Chariots of Iron
Judges 1:19
“And the Lord was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not dive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron (WOULD NOT)
Joshua 17:18.
“But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong”
1 Corinthians 10:11 warns us---
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they were written for our admonition (instruction), upon whom the ends of the world are come...”
A powerful, detailed example for our instruction is found in Judges 4 and 5.
“The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord... And the Lord sold them... Into the hands of Jabin, king of the Canaanites” (Judges 4:1,2).
Israel was once a holy nation, set apart unto God, relying on His power alone and afraid of nothing!
• Her cities were filled with peace and prosperity
• Her leaders were God-fearing ……..and her Pastors were men after God’s own heart.
• But something happened to the great nation of Israel and the vision God had given to her
Gods chosen people forgot about God and disobeyed Him
• They stopped trusting in God (even though they talked a lot about him)
Many of the tribes refused to posses the land God had given to them because they were lazy and didn’t want
to go to war…….everything in their life was just fine…..they were comfortable
• I believe God wants his church to posses the land he has given to us today by faith
• He said he would give us the heathen for our inheritance
• But Christian have become comfortable…..and fighting the enemy is not convenient
God sold Israel to slavery because of their lust and compromise!
• During 20 years of bondage, Israel cringed like cowards because 900 Canaanite iron chariots raced up and
down their highways.
• No Israelite could safely walk the streets.
• Children lived in fear! There was “war in the gates” because they had turned to new gods.
• “The highways were unoccupied... travelers walked through byways” (Judges 5:6).
What A pity! How shameful! ….Gods people in bondage….bound up by fear and disbelief
• Do you know what is even sadder than that…..
• Is to see modern day Christians who have HOLY SPIRIT dwelling inside them to be bound by fear and unbelief
• God is for you…..Jesus is with you…HS is in you….the Angels encamp around about you..You have the word of
God…..the authority of God….Sonship….heirs and joint heirs…
There was a day these people of God would have defeated any enemy!
• No weapon formed against them could prosper…….
• Now, look at these cowards - God’s people - sneaking around, walking in fear. ….
• griping and complaining about Joshua who was their Godly leader
• The sound of the rumbling of the enemy’s iron chariots striking fear in their hearts.
• (Incidentally murmuring against Moses, Joshua = murmuring against God
The devil’s iron chariots are still racing up and down the streets OF SAN ANTONIO spreading fear -
• They are going unchallenged!………. the church, has lost the will to resist Satan's powers…and Demons go
unchallenged
• Its time to wake up and realize Satan goes about AS a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour
• But he can’t take anything unless WE YEILD AND GIVE IT TO HIM
• Listen, ITS TIME TO EXPAND OUR TERRITORY
• Its time to stop being cowardly …stop being FAITHLESS AND UNBELIEVEING
• What he did for New Testament believers he can, will and desires to do for you today
• Its time for us to move out and proclaim Jesus as King of Kings
• Do you remember what happened when they city proclaimed Jesus as king when he rode into Jerusalem
• The entire city was MOVED …..
• WHEN WE PROCLAIMED HIS NAME….
• When He IS present in our midst like he was in Jerusalem ….
• When we are filled with excitement and belief like his the disciples were filled with an excitement about what
they were doing and saying…
• THEN OUR CITY WILL BE MOVED ALSO
The drug addicts and pimps are getting bolder and bolder. Pornographers mock our laws….and flood our
cities with there filth... Wall Street brokers wheel and deal with no fear…breaking the law ...Criminals plunder
and rob in broad daylight! ...Many Christians can't even be faithful to the house of God Sunday or Wednesday
evening
• How can Pastors properly equip the saints of God if they refuse to show up to learn?
• Every Sunday, a few Christians gather together when 100'sof thousands should be gathering
• Dead Churches are closing their doors….but God is looking for Alive churches he can work through
• I was told not to start a new work in San Antonio because it was doomed to fail
• I was told for every new church starting 3 close their doors
• Well first of all we never started a new Church….Jesus started HIS church a few thousand years ago….we
simply being obedient to HIS great commission to GO YE into all the world …Preach…teach….baptize…
teaching new converts what Jesus commanded us to preach and teach
The truth is, God's people have settled for only mountaintop victories.
• Like the Israelites in the story in Judges 1, we “drive out the enemy on the mountain.”..
• but we stop there
• “And the Lord was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain...” (Judges 1:19).
• Israel set up her altars on the high places, began to settle down to worship and praise, and gave up the rest to
the devil’s crowd. …
• It was dangerous …….and they were all too comfortable to wage war
• They looked down on 900 iron chariots and said, “The valley belongs to the god of this world. Let the enemy
have it………. Let’s avoid a confrontation!
• What's so amazing is they weren't afraid to have confrontation with Joshua or Moses
• A lot of Gods people will attack leadership but are to cowardly to attack the enemy
• People like to stay up op on their little mountain and enjoy the blessings of the mountaintop. …even though
its to narrow a land for them What can we do against such wicked power?”
By not going after those iron chariots, Israel presented a false picture of God to the heathen.
• They made God appear weak, & helpless!
• The chariot drivers mocked, “Theirs is a god of the hills! He’s only a god of songs -
• They praise so loudly but act so cowardly! …Theirs is only a god of the cowardly, the helpless.”
So it is today!
What image does the world have of the church?
• They're saying, Gods church is weak, and powerless….Christians don’t make any difference whatsoever.
• They’ve been here for years but nothing changes. It only gets worse!” “
• They talk a lot about power, but the only demons they fight are inside the church. They are afraid of the real
devil out here.”
• Our teenagers are leaving the Church because they see mans program….and mans program is powerless to
change and transform lives
• But its time they see Gods Holy Ghost filled church attacking the chariots of iron
• Its time the experience first hand the power of God to transform lives….starting with you and me
There can never be a true revival until God’s people go out in faith to challenge the devil’s iron chariots - right on his own ground!
There must be a revival of holiness… Because that is the only kind of revival that brings out hatred for sin.
There must be holy anger against the devil’s iron chariots!
When the revival God wants is here, no demon is safe! There can be no co-existence with evil. The vision of Christ’s holiness creates an active hatred and anger against sin!
The demoniac is commanded to be free! ..The evil books are burned. ...The deceivers who lie to the Holy Ghost drop dead.... The magistrates tremble, and fear at their wrong doing... Jailers fall on their faces and get converted, ... and the cities are filled with the knowledge that God is town!
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHEN REVIVAL BROKE OUT IN THE NEW TEASTAMENT ….AND THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN WHEN REVIVAL BREAKS OUT TODAY
Thank God we read in our Story “And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord…” (Judges 4:3).
It is even stronger in the original Hebrew, “They shrieked unto the Lord together!” ..Corporately, desperately they called on God!
In the midst of all the wickedness, God had a witness of His holiness in the land -
• A courageous woman at a time when men were cowards ……A prophetess named Deborah.
• While everyone else was afraid and drying up…, Deborah was in Mount Ephraim shut up with God,
• She was getting to know His heart,…hearing his voice …., learning to trust Jehovah for victory over all enemy
power.
Deborah began to prophecy Gods heart beat under the palm tree at the hill of Ephraim.
• Her message was one of holiness and repentance and victory
• At first the people came slowly ….but then more and more came and the vision of freedom spread
• ARE YOU BOUND BY THE ENEMIES IRON CHARIOT OF FEAR AND DISPAIR
• DOES HE TELL YOU THERE IS NO HOPE TODAY
• Has HE WHISPERED IN YOUR EAR DON’T GET EXCITED…NOTHINGS GOING TO HAPPEN….ITS BAD BAD BAD
AND ITS NEVER GOING TO BE ANY BETTER
As Deborah preached and prophesied people began to come
• The Rich came to her………Then the middle class came…..Then the poor came
• And finally even the scribes THEMSELVES came
• All kinds of people from every walk and class of life came to hear the words of life and freedom
RED AND YELOW BLACK AND WHITE…THER'E ALL PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD..
• Deborah's little church caused hearts to be unified
The real victory was being won against the iron chariots on Mount Ephraim under the palm tree.
• The message of this church was, “Not one inch to the enemy! No more iron chariots! War is here!”
Everyone who came to this hidden place left with their hearts on fire.
• Barak, the warrior, [”man of lightning”] visits Deborah's church
• What did he hear from Deborah? …“When will you rise up and be men?
• When will you believe God has the power to wipe out these iron chariots?”
Barak’s heart is stirred
• He says I will go fight in the valley….but only if you Deborah go with me
• There was Deborah and Barak, ministering together.
There is nothing macho about a true Holy Ghost revival.
• It is God moving on every kind of people ….
• It's is God provoking men and woman boys and girls to act on what they believe!
• Deborah says if I go ….you won't get the credit for winning the war.
• The people will say a woman won the battle
Barak doesn't care about who gets the credit or honor! ….
• Revival has come to Barak's heart….all he cares about is deliverance ….not who gets the credit
And the princes, the leaders and the scribes received the word coming forth that God was about to wage war:
• “Better get in the fight! God is going to vindicate His name!
• He will be glorified before the eyes of the wicked!”
Out of the intercession came very clear directions.
• “Go to Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of
Zebulun” (Judges 4:6).
• It could not have been any clearer! How very specific it was - go to Mount Tabor and gather 10,000 men!
• The enemy will come against you with iron chariots at the Kishon River -
• God will deliver the iron chariots and all the army into your hands!
• Deborah knew when to move and how to move.
Listen to me…this is our time:
• I believe I was sent here to this church at this time to forfill a destiny
• I have a vision too…
• I see a church fighting on the front line…. I see many men and woman joining in the fight
• God spoke to my heart one night and said I will send you men and woman
• They will come to you like they did David in the cave of Adulem
• They will be those who are rejected and cast out just like David received
• But I will use them to do mighty deeds…They will be mighty men and woman of valor
• Lead them into battle….trust in me I will lead you……do not ever look at the circumstances but only to me
Never in my 40 years of serving God had I ever felt such a sense of DESTINY…that I was chosen for exactly such a time as this. This is my Battle…the one I was made for..And at the same time I rest in JESUS patiently as he leads
LISTEN TO THE BEST PART OF THE STORY
Deborah and Barack prayed down a rainstorm - and it was the rain that brought down the iron chariots!
(Judges 5:20-22). TELLS US THE STORY
• The Kishon river overflowed its banks.
• A huge marsh was created.
• The enemy got ALL DRESSED UP mounted their chariots, and the wheels spun deeper and deeper into the
mud.
• The chariots were now liabilities! ….Worthless hunks of iron.
• Barak’s army THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO TREMBLED IN FEAR WAS climbing over those immobilized
chariots, smashing wheels, tearing apart the harnesses. And killing the enemy
• Don’t you know God’s people looked at those worthless, muddy, sunken chariots and said, “We were afraid of
this?” “
• And the Lord discomfited [routed] Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his hosts...” (Judges 4:15).
When the rain of the Holy Ghost comes in answer to prayer, God mires the enemy down on his own territory.
• Overnight, Satan’s power is exposed as useless.. The falling rain renders the enemy powerless.
• In fact one day Satan will be displayed before the kings of the world who will look at him and say "We were
afraid of this…you kept us in fear…."
In Closing let me say
It Is Dangerous to be Complacent During God’s Appointed Day of Awakening!
The Reubenites refused to get involved. (Judges 5:16,17).
“Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of the heart. Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches”
The Reubenites are still with us!
The Reubenites were people of no action - no commitment - no dirty hands - no going up to the mountain to pray with Deborah!.
• Giliad, Asher and Dan were too busy making money! TO HEED DEBORAH'S CALL
• They were Seeking success and prosperity and let their brethren fight alone.
• Too addicted to comfort and ease! Read Judges 5:17 again. They “abode in the breaches” - all wrapped up in
their own little world of need.
• Absorbed with little battles of their own! They “remained in their ships” - rowing their own boat.
THEY WERE CURSED by God for their complacency!
“Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty” (Judges 5:23).
The curse of Meroz is one of the most serious matters in all of God’s Word.
• It was a curse right out of heaven - clearly revealing God’s attitude about complacency!
• Reuben, Gad, Giliad, and Asher did not get involved - but they were not cursed as was Meroz!
• Why the frightful curse on Meroz?
• I believe it was because Meroz sinned against light. They had heard the trumpet sound and turned a deaf ear.
• They heard Deborah’s’ heart-cry and mocked!
• Merozites I believe, were cursed because they were so close to the battle, so near the iron chariots, yet so far
from being involved or caring.
The judge will call us to account. “I was hungry - you did not feed me! Naked, in prison - and you did nothing! You did not go out into the byways and hedges and compel them to come in! You shut yourself up - wrapped your talent in a napkin, waiting for the Lord’s coming! You are the buried talent!”
Right now right where you are sitting …
1. If there is something in your life that you cant conquer because of fear I want you to come to this altar…
2. If you want to be set free from sin and guilt and whatever it is that has you bound I want you to come
3. Whatever the iron chariot is in your life that keeps you from having victory and peace and deliverance..….you
can be victorious over it in the name of Jesus today….come right now…
4. If you have been close to the battle but have refused to fight or help others fight …come right now/
PRAY SINNERS PRAYER AND INSTRUCT TO PRAY
