SPIRITUAL WARFARE: “THE FORCE” OF GOD
Judges 3:1-11
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR:
1. The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, visited the U.S. and as a public relations event, took a walk along a crowded street. A little girl stepped up to him with a pair of puppies. “Sir,” she said, “would you like to pet them? They’re Communist puppies.”
2. Putin was so amused that later in the week he brought the U.S. President to see the child. “Tell your President about your puppies,” Putin said. “They’re Democratic puppies,” she said, beaming.
3. “What?” Putin said. “Before, you said they were Communist puppies!” “Yes,” replied the girl. “But now they have their eyes open.”
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)....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 3:1-2,7-11
C. THESIS
Title: Spiritual Warfare: “The Force” of God.
I. WE'RE PERFECTED BY TRIALS & TESTS
A. GOD HAS A VISION FOR US
1. The godless people around Israel (and us), were left to test them, to challenge each generation to exercise courage and faith in God.
2. God has a vision for us -- to take the land (to win our nation to Christ). Verse 2 says, "He did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience.”
3. Opposition has been left around us so that we’ll learn how to fight the enemy (not to drag you down but build you up). Either you and I will resist evil or we will surrender to it. There’s no neutral ground.
4. 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 the will to fight, then our sons and daughters - the next generation - will become slaves to sin.
5. As many have observed, "The philosophy of the classroom today will become the philosophy of the country tomorrow."
B. ISRAEL’S WRONG CHOICES/ PRIORITIES
1. The Bible says 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 thought that God really didn’t care 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, the father of Nimrod, the founder of the first empires among men, whose descendants built the Tower of Babel, in defiance against God. This king connected his identity to legendary figures! “I am legend!”
5. His second name, Rishathaim means “double wickedness” (Strong’s #3573). His name was chosen to scare people, to make him into a demi-god and appear invincible. Who could defeat the Nimrod dynasty who’s latest king is doubly wicked? It sounds like he’s an evil wizard/genie!
6. He was the King of Mesopotamia, in modern day Iraq. It was such a great distance (over 500 miles) that Israel wouldn’t think trouble could come from such a far country, but this shows how much more it was the hand of God! “Whom God loves, He chastens!”
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 would formerly laughed began to cry. Those who had cried out to Baal and Ashtoreth now began to cry out to the Lord. (Today professed Christians consult astrology, but when trouble comes, they cry out to God!
3. When they cried to God, He graciously raised up a "Savior." Our deliverance will only come when we acknowledge God. It’s “By My Spirit” says the Lord! QUIT RELYING ON THE FLESH!
II. OTHNIEL THE DELIVERER
A. HISTORY OF OTHNIEL
1. Even in Joshua's time, Othniel began to be famous. Caleb, his brother, was able to take Kiriath Arba, where some giants, the sons of Anak lived. Josh. 14:15 NLT says this city “had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.”
2. But Caleb was not able to defeat Kiriath Sepher, the other strong city of that region. So Caleb promised his daughter Acsah in marriage to whoever could take the city.
3. 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).
4. 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.
5. He was one of a dynasty of heroes. Though too young to be numbered among the fighting men of Israel, he’d seen 10 plagues in Egypt and the Red Sea open, the Wilderness miracles and fought 10 long years in Canaan. He’d kept his integrity when others had capitulated to immorality and idolatry.
6. But Othniel refused to allow his past exploits to become his resting pillow, but rather to become a launching pad for fresh exploits.
7. We need a Vision for fullness. The devil wants us to be prematurely satisfied. Like a premature finish line. Don’t say, “I’ve done enough.” God wants you to make ‘full proof’ of your ministry!
B. POWERLESS OR POWERFUL?
1. Othniel watched his nation go down spiritually. He watched his nation suffer judgment.
2. Instead of getting apathetic, he got mad at the darkness! He got Divine outrage. “Not on my watch!” 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 won’t prevail – not on my watch!
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/ STORY
a. Have you heard about the Chevy Volt? It was named the Green Car of the Year in 2016. It illustrates the predicament of the church. This car is streamlined, has all the latest gadgets, comes in different colors and styles, has lots of drink holders, gets 53 miles to the gallon, and has lots of windows.
b. They've got EVERYTHING BUT POWER! They can only go 60 miles mph for a limited time. The church today has all the bells and whistles, but lacks the power to rocket down the road to victory. Come on Church, let's get the power back!
III. OTHNIEL OVERPOWERS CUSHAN
A. VISION PRECEDES DEEDS
1. Come on Church! How great is your God? Is your God a deity who YOU control at will, who can't hear or see what you’re doing unless you wish it? Are you afraid of Him or is he afraid of you?
2. My God is the Maker of the Stars; He causes the Wind to blow and the Sun to shine, He orders the future and has all power and infinite resources.
3. You can tell if your God is too small: He won't ask much of you -- just to visit church occasionally, and not sin greatly. And you won't expect much from Him either.
4. BUT IF YOUR GOD IS THE LIVING GOD, THE GOD OF MOSES AND ELIJAH: 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. You can also expect great things from Him! [He will Fellowship with you, walk with you, converse with you, etc.]
B. OTHNIEL’S SECRET WEAPON
1. His name means "the force of God" (Shades of Darth Vader! [Strongs Concord. #6274]). “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.” The Chaldee language says that the "spirit of prophecy remained on him" (Matthew Henry, 133).
3. Othniel was one of only 18 individuals (& 2 groups) in the O.T. who had the Holy Spirit come in/ on him.
4. Thank God in the N.T. this infilling is promised to every believer. We can all be filled with the Holy Spirit. Joel 2:28, “In the Last Days, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters will prophesy…”
5. 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.
6. 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! (Not Azusa Street, Toronto, or Pensacola – but NOW!)
7. Next it says that Othniel “overpowered” Cushan. The Hebrew word “awzaz” means to “progressively get stronger.” “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” 1 John 4:4.
8. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but …against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” That’s why we’re supposed to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” Eph. 6:10-13.
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 free.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. In Africa, for centuries, natives thought that if you anointed yourself with LION OIL (from a killed
Lion), it would endow you courage and strength.
2. We know now such claims couldn’t be true – except in the spiritual realm! In Numbers 11, God took of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the 70 elders. Moses was a type/ symbolic of Jesus Christ.
3. At Pentecost, God took the same Spirit that was on Jesus and put it on us. The Book of Acts shows how the Holy Spirit did give courage and strength to the early Church!
4. So what the Lion Oil of natural Lions could NOT do, the Oil of the Spirit, of the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, DOES DO! Praise the Lord we can be anointed with Lion Oil and rise up and conquer! [Daily Bread, 5/17/95]. It’s time for us to WAKE UP, SHAKE UP, BREAK UP, AND TAKE UP the power of the Spirit!
5. HUMOR: A 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. You won't make it depending on a prayer time during your shower. They are yearning for Jesus' visitation.
3. A “love tap” on Sunday morning isn't enough. You and I are engineered not to be satisfied with a mere
acquaintance to God but only to be satisfied by being completely possessed by Him and His presence. God doesn't expect perfection, but progression.
4. Will you determine to be a generation of Heroes for the Kingdom? Will you determine to be filled with the Spirit and take the Kingdom back for Jesus?
