Spiritual Warfare: "The Force” Of God

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!