FROM WEEPERS TO WARRIORS
1 Sam 7:2-13
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. I heard about this 85-year-old woman. She went on a blind date with a 92-year-old man. She came home very frustrated and her daughter said, "Mom, what's wrong?"
2. She said, "I had to slap him three times." The daughter said, "You mean he tried to get fresh?" She said, "No. I thought he was dead."
B. TEXT
4:1Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer. 2 Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men. 10 [In a second battle]...There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 7:2 [For] twenty years…the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD. 3 And Samuel said…"If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." 7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. 8 They said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines." 9 Then Samuel...cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered him. 10 But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car. 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again.
C. THESIS & TITLE
1. We’re going to see how God can move us from weakness to strength, from sadness to joy, from defeat to victory.
2. The title is “From Weepers to Warriors.”
I. THEIR DEFEAT
A. THE CAUSE OF THEIR DEFEAT
1. Samuel pointed out in 1 Sam. 7:3 the cause of the Israelites’ defeat – they were serving other gods! Samuel said, “Rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths.”
2. Of course, God tells us that we can have no other Gods beside Him, Isa. 44:8. Syncretism is the worship of more than one god. God won’t allow that. He’s a jealous God. He wants all of us or none of us!
3. He wants us to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind & strength – not just a portion of us. That’s how much He loves us!
B. EFFECT OF THEIR DEFEAT
1. Israel was terribly defeated because of their sin. They lost 34,000 men and also their confidence in themselves. There were 34,000 wives and mothers who had lost their husbands and sons. There were multitudes of children who had lost their fathers.
2. The loss of their battle also meant the loss of much of their land and being ruled over by the Philistines, who took all they wanted – the spoils of war. It’s horrible to be helpless under the domination of a cruel master!
C. THE GOOD THAT CAN COME OUT OF DEFEAT
1. LOSSES CAUSE US TO REASSESS THINGS.
a. There’s nothing like trouble to bring you to your senses. That’s why the Bible said, “It was good for me when I was afflicted.” A loss, a defeat, a setback – is a good time to do some self-examination – “Have I been disobedient to God or do I have any sin in my life?”
b. The furnace of affliction can turn into a hotbed of revival. I didn’t learn faithfulness from somebody’s podcast, I learned it when all hell broke loose. That’s when God showed up!
2. RESTORED FEAR OF GOD. Israel had played games with God and lost 34,000 men. They thought they could use God like a butler or bellhop – bringing the Ark of the covenant to the scene of the battle. God showed them, “Don’t take My favor for granted.” God sometimes allows casualties – like careers – in order to make a statement.
3. THE LOSS BROUGHT HUMBLING. You can’t beat an enemy unless you get lower – a lower center of gravity.
a. The problem with the church is that we want to fight standing straight up and looking cute. No! Get down low.
b. Do you have a bad doctors report? Get down low. Is your house being foreclosed on? Get down low. Because God gives grace to the humble!
4. I know the devil’s been trying to tell you - it’s God’s will for you to be defeated, or maybe you’re not supposed to be blessed or happy or free. He’s tried to use troubles to turn you from God, but I came to tell you; the devil is a liar! God means for you to be a winner, not a loser!
II. ISRAEL’S REPENTANCE
A. BITTER SADNESS
1. Israel finally realized there was only ONE PERSON who was able to deliver them – God! That’s why 1 Sam. 7:2 says, “The people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord.”
2. The Hebrew word translated “’mourned’ is “nahah” – “to bewail, to cry aloud.” They didn’t just pray sleepy prayers to God for that 20 years, they cried aloud for God to reverse their terrible predicament.
3. THE DEVIL DOESN’T MIND IF YOU:
a. start complaining, or if you
b. feel sorry for yourself; Or if
c. you dial 1–800–Cry Baby, but he does get upset if you drop down on your knees and start calling on the Name of the Lord. “For the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe” Prov. 18:10.
4. HE KNOWS THAT IF YOU START PRAYING, the situation is going to change –
a. the prodigal is going to come out of the pig pen;
b. God’s going to make 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread feed 7,000 people.
c. If you start praying you’re going to start walking on top of water instead of drowning.
5. There’s something about prayer. You don’t need a psychiatrist, mind-altering pills, or a stiff drink – you just need to get alone with God and pray!
B. NATIONAL REPENTANCE CALLED FOR
1. The Bible says, “So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only. Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." 1 SAM. 7:4-6.
2. After 20 years of misery, they were ready for a change. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God tells the outcome if we repent & fulfill His requirements: “I will heal your land.”
3. Thank God Samuel was a man of PRAYER, an intercessor who prayed until God answered.
III. THE BATTLE
A. THE PLACE OF REVIVAL
1. Samuel had summoned the nation to come together at Mizpah. There are several Mizpahs in the Bible, but scholars are convinced that the Mizpah Samuel called them to is in Benjamin, only 5 miles from Jerusalem. Remarkable things about this location are:
a. It was a Holy Place;
b. Its name means “Watch Tower,” which is a description of it because it’s on a high hill.
c. It is 500 feet above the surrounding territory and is 2,000 feet above sea level.
d. It’s a location difficult to surprise and is admirably “adapted to warlike purposes” [Pulpit
Commentary of 1 Sam. 7:5.]
2. So Samuel called the entire nation to assemble at this strategic spot – TO PRAY.
B. THE PHILISTINE MISINTERPRETATION
1. Now if you were the Philistines and saw all the men of Israel gather at a spot strategically “adapted to warlike purposes,” what would you think? Yeah! “These guys are gathering for war!”
2. So what did the Philistines do? They summoned all their soldiers come together to fight Israel. GET THIS: GOD ENGINEERED THIS. TO THE ENEMY, A PRAYER MEETING LOOKS LIKE A GATHERING FOR WAR!
3. This is really prophetic. What does Satan see when you go to a prayer meeting? Satan sees warfare! Satan is unmoved by our singing, by our sermons, by our Bible studies, by our banquets – but when he hears groaning and fervent prayer – he trembles and becomes afraid and knows that his days are numbered!
C. OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE
1. The Bible tells us in 1 Sam. 7:10-11 that the Philistines were advancing toward Mizpah when suddenly, from a mighty thundercloud above it, thunder and lightning started rumbling and crashing. Probably a strong wind swept down and blasted them.
2. “But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car” 1 Sam. 7:10-13.
3. Taking their queue from Samuel and the weather outbreak, the Israelites rushed out of Mizpah toward the Philistines. God put a divine panic on them. Evidently, they turned and ran down the 1,000 foot slope into a valley with a torrential creek flowing through it. The Israelites fell on them and slaughtered them. They chased the survivors miles more.
4. The outcome was that the Philistines were subdued for many years to come!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUS
1. Years ago a young missionary had to flee from western China. An infuriated mob hotly pursued him. He hastily boarded a river boat. The mob too, came on the boat!
2. Then he jumped into the river. The mob began to throw spears at him. Miraculously he escaped, unharmed.
3. When he was telling of the ordeal later, a friend asked him, “What verse of the Bible came to you as you were darting beneath the boat to escape the spears of the mob?”
4. “Verse?” he said in astonishment. “Why, the Lord Himself was with me!” [Meaning it was MUCH MORE than a verse, God Himself was there.] [Encyclo. Of 7,700 Illus., P.Tan, #7137]
B. THE CALL
1. How many people here are experiencing a trying time in your life? I want to remind you that you’re not alone! God is with you!
2. Today let’s go from “Weepers to Warriors!” Let’s let God translate our place of repentance into a place of victory.
3. How many of you need prayer? Stand up. Let’s pray and see God thunder upon our trials! PRAYER.
