Faith for Turbulent times
Esth 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews (this nation) will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (NIV)
Ø Destiny has come to you today! Your life could be the most important life for today!
o Another man of destiny was Gideon!
Judg 6:11-16
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was (hiding) threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." 13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
· This sounds like one discouraged man! Can you hear the bitterness in his voice? He doubted God, he blamed his elders and he has started blaming the Lord!
· Another thing the lord was talking to HIM and he tried to divert the conversation to the “what others” were going through. ( Am I not sending you?") Did God say the Lord is with your people? NO he said with you!
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" 15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel (CZ)? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." 16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
Ø Waiting for more strength is not what God wants us to do. Go with what you have!
o Am I not sending YOU?
Ø How often have we as Christian used the excuses of how small we are and how little we have to accomplish what God wants us to do? (I am guilty of this one, I spend too much time comparing and envying what the world has to work with)
o Gideon could have been saying “What resources do I have? God answered “I will be with you”
Judges 7: 16-20
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. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, the sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and (1) they blew the trumpets, and (2)brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and (3) held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, (4) sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
In the next sessions we will see what God was telling Gideon to do. Today we will look at the first step to victory in troubled times!
Ø The three hundred men! That’s what it feels like here in Europe. We feel like we are so few. I have heard statistics that there are only 7,000 spirit filled Christians in this country and we are the second most atheistic nation in Europe. 1 Sam 14:6 Jonathan said to his young armour-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."(NIV)
Ø A time of a great decision! Save yourself or save a nation! God has a purpose and a plan for your life! You have come to the kingdom for such a time as this! THIS is the season of God for you! You don’t get another life.
Matt 21:28-31
28 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 29 "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. 31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
Ø (1) they blew the trumpets, every man had a trumpet in his hand (Josh,6,5 Jericho) Signalling of a decision of Action, charging ahead. Every man had a trumpet and was to blow it! Not Just Gideon (leader)
1 Cor 14:8-9
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. (KJV)
Ø The trumpet can also represent what you say you are going to do!
o Once you do this there is no turning back the enemy knows you are there.
o Notice that they blew the trumpets first then broke the vessels. Make the decision, sound the charge then break the vessel! Not the other way around!
Are you one of the people that God is looking for? Do you hear him speaking to you?
Faith for Turbulent times
A time of breaking
Review! Last night!
o Notice that they blew the trumpets first then broke the vessels. Make the decision, sound the charge then break the vessel! Not the other way around!
· (2) Brake the empty pitchers that were in their hands. (earthen vessels) Know you are an earthen vessel and that you must be broken. The sound of the vessel breaking must sound terrible to the enemy.
2 Cor 4:6-11
6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed (limited); perplexed, but not in despair(without hope); 9 persecuted, but not abandoned(left alone); struck down, but not destroyed(not stopped). 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus (The crushing of the earthen vessel), so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (NIV)
Ø What kind of vessel does God want? Earthen!
Phil 2:5-8
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing(emptied himself), taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! (NIV)
Ø The pitchers were empty! God needs you not your talents, style, personality, strengths, etc... Like in the battle of David against Goliath your best is like those small stones and his sling. Only when you are totally dependant on the Lord can he transform our small useless things into might weapons.
Ø Additionally the pitcher was in their hands. This is showing who had the responsibility to break the vessel, Not God, YOU! Total surrender to what was inside.
o Every man had an empty vessel! Not Just Gideon (leader)
Heb 5:7-9
7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (NIV)
Luke 2:42-52
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (NIV)
Approx. 18 years later! David, Abraham, Moses, Joseph… The vessels were broken!
2 Tim 2:19-21
19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
20 In a large house there are vessels not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Faith for Turbulent times
A time to shine
· (3) held the lamps in their left hands and they shouted!! “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon”,
2 Cor. 4:6-7 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. Matt 3:11 ..he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: , 1Thes 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire;(NIV)
· That burning relationship with the Lord that we have in our hearts becomes the sword of the Lord.
· But first there has to be a fire in our hearts burning for God and the power of the Holy Spirit within the clay vessel before you have something to pull out
· It’s time to pull the torch out of the vessels. Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. (NIV)
o Have tried so hard to become relevant and be all things to all men that we have become irrelevant and nothing to anyone? So well hidden that we make better undercover agents than ambassadors?
o They shouted! They let them know something. God and his people are here. Just like at the Jericho wall, they shouted! Did their shout bring down the wall? NO!
o Why “and of Gideon”? God uses earthen vessels! Gideon said “do what I do! We cannot only show the world God, but we have to show them what WE look like with God in us!
§ We have to come into agreement with the Holy Spirit. We are co-workers and partners. We are the feet! As we go signs will follow!
o Then they stood there and God did his part. It has to be God!
1 Sam 17:45-51
45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel (the trumpet) 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves (empty vessels); for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. (The power of the Holy Spirit) 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. (NIV)
Blow the trumpet
Break the vessel
SHOUT the triumph!