Lord, where are the Reinforcements?
HHM / Pastor Jim Parisi 6-09-02
We know as we are growing that the road ahead and the work ahead look sometimes overwhelming at times because we are a small group with a colossal task ahead.
Be assured that GOD is the one who is in control
Let us look into Gideon’s life and see what the Lord did for him.
Judges 7 1-8 1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. 2 And the Lord said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ’My own hand has saved me.’
God wanted it to be known to Israel that it was by his will and strength and that Gideon would be victorious.
3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ’Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ " And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
****What could Gideon been thinking now? Two Thirds of his army just walked away. Think he was ready to ask God maybe you do not understand what the situation is.
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, "The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ’This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ’This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go."
God chooses the PEOPLE to do battle; he assesses them by His yardstick.
5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, "Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink."
6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. 7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, "By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place."
Was Gideon saying now? Let them GO are we sure Lord??? … GREAT LORD LOOK AT THESE people, who you have left me with.
8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
Gideon is watching his Army walk away.. His security.
Sometimes the most foolish things we look at are really the INCREDIBLE wisdom of God… Remember: They were Gods army not Gideon’s
God decided upon the men who looked foolish to the world to show them it was By His Power that the Midianites would be delivered into Gideon’s hand.
Maybe Gideon was now was thinking there better be reinforcements coming over that ridge LORD .
LORD do you really think I can accomplish this task with only three hundred men?
What an up hill climb it can be to do something out of the ordinary.
It looks like we will never do it because we do not have the resources or the workers that other organizations have.
Did Gideon have the faith to go forward and lead this ODD bunch? Yes he had the promise of God.
Was this exercise by the Lord for the opposing army, the Israelites or was it Gideon here to learn a lesson?
Yes to all of them to show the power of an awesome GOD
God uses Gideon’s 300 men to propel chaos through the entire Midianite army and to show the Israelites that it is by His power that they will overcome the enemy and be victorious.
…..Are we not doing battle here daily in Hermosa Beach for GOD?
Look around Are we not a type of Gideon’s army? Separated form the pack to show the world that our God is in Control.
What will they say when we have done a great work for God in this area. It couldn’t have been them, it must have been God.
We are to give all the Glory to God.
He shows Gideon that in His spirit he should rest… that only through Gods Spirit that will make Gideon victorious.
(Zechariah 4:6). "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit" is the work of the Lord accomplished
Few stories illustrate that principle more clearly than that of Gideon and his army of 300.
We can be confident of victory only if we put our confidence in God and not ourselves. Stop struggling and let God take over.
God wants submissive men to fight His battles with His weapons doing it His way.
Through out the bible God has called the ones who would look least likely to conquer the great army of the enemy.
Another would be Samson
Judges 15:15-16 15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it. 16 Then Samson said: "With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men!"
One man against an army of a thousand and his weapon was? Something foolish the jawbone of a Donkey
SO many others too; David and Goliath,
A boy with a slingshot against a giant
1 Samuel 17:40-47
40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
Why? To glorify God
Vs 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands
Remember The world’s armor did not fit him.
He had to take it off to do it Gods way.
With five smooth stones and Gods promise and protection.
***Let us look and see how the Lord does battle….
His weapons are not earthly but spiritual.
His ways are higher than our ways, and
H s thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
We want to offer God our strength and our weapons and our insight but He does not need them.
We need Him.
Rather than trying to get God to accept our plans, strategies, and goals, we ought to strive to understand His.
GOD IS NOT GOING TO DO IT OUR WAY, HE IS GOING TO DO IT HIS WAY.
It will be the lord that builds this work called Harvest House.
Keep Praising Him is the way to victory. Because the Lord is our victory, We praise Him and rest in His care: let them know it is the Lord who has done this great thing.
