War to Increase in Faith

Hard Times for Your Best Times

As I was researching this sermon I was looking for a time when hard times produced greater blessing and I stumbled onto an article CBN wrote about Laura Story. She wrote the song blessings. When the song came to mind I typed in raindrops thinking that was the title of the song, but it’s not. The title of that song is blessings. I find it interesting because like many Christians I focused on the negative of that song.

What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you’re near? What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?

For many of we see the blessings of God and the goodness of God in the blessings in life. As I continued to read her story I found her husband, a former pro Athlete had surgery for a brain tumor in 2006. She went onto state that she and her 4,000 person church prayed day and night for a complete miraculous healing. Her husband made it out of surgery, but never fully recovered 100%. Laura stated that looking back she knew their life would have been so much easier if her husband had ever gotten that complete healing they prayed for. He didn’t and he still struggles with some things even today.

Even with those struggles Laura states that the surgery on the brain tumor left her husband able to travel with her. She thought it coincidence at first, but later saw the story God was writing, but shortly have his surgery her schedule started to fill up both nationally and internationally. Her and her husband began not only singing, but teaching many people around the world about God’s faithfulness in the hard times.

During her song she asks this question:

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is a revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?

Through these hard times Laura learned to lean more on God, grow in a deeper relationship with her husband, and expanded their ministry to places they didn’t think was possible.

Tonight our verse is a reminder of that:

Judges 3:2–3 ESV

It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.

Judges 3

Judges 3:

Judges 3:1–2 ESV

Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.

Judges

Judges 3:4–5 ESV

They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

God had commanded Israel to remove all people from their promised land. Israel failed to do so this sinning and going against what God had told them to do. This one disobedient act cause them to further sin as we find out in verse 6 that they began to intermarry with the natives of that land.

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

We know that God commands us even today the we aren’t supposed to marry someone who doesn’t share our faith. The reason is because we know that bad character corrupts moral people. We have discussed in length before about the negatives of evangelistic dating and how it will only serve to pull us away from God instead of pulling the other person toward God.

Because of their sin the Cannanites would become a thorn in their fleshing causing them to fight and war in order to keep their promise.

Understand the connection between Laura Story and Israel. Although it wasn’t Laura’s husband’s sin for which he had a brain tumor sin caused illness of all kinds. This illness caused them to war both spiritually and physically. He warred for his life. He warred for his recovery. Anyone that hits a hard situation in their life wars to keep their faith.

God used the Canaanites to show Israel how to fight just as he uses situations and trial in our life to show us how to battle on a Spiritual level. These battles hurt and yes they cause some people to leave the faith just as physical war causes some to die, but those that remain are strengthen and find greater joy in God.

VV4 tells us that this nation was to test Israel so that they may grow. They lived in a land with milk and honey. If you think the world is going to leave a prosperous nation alone you haven’t lived very long. It is natural for people to fight for better lands, more money, and better food. Israel was going to face giant threats to their promised land and God used the Canaanites to show them how to defend themselves.

One question that may pop up is: Well can’t God just protect them? God’s protection is often determined by our ability to follow his ways and rules and looking into Israel’s ability to rebel—it was highly unlikely.

This translates to the Christian life as well. Satan isn’t going to attack you unless you have something he wants. He isn’t going to spend his time with a tree that doesn’t produce any fruit no matter whose vineyard it sprang up in. As Christians we know, by the simply fact that Christ had to give his life, that we don’t always follow Christ’s ways and rules. The constant battle we face is what helps us win other battles. I no longer drink and do drugs. Through Christ I had victory over that 12-13 years ago. That battle has taught me how to fight the battles I face now. The battles I face now will teach me to fight greater battles in the future because the more we fight the better we get at it.

Judges 2:22 ESV

in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.”

The term test is the same word used when God tested Abraham with the sacrifice of Isaac. Although he asked him to complete the unspeakable task of sacrificing his son once Abraham purposed in his heart God provided a different way. Sometimes we fight battles in our life and lose even though we pray. The reason, I believe is that we must first purpose in our heart the victory. That battle isn’t necessary won through an act, but rather through the heart. God knew Abraham’s heart—once it was set Abraham saw the victory.

When we fight battles in our life we need to go into them with the purpose of victory.

We cannot go into battles undecided about which side we are taking and expect victory

2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

In context this verse is about providing for the needs of others and the giving of offerings, not tithes. But it isn’t a far stretch to include ones motives and heart as well. If your heart isn’t purposed towards God than you are either luke warm or cold—you can’t play the fence and expect victories.

So tonight my call to action, the alter call is to purpose your heart. You know what you have been struggling with—doubt, fear, anger, smoking, love of money. You know what you have been meaning to give to God and haven’t.

Tonight let the reminder of your past victories encourage you in this battle. All other battles were to teach you how to wage war against this particular sin in your life, but you MUST PURPOSE it in your heart tonight. You must draw the line. You must chose this day who you will serve.