Judges 6: 2 - 5 And the hand of the Midianites prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites Israel made them Den's in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds. It was, when Israel had sown that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the East, even they came up against them. And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the Earth, unto Gaza and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. They came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
Now let's take a look at another scripture. What I want you to notice between these two encounters is the stark contrast between what the Israelites did, and what one Israelite did.
2 samuel 23:11 and after him was, Shammah, the son of Agee the Harrarite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.
Notice the next verse, verse 12 but he "Shammah" stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great Victory.
So in our first scripture text, when the adversary came in, the children of Israel fled to their dens, and caves, and strongholds in the mountains. Simply put, they tucked their tales and ran away and hid. And this was not the first time. This had been happening for 7 years.
The Israelites were so accustomed and so adjusted to it, that they had made themselves hiding places, to run back to when the Midianites showed up.
Let me say something about this right here. This is wrong. It is totally, absolutely unequivocally wrong for the child of God to be running from the devil, and hiding out in a fraidy hole.
When you examine the armor that God has given to us, there is no armor for the back, because the child of God is never supposed to run away from the enemy.
Admittedly in life, there are times when the battle gets hot, and we experience extreme pressures against us, and the warfare is heavy, but the Holy Spirit knows no retreat, and all of our armor is designed for fighting not for fleeing.
So when we see these Israelites running away to hide, it should rub us the wrong way. Do you feel me? You know what Im talking about?
Patrick Henry said, give me Liberty or give me death. What he was saying was I will die fighting before I will let you take my Liberty. In other words Patrick Henry was saying my freedom is worth more than a mere existence, more than going through the motions, a slave to another kingdom.
So In our two texts there are extreme differences. In the first the Children of Israel planted their seed, and tended their fields, then just as harvest time came, the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east came in and destroyed all their crops. They nullified everything they had done. And when the children of Israel saw them coming, they ran for their lives.
So now back to our 2nd text. 2 Samuel 23:11-12 It says, and after him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Harrarite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 but he "Shammah" stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great Victory.
We are looking at a contrast here; we are looking at the whole nation of Israel, who ran away in fear when they were threatened, and one man named Shammah, who stood his ground, and refused to run. Even when all of his fair weather friends left him alone, Shammah refused to leave his pea patch. He wouldnt run.
Now try to put yourself in Shammahs shoes. Did it make sense for him to stand there and oppose not just one or two or five Philistine soldiers, but a troop. We dont know exactly how many that is, but we can suppose somewhere between 20 to 100 soldiers.
To tell the truth, it wasnt logical for Shammah to stand there and fight. Logic says, he who quits and runs away lives to fight another day. And all of Shammahs friends believed that. They left Shammah standing alone in the middle of his pea-patch.
I want you to think about this for a minute.
Would you have risked your life for a pea-patch?
Was it worth it?
Who decides what something is worth?
The fair market value of crops would have probably told Shammah, you're crazy, that little pea-patch isnt worth risking your life for.
But I believe Shammah would say... Its not your pea-patch, its mine. And its worth what I believe its worth, and to me its worth it.
Then think about this. Shammah has no guarantee, of supernatural intervention. He has no text from God saying, stay and fight, Im right here well slaughter them.
No, there is one thing that kept Shammah in that pea-patch. Heres what it was. It was his, and he believed it was worth it. He was prepared to die fighting for his pea-patch. Because he believed it was worth it.
I began to think about that, and I asked myself, what are we willing to fight for? Do we have anything that is that valuable to us that we would give ourselves completely to save it?
Precious saint, what is the worth to you to see your husband or your wife saved?
-What is it worth to you, to see your prodigals standing in the house of God hands raised worshipping God?
-What is it worth to you to see the sick healed, the cripples walk, the dumb to talk, the deaf to hear and the blind to see?
-What is it worth to you to see the bound delivered and the captives set free?
-What is it worth to you, to preserve our faith, and our doctrine?
*Are we willing to fight to keep our doctrine pure?
*Are we willing to fight against the spirit of this age to keep the blood of Jesus as the life source of the church?
*Are we willing to look foolish to the world, to keep the power of the Holy Spirit manifesting in our churches?
*Are we willing to fight against this spirit of woke, and transgenderism that is trying to destroy our country?
*Are we willing to say no to this spirit of compromise that is come into the church... You can smoke a little dope, you can slip around, you can have a little social drink every now and then, you can watch pornography, as long as you just keep it on your computer, and dont act it out.
*Are we willing to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints, and pull this compromise out by the roots.
I dont mean to sound mean, but by and large, the church has become too soft. We dont have many real spiritual warriors that will call sin sin, and preach that there is a heaven and there is a hell. Why? Because we want to be popular. We want to have a big following on social media.
Friend, if you have a mega following on social media, but you arent telling them the truth, then youre just the blind leading the blind, and youre all going to fall in the ditch.
Sure I want you to like me. I like those thumbs up, and those hearts and shares. But Im not for sale. And Im not trying to buy your votes or your likes by watering down the gospel. I will preach it like its written, and you can love it or leave it.
I dont know how long Shammah had to think about this but I know this... He had made up his mind; his little pea-patch was worth it.
And he had made up his mind, that he would die fighting for it, rather than to run away and hide, and let the enemy destroy it.
Shout it out... I'm not running.
Now shout it out, its worth it.
Shammah had made up his mind, Ill die fighting, but I aint quitting, and I aint forfeiting.
I wonder are there any of those kind of Christians left?
Let's be honest about it, all of the people that were with him, left him alone. They were probably his friends. But when push came to shove, they weren't ready for that level of committment.
The truth is, not many are. Most would rather flee than fight.
I think at least to some degree the church has let us down, in this respect. They taught us how to be ready for heaven. But not how to fight hell until we leave.
That was a big mistake. You need to understand that we are at war. You need to know that there is an evil kingdom of darkness that wants to wipe Christianity off of the face of this earth.
You say pastor, why do we have to fight, didn't Jesus already defeat the devil? Why then do we have to fight?
Ok, let's talk about that... Friend it is right to understand and believe that Jesus once for all, and for all times, and for everyone, defeated the devil. He disarmed him, defeated him, and dethroned him.
Jesus defeated satan and sin, through his crucifixion, his death, his burial and his Resurrection. And He spoiled principalities and Powers.
Jesus regained through his obedience, everything that Adam had forfeited through his rebellion and disobedience.
Jesus left behind him an eternally defeated devil.
He crushed the Serpent's head, and took back the authority and power that the devil had usurped from Adam. And it is right to rejoice in everything that Jesus accomplished, and the victory that he established.
And it is right to rejoice at Satan's defeat.
It is right to testify of the blood that redeemed us, that delivered us, and that set us free. That sanctifies us, and justifies us. And the blood that protects us, and the blood that destroys Satan's power over our lives.
It is right to...
Rejoice that Jesus went to hell in our place, so we could go to heaven.
Believe and rejoice that the whole kingdom of darkness, and the concentrated powers of Hell combined, couldn't keep Jesus in the grave.
—But dear Brother and Sister, it is wrong to think that there is nothing for us to do.
—It is wrong to think that you will not have to fight.
—It is wrong to think that the devil will just roll over and play dead, and let you walk all over him.
—It is wrong for you to think that you can stand by on the sidelines as a casual observer, and win the fight.
—It is wrong to think that what Jesus did for you, alleviates you of your personal responsibilities.
—It is wrong for you to think that salvation, signs, wonders, and miracles will just happen because they're needed... they won't.
—It is wrong for you to think that someone else is going to pay the price, and fight your battles, and carry you over the finish line.
Although Satan has been legally, and eternally defeated. He is still here on this Earth operating illegally.
He kills, and steals, and destroys, everything and everyone he possibly can, until someone shows up with the knowledge of his defeat, and through faith begins to exercise the authority and power to cast him out.
— This victory that Jesus obtained for us is not automatic, it has to be enforced. Satan never gives up on anything. In other words, the devil never yields anything.
— The devil never simply let's go and slinks off into the shadows. No, he must be defeated. He must be overthrown. He must be evicted. He must be rebuked. We must tread on serpents and scorpions.
Friends, we are not saved simply to go to heaven. When you got saved, by virtue of the blood that bought you, and the spirit that filled you, and regenerated you, you became a member not only of the family of God, but you became a soldier in the army of the Lord.
As the army of God we have been given mighty weapons.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 says, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds, and the casting down of imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ.
What are the weapons of our Warfare?
The Word of God.
Prayer.
Fasting.
The name of Jesus.
Praise.
Binding and loosing.
The blood of Jesus.
These weapons are mighty; they are lethal to the kingdom of darkness. But these weapons don't work by themselves, no gun can shoot itself. They must be activated through use. The Bible is of no use to you lying on a shelf covered with dust.
What Jesus did for you and me, is of no use to us, unless we activate it through use. God isn't going to cast out the devil, and God is not going to deliver the bound and the oppressed. God is not going to heal the sick. And God is not going to cleanse the lepers, and raise the Dead.
—Oh dont get it twisted. Of course, it is God's power that does the work without a doubt. Jesus came to get this power to come inside of us.
So we need to understand that God is not independently, and sovereignly apart from our participation just going to bust in and fight all of our battles, and put the devil under our feet.
It would be nice, but its not going to happen that way... And it's because now it's up to us.
And on the basis of Calvary, His Spirit came to dwell in us. Now God says, I've done it all, I've done all I can do, if you don't do it, it won't get done.
Beloved, you tell me if I'm reading the Bible right or am I missing something.
Did he not say...
-You cast out the devils,
-You heal the sick,
-You cleanse the lepers,
-You raise the dead,
-You perform signs and wonders,
-You undo the works of the devil,
-You set the captives free?
I believe Jesus was saying, you take up where I left off. You have the equipment, you have the power, you have the authority, now use it.
Mark chapter 16 Jesus speaks these words... Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them, and they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. Mk 16:15-18
Jesus said in Luke 10:19... behold, I give unto you power to tread upon serpents, and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
And then Jesus said in Matthew 10:7-8... As you go preach, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, freely you have received freely give.
And then the Bible says... And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, confirming the word with signs following. Mark 16:20
Now the Bible says in Luke 10:17 the seventy returned to Jesus saying, even the devils are subject to us through thy name.
Well that shouldn't be a surprise at all, if we remember what the Bible says in Acts 10:38... How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him.
Then put all this together with these words that Jesus spoke... "as the father hath sent me into the world, even so send I you."
Of course Jesus was speaking to his disciples, but that includes you, and that includes me. I am one of his disciples.
The point I'm trying to make is this, God has done his part. He sent Jesus. Jesus has done his part. He defeated the devil.
The Holy Spirit has done his part. He raised Jesus from the dead, and came to live inside of us, and empower us.
Now it's our turn... Too often we say things like, we're just waiting on God. But Beloved, the truth is... God is waiting on us.
We are the link between the power and the problem. There is no shortage of power, but God is having a hard time finding those who will be a channel through which his power can flow.
"Out of your bellies shall flow rivers of living waters." Let's talk about the lame man at the temple gate. in Acts chapter 3.
Let me ask you a question, was it God's will for him to be healed?
Emphatically yes!
But if Peter and John, or some other man or woman of God, had not become the link and the channel for God's power to flow through, that poor man would have died a cripple, even though Gods will was for him to be well.
The Kingdom of God is here now, in you, and in me. The Power supply is in you!
The authority is yours and mine, Jesus gave it to us when he gave us the right to use his name.
Now the responsibility is ours, to take the authority he has given us, and act representatively in his stead, and extend his kingdom...
To destroy the devil's power.
To undo Satan's works.
To cast out the devil.
To the set the captives free.
To heal the sick.
I know you are not the Healer, and I am not the Healer, we are not the source of the power. It's Christ in us! It's the anointing of the Holy Ghost! It's the same Spirit living in us that raised Jesus from the dead. It's resurrection power living in you and me.
Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world... (See 1Jn 4:4)
You have this treasure in Earthen vessels... Your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus said in Jn 14:12... He that believeth on me, the works that I do, shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my father.
The Bible says of the disciples in the book of Acts Chapter 5...
Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders brought among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
Then verses 14-16 says, believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds, and couches, that at the least, the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities roundabout unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed everyone.
So I'm asking the question again... What is it worth to you, and me today?
I'll tell you what it was worth to God. It was worth him sending his own son to be ridiculed, and humiliated, and beaten, and ultimately crucified, to get this life to me, and and you, and to get this life in us.
— To get this authority, this anointing, this power in you and me, so that we can be ambassadors of his kingdom. So we can exercise this authority, this anointing, this power and set our loved ones free.
How do you expect your husband, your wife, your prodigals, to get saved, if you never pray for them? If you never fight for them?
Are they worth fighting for? Is your home, your marriage, your sons and your daughters, and your grandchildren, are they worth fighting for?
—How about your health, your finances, your peace of mind, and your joy, are they worth fighting for?
—How about the homosexual, the lesbian, the fornicator, the pedophile, the child molester, are they worth fighting for?
—How about the drunkard, the drug addict, how about The pusher, the pimp, and the prostitute, are they worth fighting for?
In our scriptures about Shammah, the Bible says, everyone left Shammah standing alone in a Pea Patch.
They fled in fear of the Philistines. The enemy came in to destroy and to plunder Shammahs pea patch, but He didn't run. He believed his peas were worth fighting for, and he was ready to fight to the death to defend his Harvest.
And he stood alone, and fought for what belonged to him, because he believed it was worth it... But the fact is, he didnt fight alone. God sent him supernatural assistance, and he wrought a great victory that day, against impossible odds.
I Believe the Holy Spirit is looking for some people today who believe this country is worth fighting for. Our children, and grandchildren, and our prodigals, are worth fighting for. Our neighbors who are bound and oppressed, and even possessed, are worth fighting for.
Jesus came to set them free.
I dont know what your pea-patch is today, but I want to ask you... What is it worth to you? Is it worth fighting for?
Will you fight for your joy, and for your peace?
Will you fight for your destiny?
Will you fight for righteousness?
Will you fight for truth?
Will you fight for your faith?
What's it worth to you?
