SPIRITUAL WARFARE & THE HOLY SPIRIT
Judges 3:1-11
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: WHO’S FOLLOWING
1. The Mom of 5 yr. old Timmy loved very much and, a worrier, she was concerned about him walking to school all by himself when he started kindergarten.
2. She walked him to school the first few days, but he said he was now one of the "big boys," and should walk by himself.
3. She decided to allow him to walk, but with a plan B (which consisted of recruiting a neighbor, Mrs. Goodnest, to follow him to school, at a distance.
4. So, the very next school day Mrs. Goodnest and her little girl, Marcy, set out to follow behind Timmy as he walked to school. Timmy walked with a friend.
5. As the boys walked to school each day, the little friend of Timmy began to notice that a lady seemed to be following them every day.
6. "Have you noticed that lady following us all week? Do you know her?" he asked Timmy. "Yea, I know who she is," Timmy replied. "Well who is she?"
7. "That's just Shirley Goodnest," Timmy said. "Shirley Goodnest? Who is she? Why is she following us?"
8. "Well," Timmy explained, "Every night Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm in my prayers 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in it the Psalm says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life,' so I guess I'll just have to get used to it."
9. We have someone with us too; we’re not alone!
B. TEXT
1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience). 4 They were left to test the Israelites
to see whether they would obey the LORD’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses. 7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died. Judges 3:1-2,4,7-11.
C. THESIS
Title: “Spiritual Warfare & the Holy Spirit.”
I. PERFECTED BY TESTINGS
A. GOD HAS A VISION FOR US
1. The godless people around Israel (and us), were left to test them, whether they would obey God or not. These challenges force the next generation to exercise courage and faith in God.
2. God has a vision for us -- to take the land. Verse 2 says, "He did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience.”
4. Opposition has been left around us so that we’ll learn how to fight the enemy. God's wants to train us to fight against evil. If you and I do not resist evil, then we will capitulate/surrender to it. There’s no neutral ground.
5. There's a lot of people who don't see a battle anymore. Millions of Christians are morally and spiritually
‘marrying’ the world. If we don't have any will to fight, then our sons and daughters -- the next generation -- will become slaves to what we allow.
B. ISRAEL WRONG CHOICES/ PRIORITIES
1. The Bible says that the Israelites "did evil" in the sight of the Lord... they forgot the Lord... and they served the Baals and Ashtoreths."
2. Next it says that God’s anger "burned" against them. An important thing to remember is that God isn’t flippant or dispassionate about sin.
3. The Israelites probably didn't think God really cared about whether they sinned or not, but His justice took note of every offense and demanded the just penalty, until their judgment overflowed.
4. Then God "sold them" into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram. His name derives from Cush, a son of Ham who was under a curse (through Noah).
5. He was the King of Mesopotamia, which signifies "in the midst of rivers" -- the empire between the Tigris and Euphrates.
6. This was such a great distance that Israel would've thought trouble couldn’t come from such a far country, but this shows how much more it was the hand of God!
C. THEY FINALLY SOUGHT THE LORD
1. At first the Israelites made light of their troubles and thought they could easily shake off the oppression of this King; but when he continued eight years, they began to feel their grinding punishment.
2. Then those who formerly laughed began to cry. Those who had cried out to Baal and Ashtoreth now began to cry out to the Lord.
3. God graciously raised up a deliverer, or "Savior," as the word is. True deliverance must always come from God.
4. Deliverance never comes until we acknowledge God. God's people are always forced to learn that only by supernatural means will we ever fulfill our destiny!
II. OTHNIEL THE DELIVERER
A. HISTORY OF OTHNIEL
1. In Joshua 15, the Bible tells how Caleb took Hebron, also called Kiriath Arba, where some giants, the sons of Anak lived.
2. But Caleb was NOT able to defeat the Philistines at Kiriath Sepher. What made Kiriath Sepher so difficult to conquer? Its name means, "City of the Book." It has been argued that it was the seat of what we would now call a University (Pulpit, 170, column 2).
3. Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, took the city. So Othniel became the first campus pastor mentioned in the Bible! He was also the first of the Biblical Judges and the only Judge mentioned in connection with the Tribe of Judah.
4. But Othniel refused to allow his past exploits to become his resting pillow. The devil wants us to be prematurely satisfied. He wasn’t.
B. POWERLESS OR POWERFUL?
1. Othniel watched his nation go down spiritually. Instead of getting apathetic, or apologetic, or erratic, chaotic, or idiotic, he got pragmatic, climatic, bombastic, prophetic, and fantastic!
2. If we win this war, the next generation will inherit God’s blessings. If we lose this war, the next generation will inherit void. Satan mustn’t prevail!
3. God moves NOT in the mildly interested, but in the supremely desperate. Personal revival comes before corporate revival. WE need revival!
4. Most of the Israelites felt powerless against the mighty invader. But our God is mighty to save/mighty to deliver.
5. JOKE; WHY DAD’S ARE NO GOOD AT SHOPPING
a. In the frozen foods department of our local grocery store, I recently noticed a man shopping with his son.
b. As I walked by, he checked something off his list, and I heard him whisper conspiratorially to the child,
c. "You know, if we really mess this up, we'll never have to do it again!" We don’t want to be like that!
C. HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
1. Come on Church! How great is your God? Is your God
the Maker of the Stars; Who causes the Wind to blow and the Sun to shine; Who orders the future and has all power and infinite resources?
2. If your God is too small, He won't ask much of you and you won't expect much from Him either.
3. BUT IF YOUR GOD IS THE LIVING GOD, THE GOD OF MOSES, ELIJAH, PETER & PAUL --
a. He may tell you to part an ocean, to raise someone from the dead, or to walk on water, or to open someone's eyes.
b. You can also expect great things from Him! [He will Fellowship with you, walk with you, converse with you, etc.]
III. OTHNIEL’S SECRET WEAPON
A. A TYPE OF THE N.T. BELIEVER
1. Othniel’s name means "the force of God." (Shades of Darth Vader!) “The Force” was definitely with him, but it wasn’t the midi-chlorians or a dynamic personality. His secret weapon was the Holy Spirit!
2. The Bible says that “the Spirit of God came upon him.” Othniel was one of only 18 individuals (& 2 groups) in the O.T. who had the Holy Spirit come in/ on him.
3. Thank God in the N.T. this infilling is promised to every believer. We can all be filled with the Holy Spirit.
4. When the Spirit came on Othniel, he “went to war.” The Holy Spirit equips us for battle. When the Spirit came on Lord Jesus, He healed the sick. When the Spirit came on the apostles at Pentecost, they turned the world upside down.
5. We don’t need to talk about what God did somewhere else or at some other time; we need to expect it to happen here!
B. THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. TO SOFTEN HARD HEARTS. When we’re hard, we're rude, unfeeling, we don't care if we hurt people, and are unforgiving. But the Holy Spirit, like rain on hard soil, softens our hearts and makes us pliable in the hands of God!
2. TO QUICKEN OUR MINDS. The Holy Spirit quickens our understandings/minds so that we can understand God's way of thinking (Lk. 24:45). Without that we're "darkened." Faith is really “thinking like God thinks.” The Holy Spirit helps you to see what you could never see before. He gives you spiritual sight.
3. BOLDNESS TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.
a. Faith calls on us to do things we normally wouldn't; to step out and attempt the impossible. To attempt such things goes against nature -- it doesn't make sense and sometimes is scary!
b. That's where the Holy Spirit comes in. He actually gives courage – "boldness" so we overcome our fears and attempt the will of God. Acts 4:31.
4. JOY IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS.
a. Happiness comes from circumstances; joy comes from the Lord. Happiness is temporary, joy can be tapped at all times.
b. Paul said, "The kingdom of God is not in meat or drink, but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" Rom. 14:17. The Holy Spirit brings us joy.
c. Suffering has been described as "a few drops of sorrow mingled in a cup full of bliss." David said, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation…" Psalm 51:12.
d. Neh. 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is our strength." Our joy in the Lord, despite troubles, is one of the greatest witnesses we could have.
C. BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. Paul told us to be "filled with the Spirit," Eph. 5:18. The Gr. verb indicates not a one-time filling, but that we are to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit, as the Book of Acts suggests.
2. The Greek word Paul used in Eph. 5:18 is the verb plero-o. It is derived from ‘pleres’ which means ‘to cover over.’ The word plero-o is used in Matthew 13:48 when the net was crammed with fish before pulling it up. Strong's concordance cites the reference to ‘cram.’ We need to be crammed full of the Holy Spirit!
3. In Luke 24:49, the Lord Jesus told us to be "clothed" with power.” I hope you didn't just ‘cloth yourself’ one time! (You’d have some stinky, ragged clothing.) We need
to be “clothed” every day.
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES…
a. Power to Conquer any Enemy! Acts 10:38;
- depression, sickness, debt
- relationship problems, addictions
b. An anointing that increases in proportion to your
dependence on God; and
c. An anointing to do works of service. The H.S.’s not just given to us to feel glory bumps, but to change lives, to set people on fire.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: “Have You Lost Your Fire?”
1. The Olympic Flame was being carried by bicycle riders across the USA a few years ago.
2. A flame-carrying bicycle rider wrecked and the torch was extinguished. He panicked!
3. The Olympic Van pulled up. “Don’t worry; we keep the “mother” flame in here.” They relit the rider’s torch.
4. God always has a mother flame for Revival kept on the altars of Heaven to relight our torches, should they go out.
5. One pastor asked a little boy if he knew why they served coffee after service. "I think," said the boy, "it is to get the people wide awake before they drive home.”
6. Come on Church! Instead of just enough of God to get by, let’s be filled to overflowing with the Spirit!
B. ALTAR CALL
1. You have to have intimacy with Christ. You must get alone with Jesus to have intimacy with him. The enemy wars against your prayer closet.
2. We must keep the flame of the Spirit alive in our lives. Will you determine to be filled with the Spirit and take the Kingdom back for Jesus?
3. “You must be born-again!”
