THE HALF ACRE THAT MAKES HELL TREMBLE
1 Sam. 14:6-15,23
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: The Sermon-Loving Dog
1. A minister delivered his sermon in ten minutes one Sunday morning, which was about a third of the usual length of his sermons.
2. He explained, “I regret to inform you that my dog, who is very fond of eating paper, ate that portion of my sermon which I was unable to deliver this morning.”
3. After the service a visitor from another church shook hands with the preacher and said, “Preacher, if that dog of yours has any pups, I want to get one to give to my minister.”
B. HAVING FAITH FOR A CAUSE
1. Let the name of Jesus be glorified and hell horrified. Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me BECAUSE...". Lk. 4:18. The Spirit comes on those with a CAUSE!
2. There have been attacks on the Church of Jesus worldwide. In the last 10 years, record numbers of Christians have been martyred, courts have over-ruled our belief system, the media has mocked and the atheists have scorned.
3. But remember this, Jesus said, “…on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Mt. 16:18, KJV.
3. God’s looking today for some hungry people, some excited people, some desperate people -- people with hope, for “Faith is the substance of things hoped for...”
4. If you’re not hoping for anything, then you don't need any faith. We’re going to look at a man who stepped out in faith with God and see how God answered him.
C. TEXT
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Jonathan said, “Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God. 23 So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven. 1 Sam. 14:6-15,23.
D. THESIS
1. Jonathan had a vision that bridged the gap from defeat to victory. We’re on the brink of great things.
2. It may seem like there’s only 2 of you. Or that you stand alone for the Lord in your family. Fear not, for the Lord’s not hindered to save my many or by few!
3. Jonathan decided it was time to step out for God, to give God a chance to do something. I hope his example will inspire us too.
4. The title to the message this morning is, “The Half Acre That Makes Hell Tremble.”
I. THE EFFECTS OF SIN
A. SIN DIMINISHES YOU
1. Notice the pitiful situation. Here’s a nation with 2 ½ million people who’ve defeated many nations. But the King can only rally 600 soldiers to fight against a potent foe.
2. It wasn’t all Saul; other men should have been standing up & joining forces! Compromise weakened and brought them low.
B. SIN STEALS YOUR PROSPERITY
1. The Philistines ravaged the country. They had 3 large raiding parties that went out and pillaged the region.
2. When we forsake God we open ourselves to satanic attack and open every aspect of our lives to attack.
C. SIN BRINGS FEAR
1. Saul was at Migron (which means "fear"). He wouldn't obey, so his courage waned. His 3,000 soldiers became 600. His warriors were reduced to worriers.
2. Discouragement is one of the biggest battles against our dreams. If the enemy can take your vision he can stop your progress in God!
D. SIN MAKES YOU HELPLESS
The Israelites that took the field with Saul were unarmed, having only slings and clubs, not a sword or spear among them, except what Saul and Jonathan themselves had.
E. SIN MAKES YOU HOPELESS, VISIONLESS
1. Notice how slothful & defeated the Israelites
were, that they:
a. allowed the Philistines to get away with that &
b. had no willpower to help themselves.
2. This was a sign of how backslidden they were. From the time of the Judges – over 200 years – they were weaponless!
3. Back in 1296 B.C. it was written, “God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel” Jdg. 5:8. NIVSB says poss. “disarmed!”
F. HUMOR
1. A lot of people are like a wheel barrow—no good unless pushed.
2. Some are like canoes—they have to be paddled.
3. Some are like kites—if you don’t keep them on a string they fly away.
4. Some are like footballs—you can’t tell which way they’ll bounce next.
5. Some are like balloons—full of wind and ready to blow up.
6. Some are like trailers—they have to be pulled.
7. But Some are like a good watch—open face, pure gold, quietly busy and full of good works.
II. THE SITUATION: INTIMIDATING
A. THE PHILISTINES (13:5) HAD…
1. 3,000 chariots
6000 horsemen
Foot soldiers "as the sands on the seashore"
2. Notice the goodness of God in restraining the Philistines, who had a vast army of valiant men in the field, from falling upon that little handful of fearful, trembling people that Saul had with him.
3. There’s an invisible power that sets limits on the church’s enemies, and hinders them from thwarting God’s people & purpose.
B. THE FAITH OF JONATHAN
1. When God is going to intervene, the circumstances usually look intimidating. To rise to the challenge requires faith and a willingness to take personal risk.
2. Jonathan was willing to take a risk. That's why I like fanatics: it's easier to restrain a fanatic than to raise a corpse!
3. Jonathan was willing -- with only one servant and one sword -- to fight the entire well-armed Philistine army! Jonathan decided it wasn’t time to SIT back, but time to TAKE back.
5. He had an EYE FOR DIVINE OPPORTUNITY.
C. ENCOURAGED TO A STEP OF FAITH BY 3 GREAT TRUTHS:
1. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" We can have that same confidence because of the blood of Jesus.
2. Jonathan recognized God’s omnipotence: "There’s no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few" -- no natural limit to what God might do."
3. MSG “Maybe God will work for us. There’s no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army.”
-- You don’t have to have BIG PRAYERS,
-- You don’t have to be a ‘big shot’/influential person to get a miracle;
-- You don’t have to be well-trained or part of a large organization in order to win victory.
4. Verse 6, "It may be that the Lord will work "for us."
It wasn’t someone else God would help, but themselves!
5. Remember: One can put a 1,000 to flight; 2 can put 10,000 to flight…BUT IT TAKES FAITH.
6. HUMOR: DIDN’T FALL FAR
a. Two friends were talking, one said: “Did you know I fell off a thirty-foot long ladder yesterday.”
b. “Oh no, dude, are you alright?!” inquires the other one, shocked.
c. “Yeah, I’m OK, I was only on the second rung then.”
III. JONATHAN DECIDES TO TRY GOD
A. JONATHAN TESTS GOD’S WILL
1. We need to put ourselves in the driver’s seat of a miracle and see if God will start the car!
2. Jonathan said, "If they tell us to come up to them, we’ll know that God is calling us to fight." Of course they'll say that! They want to keep the higher ground.
3. That was tantamount to saying, "When I drop this book, if it falls (gravity), then God is calling us to fight."
4. Jonathan expected God to move in a miracle. Jonathan put the odds in God’s favor; he went overboard for a miracle.
5. The devil always mocks our first efforts! But the devil is a liar. If he tells you ‘You can’t win’, then you will be victorious. If he tells you ‘You’ll never succeed in the ministry’, then you will.
6. You’re more than a conqueror, and the enemy knows it.
B. THE RESULTS OF FAITH
1. As Jonathan and his servant struck down 20 Philistines in an area of ½ an acre – 110 X 110 foot. Small beginnings.
2. But this began a panic among the Philistines; WHY? Because Israel’s God had a REPUTATION. They were the people of God; as long as God wasn’t with them (thru disobedience), they were easily defeated.
3. But if God went into battle with them, they were invincible: Egypt had fallen. Moab & Ammon had fallen. All the nations of Canaan had fallen before their God! A decisive victory now was evidence that the God of Israel was back and that no one could stand against the Israelites.
4. Saul observed: the whole Army of the Philistines began to run and chasing them were 2 wild-eyed guys yelling, "Come back here? We’ve got more for you!"
5. Then even the backsliders began to rise up and act like they were part of the move of God.
C. IMPLICATIONS FOR US?
1. “For the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”
2 Cor. 10:4.
2. WHAT ARE OUR WEAPONS?
a. Intercessory Prayer
b. Wielding the Sword of the Word of God;
c. Pleading the Blood of the Lamb;
d. Binding and Loosing. Taking authority over the Enemy;
e. Doing the Work of the Ministry.
3. This church is the half acre that causes Hell to tremble! If the Church rises up and does its part, then God will do His part by sending a panic into the Kingdom of Darkness and giving a great victory to the people of God!
4. Come On Church! Let’s rise up in prayer & boldness and restore the Kingdom of God to its greatness!
CONCLUSION
A. POWER AVAILABLE, BUT NOT USED
1. If I put my finger in the light socket you'd expect that I might get electrocuted. But I won't, not if I've got the fuse in my pocket.
2. It doesn't matter how many volts are connected up to my house if I've unplugged the fuse.
3. Likewise, if we won’t hear God and step out in faith, then we remove the fuse from our lives and block the high voltage of the power of God.
4. To release the power of God we need obedience to the plan of God. When the Spirit prompts us, we need to yield to His leading!
B. ILLUSTRATION
1. Guarhardt Oncken came to Europe to preach the Gospel. He was arrested and imprisoned and fined times without number. Every time he was freed he preached again.
2. The magistrate before whom he was brought time after time finally lost patience. Standing up, leaning over the bench, shaking his finger in the face of the preacher, he said, "Mr. Oncken, you are not going to preach."
3. The preacher straightened up, smiled softly, and looked directly into the face of his tormentor: "Your honor, as long as I can see GOD above your finger, I will keep on preaching." [from boldness file]
4. EXPERIENTIAL FAITH
a. George Ferris, the original developer of the Ferris Wheel, had a lot of trouble getting people to ride on the wheel. Why?
b. They lacked the faith to step out and give it a try. Today, we do it without thinking it might be dangerous, even in a strong wind.
C. THE CALL
1. ILLUSTRATION
a. A lady came up to the great preacher, G. Campbell Morgan, and said, "I only take the big things to God. I don't take the little things to God."
b. G. Campbell Morgan looked at her and said, "Lady, anything you take to God is little!"
c. How true! The biggest thing you can think of is still small in the eyes of the Lord. What do you need from God today? Let’s pray.
2. How many have something you need to pray about? Change your world? Move into miraculous? Salvation?
