The Strength of Victory

Introduction

Tonight we’re going to speak about the Strength of Victory.

One thing that we must agree on before we begin is the truth that God desires for each and every one of us to have victory in this life. He desires for our church to have a victorious ministry.

(Ill.) Zig Ziglar years ago had a seminar called ‘Born to Win’. It sounds cliche, but church I want you to know that God did not bring anyone into this world to be a loser. Everyone has opportunity to live a victorious life.

Church, I’m not speaking about a successful life - I’m speaking of a victorious life.

A Successful life gets you things - a Victorious life gets you Satisfaction

A Successful life buys you stuff - a Victorious life elevates your mind and attitude

Living Victorious is not a State, but it’s a State of Mind

Living Victorious is not something that is dependent upon others, but only on yourself

This message that we’re going to hear tonight is one that will illustrate to us where the Strength of Victory lies, and how to achieve it.

I. The Plan

God Ordained

At the beginning of our text we see God’s instructions for Gideon to go down into the host and be encouraged by what he heard.

IF you go back further, you’d see that at the onset of the chapter, you see a whittling down of Gideon’s army. From 22k, to 10k then finally to 300. Notice what’s said in Judges 7:7 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.”

God had assured the victory for Gideon & his army.

Now one thing that I think it’s worth noting is that while Gideon was a man of faith - he was a fearful man as well. He desired great assurances from God. We see it in the laying out of the flees in Ch. 6, and the taking of Phurah in Ch. 7.

But I want you to know something - what God promises, God does!

(Ill.) If you ask my children about my word, I believe they’d say that it’s as good an anyones. If you ask them the strength of my promises, I believe they’ll tell you that they are absolute. My dad has less confidence in my promises. I think it’s a combination of my lying as a youth, and he’s very cautious - but either way, I’m trying to train him to trust my word.

Let me just say, while I’ve given my daddy reason years ago to doubt my word, God has never given us reason to doubt His!

The Victory was God Ordained

God Supplied

One thing that I thought was interesting as I was pondering on this today is the fact that they had 300 pitchers & 300 trumpets. Those were the tools that God used to bring about the victory, and guess what somehow, they got what they needed!

I’m sure there wasn’t a supply shop at the corner of Beth-shittah and Abel-mholah, but somehow, God supplied what they needed.

Church, God will give you to tools you need to be victorious.

(Ill.) As many of you know, my son & I began a contracting business. We’ve had the opportunity to do a variety of different jobs. I am enjoying this time spent together and teaching him what I can about the trade. But do you know something that’s important in the carpentry business? Having the right tools. Tools make a difference. I am his father, and he my son. If I ask / expect him to paint a room, I’m not going to give him a hammer & drill to do it with. I’m going to supply him what he needs so that he can be successful.

If I would do that for my child, do you think God less? God will supply whatever you need for the thing He’s tasked you with!

God Supplied

Gideon Led

We see a faithful people here, but we also should notice that God used Gideon to lead them.

Leaders are important. I have and will continue to do my best to try to raise up the next generation of leaders.

God has placed me as the under-shepherd of this church. In that, you must have confidence in my leadership. If I am not worthy of that confidence - either in truth or perception - then one of two things must happen: Either THE CHURCH must find their Gideon, or YOU must find yours.

(More on this later)

Gideon Led

Good Enough

The manner in which God brought the victory was unusual to say the least. It’s along the lines of marching around walls till they fall down… But to take a pitcher in one hand and a trumpet in another - no sword (no hand free to hold it) - breaking those pitchers & shouting???

But do you know what? That plan was good enough to bring the victory!

(Ill.) Today we have ‘new’ church. The contemporary church has looked to modernize, transmute & transform to try to fit the times. Get rid of all other services save one on Sunday morning where we spend and hour rocking out for Jesus and a 15 minute ‘devotion lite’.

Let me say this: The old fashioned just telling people about Jesus seems about as odd as a pitcher & a trumpet - BUT IT’S STILL GOOD ENOUGH TO BRING THE VICTORY CHURCH! GOD’S WAY IS STIL THE BEST WAY!

It’s Good Enough

We see the Plan

II. The People

What did this people look like that enjoyed the victory?

It Took a Fraction

Going back in Ch. 7 we read: Judges 7:2–3 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.”

Then God brought them down further by a drinking test: Judges 7:6–7 “And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.”

Going from 22k to 300 is 1.3636%. That’s who enjoyed the victory.

Two points to this:

Most of God’s people don’t know what it’s like to enjoy the victory

I think that there’s a great number of people who’ve trusted the LORD and going to Heaven when they die - but I think that the vast majority of them don’t live a victorious life.

They live a life of hustle & bustle - always moving but never really getting anywhere (like the COI in the wilderness) They miss the forest for the trees. Because of such, they never get to really enjoy what God has for them this side of Heaven.

If this is you, listen close to the remainder of the message as it will tell you how to go from one of the 22k to one of the 300.

A small percentage of God’s people can gain victory for God & fulfill God’s Purpose

You’ve heard is said that “20% of the church does 80% of the work” - I think these are true words - and being a little generous to boot. I hate it’s like that, I don’t understand why it’s like that - but it’s like that.

That being said, the small percentage of God’s people who are willing to be part of the 300, can still bring about the Will of God and do a great work for God!

It took a Fraction

It Took the Faithful

These 300 men walked by faith, and were faithful to the work! They were FAITH-FULL

Consider the faith that it would take to encompass that army: Judges 7:12 “And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.” And here you have 300 men who encompass this army - no sword in their hands, breaking pitchers & blowing trumpets and shouting! That took faith!

Faith in the Plan

Faith in their God

Faith in God’s man

Then it took them to be faithful to that plan, and faithful to their God

Church let me ask you - are you walking by Faith or by Sight?

(Ill.) One of the great evils within the church today is lying. We lie to ourselves all the time. We say ‘we’re in good shape, we’re people of faith, the flesh doesn’t control us, etc…’ - but there are things we can do to test our resolve. I believe that a great test of faith in our lifetime was Covid. I’ve spoken w/ a few preachers who admittedly listened to the wrong word during that time & learned from it. The Fasting is another test we can self-administer and it will teach us the strength the flesh has upon us.

Church, there’s nothing wrong with faltering in any endeavor - you may sink a time or two, but unless you get out of the boat, you’ll never walk on water!

We must test our faith to strengthen it

We must feed our Spirit to strengthen it

It took the Faithful

It Took the Federated

These 300 were in lock-step one with another. That’s how they won the victory.

How well do you think the would have fared had they 10 been doing the deal, 20 picking the grass, 20 more picking their noses, etc…

If this church is to have the ‘collective’ victory, it’ll be because we’re federated / united.

Mark 3:24–25 “And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

It Took the Federated

We see the Plan, the People - lastly, we’ll examine the Pitchers

III. The Pitchers

In the People we’re looking at mainly the outside man - the decisions to be Faithful & Federated. The Pitchers represent (at least in this instance) the inward man.

You see, there are things that must take place on the outside, but they will never happen unless some things happen first on the inside.

What was the main tool God used in defeating the Midianites & the Amalekites? The Light from the pitchers. This is the Light of Christ:

John 1:1–4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

John 12:46 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

If we’re going to have victory, then the Light of Jesus must shine forth from us!

“Hide it under a bushel, NO - I’m going to let it shine!”

Matthew 5:14–16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

So how did this light shine forth?

Because there was Room

Judges 7:16 “And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.”

The only thing that was in the pitcher was the lamps. This is an important principle to understand:

Do you know why most Christians don’t experience the victory? Why most don’t let their light shine?

Let me ask you this: What’s necessary for a fire to burn? Oxygen. Now, do you know why most Christians aren’t shining for Jesus? The light has no room to breathe. It’s being smothered out by STUFF.

Church, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - Satan doesn’t need to entice you with sin, he just needs to keep you busy. Too busy for the things of God.

No time to pray

No time to meditate

No time to consider

No time to serve

No time to read

No time to study

NO TIME - no room.

I’ve met many Christians and what I’ve found is about all of us are busy. And for most of us, the first thing that gets cut out of our busy schedule is the things of God.

(Ill.) I have gone through various spells concerning my sleeping habits over the years. The only thing I haven’t been is consistent. My schedule today is lax, in that I don’t set an alarm most days, because I don’t really need to - I’m usually up around 7ish, and I go to bed whenever. But this one thing I do - no matter what my plans are for the day, I make sure that I do my daily prayer and devotions before I do anything else.

Unless we’re disciplined on spending time with the LORD, we’ll find that there’s no room for Christ in our lives.

The light shined because there was room

Because they were Rent

In order for the light to shine through, the pitchers had to be rent - broken.

What does that mean to me? It means you must be broken. In this context it means

A Breaking of your Will

A Breaking of your Desires & Expectations

Paul said this: Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

If you’re going to shine for Christ, you must be broken - and let me say this: You can either choose to lay down your life as Christ did, or God can smite you on the road to Damascus as He did Paul. But one way or another, to shine for Christ, you just be broken.

Conclusion

In conclusion:

While many experience success, few will experience Victory

If you’re going to experience victory, you must be Faithful and in Federation with others.

You must have Room for Jesus to shine and be broken of your will for His.

That is the Strength of Victory