2024 Theme: Never seen before in 2024!
To see something we have never seen before requires us to hear the voice of God when it comes to our lives – we need to hear and see God’s intended destiny for our lives. If we listen and open up our hearts to the HS, we will see things never seen before by the hand of God but we will need to trust Him and step out in faith.
The book of Judges:
It is the history of the Judges of Israel and is connected with the previous book of Joshua, as a “link in the chain of books.” It describes the history of Israel under different leaderships, governments and their deliverances from other powers for about 410 years of history.
Purpose of the book of Judges:
The book of Judges aims to demonstrate that defection from Jehovah incurs severe punishment and servitude. Only by turning back to God can restoration be enjoyed. Thus the judges were charismatic leaders, raised up by God to deliver His theocratic people. Only by heeding their Spirit-directed message and following them in deliverance against their enemies could restoration be accomplished. The OT judges performed two functions. By divine power and Spirit-anointed leadership they delivered the people from enemy oppression. Having accomplished this, they ruled over them and administered government in the name of Israel’s God… Since the book reports seven apostasies, seven servitudes to seven heathen nations, and seven deliverances, it is evidently put in a symmetrical form (From: The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary).
Author: Is believed to be the Prophet Samuel.
Outline of Judges:
I. Introduction to the period (1:1-2:5)
A. Political conditions (1:1-36)
B. Religious conditions (2:1-5)
II. The period of the judges (2:6-16:31)
A. Religious condition of the entire period (2:6-3:6)
B. The judges (3:7-16:31)
1. Othniel (3:7-11)
2. Ehud (3:12-30)
3. Shamgar (3:31)
4. Deborah and Barak (4:1-5:31)
5. Gideon and Abimelech (6:1-9:57)
6. Tola (10:1-2)
7. Jair (10:3-5)
8. Jephthah (10:6-12:7)
9. Ibzan (12:8-10)
10. Elon (12:11-12)
11. Abdon (12:13-15)
12. Samson (13:1-16:31)
III. The double appendix (17:1-21:25)
A. The idolatry of Micah and the Danites (17:1-18:31)
B. The crime at Gibeah and its punishment (19:1-21:25)
m.f.u. – from Unger’s.
Unger’s notes the following: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).
This sentence, frequently and earnestly repeated, gives us the keynote of the whole book of Judges. Each tribe took thought for itself how best to secure and maintain an adequate territory, so that separate interests of all sorts soon became prevalent and regard for the general welfare was more and more forgotten… The children of Israel did evil against Jehovah, though He had manifested special favor to them; He therefore sold them into the hand of various enemies; they then cried to Him in their trouble; He raised up a deliverer who saved them; the land had a period of rest; again, the people sinned; and the same cycle was repeated.
Key Verse of book: Judges 2:16: “Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.”
Note this verse says that the judges were raised up by God!
Gideon: “Mighty Warrior”
Thesis: God called Gideon a “Mighty Warrior” even when he did not look like he was one. But we must remember that God sees what we do not see and we in turn must trust him and answer the call.
Introduction:
Opening Illustration: DEFINING MOMENTS OF FAITH
Several years ago Jeff Strueker was a US Army Ranger posted in Mogadishu, Somalia. He is today a graduate with a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.
For him Oct 3-4, 1993 were the defining moments of his life. He was one of the troops called on to go into the center Mogadishu to secure a building as part of a larger operation. The movie “Black Hawk Down” came a few years ago chronicling the events of those two days.
In the first trip into the city he and most of his friends got out through a hailstorm of bullets. One man was shot and killed. It was then that he felt the fear. He began to pray. The humvee was painted with blood as they escaped the city with their dead and wounded comrades.
The news soon worsened. A helicopter was shot down. The team received orders to return to the melee. Yet, his men understandably couldn’t fight in the bloody humvees. Struecker spent the next 30 to 45 minutes cleaning. No running water. Only sponges and buckets.
"I began to talk to the Lord. I thought I was going to die," he said. Feeling his fear grow, he began to ask God to protect him. But his prayer soon changed.
"I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life. ... A scene appeared in the landscape of my mind. The scene was Jesus in the Garden. ... He clearly and honestly knew that he was going to die. ... He also showed that he did not want to go to that cross and die. And I knew that I didn’t want to die that night. But Jesus courageously said, ’God, not my will, but yours be done.’
"If I die tonight, that’s fine, as long as your will is done," Struecker said. For the first time in his life, Struecker -- who had been a Christian since age 13 -- was prepared to die. "God spoke to my mind and my heart and said, ’I’ve been protecting you every day of your life,’" Struecker said. "He did not tell me, ’You will live through the night.’ He simply showed me my life has always been in his hands."
Struecker and his men returned to the field of fire in Mogadishu that night and fought with a God-given courage. The sergeant first class would later be awarded the Bronze Star Medal "V" for valor. "I fought differently that night than everybody else ... because of my faith," Struecker said. God had given him a "supernatural peace" in the midst of pandemonium, further firefights and an ambush that nearly blew his humvee off the road.
"I began to understand God’s omnipotent power," Struecker said. "He was orchestrating every single bullet that was fired that night. ... The peace that I had was not only for my own life, but for the lives of my soldiers. If any of them were to get shot, then that was part of God’s sovereign plan." And God chose to preserve Struecker that night.
CITATION: http://www.family.org/teenguys/breakmag/features/
a0023481.html
Point of illustration: God is calling us today as Christian’s to stand up and be his “Mighty Warriors” because the enemy is pillaging and plundering the territory of the Lord. We must come out of our hiding places and place our faith and trust in God. We must allow him to lead us into the battle and through the battle to victory. This means we must die to self and fear and say yes to God’s call to “Go.” In the midst of all the chaos we must remember that “He is with us!” “He is our source of power and strength.”
Today we will look at Gideon – A mighty warrior because God was with him! God called him a warrior when Gideon did not look like one!
Scripture Text: Judges 6:1-24:
1Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.
2Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.
3Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.
4They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.
5They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.
6Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.
7When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian,
8he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
9I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land.
10I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”
11The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
12When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
13“But sir,” Gideon replied, “If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”
14The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
15“But Lord,” Gideon asked, “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
16The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”
17Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
18Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the LORD said, “I will wait until you return.”
19Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
20The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so.
21With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.
22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, “Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”
23But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”
24So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
I. The Call
a. Gideon’s call to valor (Judges 6:1- 24)
i. His calling: Judges 6 - Gideon was called as a judge after 7 years of cruel oppression by the Midianites.
1. Times were very hard, and death and destruction were running wild across the land of Israel.
2. People were hiding in caves and clefts because of the rampage of the Midianites.
3. This is oppression and terrorism!
4. Why – because they had forsaken God who initially had given them victory over these very same people!
a. They wandered from God and paid the penalty of their sin and rejection of God.
ii. Fear was the prime emotion of the day. Israel went underground just to survive and exist.
1. Quote on fear Max Lucado:
a. “Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that. But fear itself? Fear herds us into a prison and slams the doors” (Fearless, page 5).
2. The time of Israel was like Poland, and other countries during World War 2 that were overrun by Hitler and the Nazi’s!
b. God prophesied to Gideon at his call what he would become known as “a mighty warrior”
i. The response of Gideon: He did not believe he was a warrior because at the moment of the call he was hiding out under trees from the Midianites.
1. Gideon did not believe in his abilities – or in the call – I cannot do this -– Gideon was like other men – others in the Bible - who got a call from God and make excuses why it will not work – or some who even ignore the call to serve – Why? Because they look at their abilities – But the key is the Lord is with you – He is the one we need to be successful - to become something we would never become on our own.
a. Examples: Moses, (I cannot speak well) Jeremiah (I am to young).
ii. This call reveals that God always sees more than we see. When God proclaims something to us it always comes to pass.
1. My own story:
a. Be a pastor – preacher – no way I am a carpenter – go to Bible School I don’t have the educational skills to do this!
i. Push new school MSO!
2. God knew what Gideon would become! He saw a warrior! Gideon was afraid!
a. God did not see a coward hiding out in a grove of trees!
i. He saw a warrior who would follow His lead.
b. Gideon was hiding out griped by fear and disappointment- so God would infuse him with His Spirit and then lead him out of hiding and into the battle.
i. The Spirit of God makes all the difference!
c. God has a way of bringing the best out of us – if we step out in faith and believe Him.
3. He was hiding under cover threshing his wheat – why – to protect it so they could eat - it made sense because the Midianites stole and destroyed everything in their path - notice out of the sight of the Midianites but not out of sight for God – He sees all.
a. He was in hiding so that they would not steal or destroy his crop. But because the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance God raised up our “judge.”
i. God always hears our cry of repentance and request for help!
b. The angel of the Lord said two things to our judge.
i. “The Lord is with you!”
ii. “Gideon you are a Mighty Warrior”
iii. The message of God to Gideon – God sees what we do not see even in ourselves - Yes, God’s chosen messenger (The Angel of the Lord – who in my view is Jesus) tells Gideon that he is a mighty warrior.
1. Remember he is hiding out, afraid of the Midianites threshing his wheat. He is not out attacking the roaming band of thieves but hiding from them.
a. But God sees what Gideon would become with His Spirit!
2. He is not acting like a warrior. Is he? NO!
a. Important point - The messenger of God proclaims him “a mighty warrior because God is with him.”
i. Do you understand how your life can change if you allow God to be with you and in you?
3. Gideon had to learn how to trust the leading and the guiding of the lord. So do we!
a. God knew he had to walk Gideon through the process of building up his faith and showing Him that he could trust in him.
i. So, God gives him his first mission!
b. Notice Gideon does not reply with – “Thank you for the compliment and yes, I am ready for battle!”
i. No, he says “Who me?”
ii. He did not say “Set me in the direction you want me to go, and I will smite these raiders!’ No he questions the messengers message. “If the Lord is with us then why are we being terrorized by these raving lunatics?” “I thought God did wonders for his people – I don’t see any armies being swallowed up by the red sea or power from heaven sending plagues on these evil raiders? God is with us – I don’t think so – look around I see no wonders – I see no deliverance – Sir God is not with us He has forsaken us and placed us in the grip of the evil Midianites.
iii. Lucado states, “Fear does this. Corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness” (Fearless, page 9).
iv. Let me say this again! God sees your potential when you are filled with His spirit!
c. Interesting that the text in verse 14 says, “The Lord turned to him” Is the Angel of the Lord here Jesus? Many scholars believe Jesus is the Angel of the Lord of the OT.
i. Gideon receives the following commission – “Go” sound familiar to you? Jesus said this to his church – to us: GO!
1. Matthew 28:18-20:
a. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
2. Mark 16:15-18:
a. 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
3. John 20:21-22:
a. 21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
4. Jesus told each of us to, “Go,” We are to take on the terrorists of the Lord’s people and we too are mighty warriors because He is with us!
a. Here is a reality Check:
i. We cannot defeat the enemy of the people of God by hiding in caves, or in secluded forests.
ii. We cannot hide in our church buildings, but we must enter into the fight that is raging outside in our community.
iii. We cannot hide in our houses watching movies, playing games and watching tv!
iv. We must go and face the enemy in the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus and with the authority given to Jesus by God the Father.
v. The truth is we are to go after the enemy with The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
b. We are the Mighty Warriors! God said it “I believe it “Do you?
i. I doubt my call at times – stress – pressure – disappointment- is a battle in my heart and mind at times!
c. Many of us do the same thing that Gideon did to the Lord they respond, “But Lord!”
i. The Lord says, I am sending you – but we say “but Lord – I am too weak! I am a nobody! My family will not even support me! I am no mighty warrior – you have the wrong person!”
ii. Lord really “They will not come!” and “They won’t listen to me!”
iii. I have been where Gideon was “But Lord!”
1. They will not come to church or do the bible studies to grow in their faith!
2. They will not give Lord to do what we could do!
3. Lord they are more interested in recreation, sports and other things but not you!
d. I want everyone here this morning to listen to the Lord’s response here in verse 16 to Gideon’s excuses, “I will be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites (the enemy)!”
i. Gideon was told by the Lord - He will strike them down – Gideon will with the help and empowerment of God- God does not need us to fulfill his will but he uses us to do so – It’s not about Gideons strength or His position in Israel or even because of His family but because the Lord is with Him.
1. Can I be honest I need to hear this today! How many need to hear this truth?
2. The success of this church and school is connected to me being in tune with and connected to the Holy Spirit!
a. It has nothing to do with my education – my strength – my sermons – my wit!
i. It’s based on the Spirit of God using you and me!
ii. Listen Christians, “God is with us so we can strike down the enemy of the Lord!”
1. We have the Authority, the power, the anointing and most of all the name of Jesus to drive back the enemy of our souls.
2. We have all that we need right now to invite people back to church and see God move in their lives.
3. We have what we need, The Holy Spirit to change this world – this city-this community!
T.S. – God is calling all of us to become Mighty Warriors today – will you respond to His call? Do you need some kind of confirmation on doing this --then take note of what Gideon does next?
II. The request of Gideon – the fleece – Lord I need proof that I am hearing your voice!
a. Gideon’s request for a sign or confirmation from the Lord was wise. Many of us do this today to make sure we have heard from God.
i. Have you ever done this?
1. I have – sometimes I did the fleece thing and God confirmed the call and I knew this is what I should do!
ii. Gideon wanted to be sure he was hearing God’s voice clearly!
1. Why? Gideon still does not believe he can do this, so he asks for a sign – a confirmation from the Lord – I find it amazing how patient God is with us in the faith process.
a. Do you need a confirmation from God to do what he called you to do? Ask for confirmation!
2. God will always confirm His call on you through others, through a fleece, through visions and words and through circumstances.
iii. God’s response: God knew that Gideon needed some signs to confirm that he really was hearing from Him and that he could trust the Lord to be with him amid the battle for life and death.
iv. Where are you today? Not sure that God is with you then ask Him for a sign – He will let you know that He is calling you and He is equipping you for the battle at hand. You will see that you can trust Him – He will prove it to you.
1. So, I challenge you to ask God for a sign – a confirmation – I did before coming here as your pastor at CHC – it’s going on 17 years as lead pastor and over 20 years serving here as a pastor – I am here because God called me and confirmed that call!
a. I did not become your pastor because I passed the congregations vote to come – I was sent by God to do battle against the enemy of this church and God gave me signs to know that this is what I was to do for this time in my life. I was to come here with his authority, His anointing and His powerful name and drive back the enemies forces in this area.
v. My own signs:
1. When I left this church as Associate Pastor 28 years ago, “I heard a voice telling me that I would be back as Senior Pastor.”
a. I ignored this voice and questioned its validity.
b. I even said, “I am not coming back here!”
c. While I pastored in Amery, I got asked several times to consider coming back to pastor here in Chicago – each time I said no thank you – I have found the Promised Land!
2. 19 summers ago - I was asked to preach by Brad (One of the elders back then) because I was going to be in town. I came and preached and while I was in the audience entering into praise and worship the Lord said to me, “You will be the next pastor of this church.”
a. I rebuked this voice in Jesus’ name – I heard the Lord say, “Do not rebuke but listen to my call!”
b. I quickly ignored this voice and once again questioned if it was God or just Mike or even the Devil.
3. Then through times of prayer – His voice kept speaking to me – you are to “Go” – You are my mighty warrior called to Christian Hills to bring them the victory against the enemy that is pillaging, plundering, and destroying their spiritual fruit. You are called to stop the enslaving of my people with bitterness and un-forgiveness. You are to go and bring the sword of the Spirit to drive back the forces of evil from this place. This place will have a great spiritual breakthrough, and the Lord will be with you – He will raise you up to be the Mighty Warrior.
a. The Scripture verse God gave me to confirm this call:
i. Proverbs 14:4 “Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.”
ii. Once again - I struggled with this call. I did not believe I had the strength to do what God wanted me to do at CHC!
4. Also - I really did not want to leave New Life in Amery. But the voice of the Lord was so strong and relentless. So, I asked for confirmation from God.
a. A Prophetic word came to me from Rick one of my elders who flowed in the Prophetic realm at New Life.
i. After praying he came to me in tears and told me that I would be leaving to go to Chicago because God had told him this would happen. I was called to return and deliver the people from the Spirit of Rebellion and arrogance!
b. Then the affirmations came from my family and friends, especially Kathy.
c. I started receiving many phone calls from other pastors in the FCA and from other ministerial friends. To consider Christian Hills!
d. But most important “I heard God’s voice instruct me to come and I know His voice!” So, I eventually said “YES!”.
i. But it was a struggle!
5. When I accepted the call to come, I knew it was God – so I am here because God confirmed my call to be your pastor.
vi. POINT: What is God calling you to do? Do you need affirmation that it is His voice then ask Him for a sign or confirmation. He will give it!
b. Gideon prepares an offering for the Lord – the Lord waits as he prepares it and then accepts it with the fire from his Staff. The fire consumes the offering then the Lord disappears, and Gideon realizes He has seen the face of the Lord.
i. Fear most likely gripped Gideon again because the teaching of the day was if you saw God face to face you would then die. So, the Lord speaks to Gideon again – “He is not to fear - he will not die for seeing the Lord’s face.”
ii. He then built an altar there to honor and remember his divine encounter with the Lord.
iii. Do you remember all the time you met with the Lord?
1. Have you written them down?
2. Have you forgotten about them?
3. Have you taken the time to revisit those divine encounters?
a. Why so as to reignite your faith and call?
T.S. – God confirmed His call to Gideon and walked him through a trust and faith building exercise and then Gideon stepped into battle for the Lord.
III. The first Mission- starts at home! Most calls of God start in your own home life!
a. The first step in the call to battle is start at home first – win the battle their first (Judges 6:25-34)
i. 25That same night the LORD said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
26Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”
27So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
28In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
29They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”
30The men of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”
31But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”
32So that day they called Gideon “Jerub-Baal,” saying, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.
33Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
34Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.
b. The mission: Later that night God gives Gideon the instruction to go tear down his father’s altar to Baal and his Asherah pole. Then build an altar to God and make a sacrifice with a Bull from your father’s herd to offer to the Lord.
i. Gideon’s response: It says Gideon was afraid, so he did it at night. Interesting that deliverance could not come to Israel until the house at home was cleaned up first.
1. He faced his fear and did what God called him to do.
a. It started with his family!
2. The result was his name got changed to reflect a person of valor and might who took on the god of Baal.
a. Jerub-baal: contender with Baal; or, let Baal plead, a surname of Gideon; a name given to him because he destroyed the altar of Baal.
i. A name of honor for what he did!
ii. God spared his life and then prepared to use him for a larger battle.
1. Caution – When you are faithful in the small things - God will reward you with more.
2. Problem I see today – all
T.S: Let’s know look into Scripture to see what happens in God’s call for Gideon to go do his 2nd mission.
Scripture Text:
Judges 6:33-40:
33Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
34Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.
35He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
36Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised—
37look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.”
38And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.”
40That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
Judges 7: 1-25:
1Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
2The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her,
3announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
4But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.”
6Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.”
8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.
9During that night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.
10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah
11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.
12The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
14His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”
16Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
17“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.
18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’”
19Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.
20The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”
21While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.
23Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites.
24Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.
25They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.
T.S. - Gideon was used by God because he trusted in God and obeyed the Lord in cleaning out the sin in his own household first. Then God called him to his 2nd mission.
IV. Gideon reveals to us what it means to trust God completely.
a. Trusting God:
i. The deepest most spiritual step we could ever take is to trust God in the times when everything seems stacked against us for victory.
1. Quote: Why is it that we have more faith that the pieces of a puzzle made by a company in Taiwan will all fit together than we have that the pieces of our life that are presented to us by God will fit together? One person chooses to put like pieces together first, while another chooses to put the edges of the puzzle together first, but neither individual ever really doubts that the puzzle will somehow fit perfectly. The edges in and of themselves probably have little to do with the main image or idea of the puzzle, yet without it, the puzzle is incomplete. In fact, although these pieces appear to have little to do with the main idea or image, they are nonetheless as important to the puzzle's completion. In the beginning some pieces, even when they fit perfectly together, might not help you to understand what the puzzle is about; only in its completion can you appreciate the parts that at first seemed insignificant and pointless. - James Blanchard Cisneros, You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey From Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy, p. 55
ii. God was very patient with Gideon and walked with him through the process of building up his faith and trust in him.
1. The Lord confirmed his call to Gideon and helped him to be able to completely trust in doing things God’s way.
2. The Lord helped Gideon to mature!
a. Gene A. Getz, in his book, The Measure of a Church, asks the question, "What is the measure of maturity in the church?" And he lists what others believe are the measure of maturity:
1. An active church (involving people in meetings and programs)
2. A giving church (supporting the church and efforts financially)
3. A growing church (new people coming and staying)
4. A soul-winning church (leading unbelievers to faith and baptism)
5. A smooth-running church (efficient and orderly)
6. A missionary-minded church (supports missionaries around the world)
7. A Spirit-filled church (enthusiastic, emotional)
8. A good size church (with many programs) (from sermoncentral.com)
3. The truth: The Church is not obedient to a set of rules or to people’s decision making process. We are obedient to the Person of Jesus Christ through a trusting relationship and to the truths He has spoken. And our obedience is not just in our head, but in the way we live and serve God. A successful church or a mature church is one in which the entire church has a committed faith initiated and maintained relationship with Jesus Christ.
a. Maturity means we love the Lord with our whole heart –mind-soul and strength. It means we serve him and we have denied our selfish nature to have others serve us. Maturity is rooted in a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
b. Remember the tragedy of Judges: When the spiritual leaders fail to lead people toward God and teach the people His way then people will break the faith they have with God. Breaking the faith is common in a society when the leadership breaks down and fails to do its job. Breaking the faith means the people of God Walk away from God and His ways and follow after false and deceptive ways that lead to their demise. Breaking the faith means people no longer trust God nor His way and, therefore they substitute the right way for the wrong way. When people break the faith and quite trusting and following God’s path then an impact is made on their personal lives which in turn affects their family’s lives. One main thing that happens to people who walk away from the faith is that divorce enters their family unit. This breaking of faith leads to the breaking up of many marriages. It also leads to the breaking up of many churches.
c. What do you do when God asks you to do something that seems foolish or scary?
i. Gideon’s 2nd mission.
1. God’s directions for battle: “Go attack the Eastern armies with less than 1% of your army!”
a. That sounds logical right?
b. In the book experiencing God by Blackaby – He states you know when you get a vision from god or mission when it scares you to faith because you know you don’t have the ability or resources to pull this off on your own.
2. Gideon is told to get rid of 99% of his fighting force before the battle and they already have overwhelming odds against them? Does this sound logical, like a wise a good plan?
a. The raiders had 135,000 men against 32,000 men but God says cut it down to 300 hundred men. So that the odds are 135,000 to 300? Sounds crazy!
i. God used a little less than 1% of the resources Gideon had at his disposal to defeat the enemy.
1. Do you catch this: Be a person of faith and trust God with your whole heart and God can use less than 1% of your resources to bring a victory over the enemy in your life.
a. “Perhaps God brings us to the end of our resources so we can discover the vastness of His.” ~Neil Anderson Read more at Suite101: Great Quotes for Christians on Trusting God: Christian Quote Collection that Inspires Faith and Trust in Religion http://protestantism.suite101.com/article.cfm/great_quotes_for_christians_on_trusting_god#ixzz0uW8wFfna
ii. Why would he do this – to show that man is not bringing the victory here, but God is!
1. Chuck Smith’s story from visiting Israel after 1968 war and visiting Israel after the Yom Kippur war in the 70’s.
2. With God all things are possible!
a. God does not let men take the credit for his supernatural interventions.
3. Remember - It’s all about The Lord being with us? Judges 6:12, 14, 16
a. Gideon was reminded of this in the beginning at his call – he learned the lesson well because he did what the Lord told him to do – widdle down the army and trust in God’s power to bring a victory.
b. It’s not about the numbers you have – its about the Spirit of God being on you!
iii. Proverbs 21:29-31: A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways. There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle but victory rest with the Lord.
1. This same premise works within the direction of a church.
2. When leadership trusts completely in the Lord and does things His way then victory and success come to the church.
3. Another Proverb 16:6 states “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
a. Key here is “To commit to the Lord”
b. To - Give it all to Him!
c. To - Give Him the money, the building, the people, the programs, the sacrifice!
3. I am sure this is why the Lord said to Gideon, “If you are afraid go down to camp…and listen to what they are saying.”
a. The camp was already in fear and telling each other that Gideon and God had already given them –their force of 135,000 people into the hands of Gideon – who now only has 300.
i. But God was amid this whole situation moving Gideon and the nation of Israel to victory.
ii. Striking the enemy of the people of God in fear that they would turn on each other.
T.S. – When you learn to trust the Lord, he will use you mightily like he did Gideon. We must remember that God is the one who empowers us to do the miraculous tasks. It does not come from our strength!
V. The 2nd Mission: Gideon was empowered for His second mission by the Spirit of the Lord too.
a. The text Judges 6: 34 - Literally means Gideon was clothed in the Spirit of the Lord.
i. Can you imagine being clothed in the Holy Spirit?
1. It means that the Holy Spirit covers your arms, legs, chest, back, mouth, eyes, ears every part of you is clothed or covered by the tangible presence of God’s Holy Spirit.
a. He is all over you and others can see it.
i. Just like the raiders had heard about Gideon and were talking about among themselves – they knew he was a mighty warrior because the Spirit of the Lord was on Him, covering Him and protecting him and empowering him to victory.
ii. Maybe they heard how he tore down the altar of Baal and the Asherah poles – he took on the god of Baal and won! This put fear in them!
b. George Muller said this about flowing in the anointing of the Holy Spirit:
i. Muller, “The anointing of the Holy Spirit helps me greatly when I preach. I would never attempt to teach the truth of God by my own power…I am glad that I learned the importance of ministering in God’s power alone. I can do all things through Christ, but without Him, I can accomplish nothing” (Muller, page 35).
1. He noted that he always prayed to the Lord for what to preach and then bathed his message in the discipline of prayer. Why? So that it would be in the power of the Holy Spirit and not from his own head or mind. It had to be God’s Spirit working and flowing through the Word to see the people set free.
c. Back to Gideon – Judges 6:34: “Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Him” Why? To accomplish the next task or mission from God. His empowerment set in motion the deliverance of the nation of Israel from these raiders and from sin.
i. Remember Jesus tells us to wait on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit – just like they did in Acts 2. Then the Holy Spirit filled them in the upper room with power from on high and these Christians went out and changed the face of the earth and transformed societies and government and people’s lives.
1. What is God calling you to do today?
2. Then call out to Him to cloth you in the Holy Spirit!
ii. Do you know what it says in 2 Corinthians 3:17? It says in the (NIV) “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (In the KJV freedom is interpreted as “Liberty”).”
1. Do you want to be free – to receive liberty?
2. Do you want to see others set free?
3. Muller said he specifically prayed for people to be saved through his messages and he prayed for miracles, and he lived by faith and trusted in God and this lifestyle set him free from worry, fear and stress.
a. He was freed by the Spirit in his life!
i. Do you want to be free? Yes I do!
b. Israel was delivered and set free because of the Spirit of the Lord coming on the Judges on more than one occasion.
c. God desires to do the same today! Do you want to be clothed in the Holy Spirit?
i. Yes, I do Lord! Set me free and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit into CHC ministries!
Conclusion:
Application:
Pay attention to Judges 6:34: The Spirit of the Lord comes on Gideon – he sounds the trumpet for the people to follow him as he goes up against the enemies of Israel.
The next step in the call would never have happened if Gideon had not taken the first step to deal with the sin in his own family. He had to step up and address his home first and this required courage and trust in God.
Gideon responded to God’s call, and he did not let his fear dictate his destiny. He stepped out in faith and trusted God to protect Him. He was faithful to start the process of renewal and revival in his own home. But he faced the sin in his own house and God gave him a name of valor.
The activity of the Spirit of the Lord in the book of Judges is clearly portrayed in the charismatic leadership of the period. The deeds of Othniel, Gideon, Jepthah and Samson are attributed to the Spirit of the Lord. This same Holy Spirit is available to us today to do extraordinary spirit empowered exploits for the Kingdom of God.
Gideon was an ordinary young man doing the work of farming when the Lord showed up and called him to face the enemy of God’s people. He told him two things in their first divine encounter: “God is with you!” “Mighty Warrior” these words came to be true of our hero in Judges!
