is not
When the angel of the Lord appeared before Gideon-he wasn’t this mighty warrior, but he was a scared farmer hiding from the enemy
Look where the angel finds Gideon
Later part Vs 11-Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites
-threshing wheat was always done outside
-He was cowering in a winepress
Angel says-Hey you mighty warrior
God is not as focused on who you were or who you are as he is on who you can become
Ephesians3:20 Now to his who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us
B – If you don’t stand up as a warrior in your home no one will
Leaderless, warriorless homes… I deal with Warriorless homes…they leave war torn children
-War torn country…-That’s what many of our kids look like
A home without a warrior leader is like:
a greyhound without a driver
A cargo ship without a captain
a freight train without an engineer
a 747 without a pilot
The one thing all these vehicles have in common? They are SIMPLY GONNA CRASH
C – Homes need a warrior because they have an enemy
God was calling Gideon because the Midianites were Plundering the people of Israel
-Midianites came every harvest time and would ruin crops and kill all the animals
-People were in a desperate famine-Living scared-hiding in caves
-Midianites hated Israel and wanted to destroy them
Satan hates your family and wants to destroy it
-Satan hates stable, healthy homes
-If you have one you are his enemy – His #1 target
-Stance yourself for battle
-Some homes here are in the same state as Israel
-Famined
-Scared
They’re in need of a Gideon-warrior-who will rise up and fight for them
ITS YOU
D - In a world where trash and perversion is pushed down your children’s face day and night a wimpy leader does not immerge victorious
Parent there is a battle for your home—children---marriage
Unless you engage you will lose
-Unless you do spiritual battle - your children will be casualties
-Unless you draw clear boundaries – your children will be led astray
-Unless you protect and nurture your marriage it will be lost
-Unless you become a warrior your battlefield will be plundered
So now that you’ve decided to be a warrior…what to you do???
II – You must destroy things that are destructive to your home
Judges 6:25-26-That same night the Lord said to him, Take the second bull from your fathers herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, use the second bowl as an offering.
Gideon destroyed that thing that was destructive to his home-family
You home is no different-seek out and destroy destructive things
Max Jukes lived in New York in the early 1700’s. He did not believe in Christ or in Christian training. He refused to take his children to church, even when they asked to go.
He has had 1,026 descendants--300 were sent to prison for an average term of 13 years each; 190 were public prostitutes; 680 were admitted alcoholics. His family thus far, has cost the state in excess of $420,000. They have made no contribution to society that is of any benefit.
Jonathan Edwards lived in the same state, at the same time as Jukes. He loved the Lord and saw that his children were in church every Sunday, as he served the Lord to the best of his ability.
He has had 929 descendants--of these, 430 were ministers; 86 became university presidents; 75 authored good books; five were elected to the United States Congress and two to the Senate.
One was Vice-President of this nation. His family never cost the state one cent but has contributed immeasurably to the life of this country.
Now…if you had a choice, which house would you have grown up in??? What choice are you making for your kids?
We have a powerful influence over not only our immediate family, but every generation to follow
Gideon understood that
A – Gideon understood the power he had to change his family
-changing the world doesn’t begin in the world, but in your family
-Idolatry had not only been a stronghold in Israel, but in Gideon’s own family
-So often were outraged by what’s happening in the world
-The same things are happening right under our noses in our homes
HOW MANY UNDERSTAND THAT GOD HAS GREAT PURPOSE FOR YOU/FAMILY
-When Gideon began to understand God’s purpose for him he also began to understand those things that were short-circuiting that purpose
-HE DESTROYED IT
B – You have the ability to change your family
First thing they ask you to do when you go to the doctor is to fill out your family medical history
-You are predisposed to the same medical problems as your family
Heart disease
Diabetes
-It is no different when it comes to sin
Counseling Teens
-You are a product of your environment
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
What is it that is a IDOL to your family
-Gideon had to destroy his father’s idol to Baal
-It was a stronghold to his family
Just like Gideon’s father had an idol, some of your families have idols
SHOE BOXES
-pornography Drug Abuse Alcoholism Hatred
-hardness toward God Bitterness Racism Laziness
-complacency Dishonesty Legalism Witchcraft
These are all generational strongholds that may exist in your family
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK THAT IDOL DOWN
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF YOUR FAMILY
C-As soon as the idol was gone victory was released
After 7 years of defeat/famine we see Gideon march Israel into a place of victory
-Family has been plagued with problems, disappointments, defeat after defeat
-Idols that need to come down
You don’t understand why you struggle with the things you do
You don’t understand why your children struggle with the things they do
You need to destroy things in your families past that are destructive to your family
War on Terror
Some need to fight some battles here/tear down some generational struggle so your children don’t have to
Allow God to search your heart
God I pray you would identify to me-strongholds-idols-places of addiction-places of destruction-in my family-places of influence from my past-right now-I confess those destructive places-I break those strongholds-In the name of Jesus-I proclaim Victory
III – You can not allow room for compromise…Even Christian heroes can let compromise ruin their homes…any heroes here…so all are suspect!!!
Judges 8:22-27-The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us you, your son, and your grandson-because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.” But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you. And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from our share of the plunder. (Is was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings) They answered well be glad to give them. So they spread out a garment, and each man threw a ring from his plunder onto it. The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to 17 shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pennants, and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on the camels necks. Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshipping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.
One night an Arab man had settled in for the night and had just fallen asleep when his camel stuck his head in his tent and explained that it was awful cold and asked permission to just stick his legs inside the tent to keep them warm. Granting him permission the Arab man went back to sleep. A little while later the camel woke him up a second time and asked permission to stick his head in. Again permission was granted. This continued on throughout the night until finally the Arab man woke up to find the entire camel in the tent with him. When he told the camel that there just was not enough room in the tent for the both of them the camel suggested that the Arab man might want to leave.
A – We must not let compromise enter our homes
-Although Gideon had so courageously torn down his father’s altar to Baal-we now see Him allow compromise
-Read on right after his compromise victory ends and defeat and tragedy begins
As a parent you are pressured everyday to allow compromise
As a member of society you are pressured everyday to allow compomise
JUST SAY NO
-You have the right to protect your home
B – Its only an ephod
Ephod-a vest worn by the priest to pray and worship
-This was no Baal-Not a demon being here
Folks, Satan only needs a small opening
Eph 4:17-Do not give a foothold to the devil
-At least its not drugs
Are there things of compromise in your home
Parents what sort of things are you allowing your children to bring into their homes
Or better yet…what sort of things are you bringing into your homes?
Its just a small compromise
The Bible isn’t explicitly against it
I mean…it’s ok in moderation isn’t it???
C – Its ok, but is it God’s best
-Are there ephods in your home
-Small compromises
-An attitude
-A picture
-A channel
-A CD (OK to ask your kids what there listening to)
D – It will become a snare to your family
-the ephod became a snare to Gideon’s family
Judges 5:9-Abimelech kills his brothers
-Compromise took its toll
-Compromises have long term effects on your family Look at the story of the camel
-it started with just its legs-ended up filling that tent
Nip it in the bud
Quiet your hearts
Is there places of compromise in my home
Conclusion
Some here
Same thing has happened to you that happened to Sherlock Holmes and Watson
While you were not paying attention
Satan has stuck in and stolen your home
Today is the day
You are going to take it back
