Impossible God Vs. Impossible Odds (5)

The Impossibility of Disability

This morning I want to chat with you about another place of impossibility. The impossibility of Disability through an a relatively unknown man named Ehud.

God not only chooses people we would never choose, but he does it in ways we could never dream of.

Turn your bibles to

Judges 3:12 ESV

12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Israel has this longing desire for things of the flesh. We know historically that Israel was worshipping Baal again at this point and Baal was the God of sexual immorality which honestly seems to be Christianities biggest opponent both on a politcal level and a personal level. I have counciled more people through the struggle of sexual issues than any other issue.

Galatians 5:19 ESV

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

The first three works of the flesh deal with sexuality. I believe as Christians this wall has to be quaduplidly fortified, but the battlefield of this beasts is the mind. When we get back from India I believe we are going to start a sermon series on Battlefield mind and how to protect it. Many people believe the biggest battle is government, evil spirits, eachother, but the reality is the biggest battlefield is our mind.

This sin caused them to lose their first ever miracle. For those who believe sin doesn’t cost you anything this is the warning/ Egloon’s military base was Jericho.

If you over indulge in sin your first victory and your greatest source of freedom is where the enemy will house it’s barracks and it’s weapons.

It doesn’t matter what you build if you don’t protect it. It saddens my heart to see people who I deemed some of faith’s greatest warriors fall to such gross sins.

Satan’s biggest trick is consequence stacking.

so Israel fell against to sexual sin and who did they fall to? Eglon-the epitome of fleshly desires and over indulgence. But here’s the thing in Vs. 12 we are told the Lord strengthened this sinful man to come against Israel. Why? Because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. God will allow your enemies to grow against you. He will even strengthen your enemies if he knows that it will eventually draw you on the right path. The sad part is that it took Israel 18 years of oppression to cry out to the Lord. In our days that’s long enough for a new generation to rise up into adulthood.

but Just as he raises sinful people to usher in judgment God raises Godly people to usher in a time of peace and prosperity after repentance.

V 15 tells us

Judges 3:15 ESV

15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

I believe God has raised us up as a church people to usher these communities out of sin and judgement and into a time of peace and prosperity under God. I believe we all have a calling to reach those around us.

To build up Christ’s church and the very thing Satan uses to tell you that you are not good enough God is going to use to rescue people out of the grips of hell.

But he rises up Ehud.

1 Chronicles 12:2 ESV

2 They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen.

We know the Benjamites were ambidextrous. This is important because of Ehud’s Disability. The litteral definition of a left-handed man in v 15 is a man with a handicap in his right hand. Meaning for some reason he couldn’t use his right hand. He couldn’t be like the rest of his community. He only had strength in His left hand which made God’s plan work.

Israel was sending tribute to Eglon which was the yearly custom and demand. They would have sent Ehud because the king wouldn’t have threatened by this man’s presence.

Judges 3:17 ESV

17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.

Judges 3:18–19 ESV

18 And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence.

The one thing that would have made Eglon feel safe was the one thing that led to Eglon’s death.

Satan will often times use comfort to kill us. God will always challenge our comfort in order to draw us closer to him.

Judges 3:21–23 (ESV)

21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out.

23 Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.

Ehud’s right hand disability is what allowed Ehud to sneak this knife into the kings chambers.

Ehud went to the king alone armed with a disability, a knife, and a calling.

The very things we get down on ourselves with are the very things God uses to enact his plans. Why? Because he then guarantees He gets the glory.

God will use you to forge new paths and then equip you with an army to solidify the victory. It wasn’t until Eglon was dead that people had the strength to rise up against their captures. Don’t despise people who can’t follow you in the difficult times because God may be using them in the stragic times.

Judges 3:28–30 ESV

28 And he said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. 29 And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.