The Weapons of our Warfare

Judges 2:16-3:6

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Knowing Your Enemy

Michael Boyland in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.

Aqaba in 1917 seemed impregnable. Any enemy vessel approaching the port would have to face the battery of huge naval guns above the town. Behind Aqaba in every direction lay barren, waterless, inhospitable desert. To the east lay the deadly "anvil of the sun." The Turks believed Aqaba to be safe from any attack. But they were wrong.

Lawrence of Arabia led a force of irregular Arab cavalry across the "anvil of the sun." Together, they rallied support among the local people. On July 6, 1917, the Arab forces swept into Aqaba from the north, from the blind side. A climactic moment of the magnificent film Lawrence of Arabia is the long, panning shot of the Arabs on their camels and horses, with Lawrence at their head, galloping past the gigantic naval guns that are completely powerless to stop them. The guns were facing in the wrong direction. Aqaba fell, and the Turkish hold on Palestine was broken, to be replaced by the British mandate and eventually by the State of Israel.

The Turks failed to defend Aqaba because they made two mistakes. They did not know their enemy, and they did not have the right weapons.

We must be careful not to make the same mistakes. (Ephesians 6:12) makes it very clear who our enemy is: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world."

The Israelites had taken the enemy for granted to many times in their past history.

Heart-Forgetfulness

“The Israelites again did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.”

What God calls evil is a twofold decision:

1) To turn away from him

2) To forget Him

In the bible remembering and forgetting have a strong spiritual significance.

Psalm 25:6

“Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.”

Isaiah 64:9

“Be not so terribly angry, O Lord and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.”

They did not believe that God could completely forget his character or promises. When someone asks God to “remember not my sins,” he or she is asking that God would not act on what he knows. So to say that the Israelites had “forgot” God is to say that they no longer were controlled by what they knew. So, even though they knew what God wanted them to do, those things were not real to them anymore, they didn’t matter anymore.

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THE REMEDY TO HEART-FORGETFULNESS

The remedy is to reverse our heart forgetting - in other words, to remember.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with steadfastness, steadfastness with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, brotherly affection with love. If these things are increasing in you they keep you from being ineffective.

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How do we Forget?

Judges 3:1-17

1.When our Faith is not daily being tested?

What happens when our faith is tested? We cry out to god. Even in the judging his people, God is acting kindly. If he had not brought about suffering and difficulty, the people would not have seen their true position. They would not have seen how spiritually enslaved they were, and what a judgment they were facing, if God had not let them taste that judgment by allowing them to become physically enslaved. He sends the Israelites suffering not simply to pay them back, but to redeem them - he still does this for his people.

The Matrix, Neo is living in a world that is void of reality. He cannot see what is really going on in the matrix everyday. He is being lulled into a false sense of security. He is given the choice by Morpheus to either take the blue pill and the story ends, you take the red pill and you go down the rabbit hole and see things as they truly are.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR US TO REMEMBER?

God Reveals our Flaws

WHAT FLAWS IN US IS GOD REVEALING AND HOW ARE WE IN NEED OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL.

We have a Kingdom Syndrome

Who is king of Basketball - LeBron James

Who is the king of rock-n-roll - Elvis Presley

Who is the king of pop - Michael Jackson

Who is the king of country - Hank Williams

Who is the king of baseball - Arnold Palmer

We are quick to set people up as king in this culture. Why? We don’t like to admit our flaws, and short comings or to admit we are flawed people. However, being flawed is not an excuse to forget who we are and to live in sin.

How do we Remember what God has done for us even at times our faith is not being tested? Since we may not go through daily testing of our faith we need to remember.

1) Visual image of the Lords Supper and Baptism. (“do this in remembrance of me”, “Buried with Christ and raised to new life.”)

2) Whenever we read the Bible (we should not only read for content, but learn to meditate and reflect on scripture. We acknowledge the truths, but we “remember” them and sense them and are moved by them.)

3) We experience Community (We were not brought to faith in Christ to live this life alone. We need to be reminded as we gather together in groups to apply God’s word and truths to our lives. The sense that other people have and experience God’s truth can be an intoxicating thing to the body and those maybe who are stagnate and dry.

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HOW GOD BRINGS ABOUT OUR REVIVAL

THE MODEL JUDGE

God sends his messenger Othniel full of the Spirit of God. The difference between Old Testament and New Testament revivals in the book of Acts. Here, a throughout the Old Testament, God sends his Spirit to one leader; in the New Testament, God sends his Spirit to the whole people, the church.

Process of Renewal and Revival

God sends trouble God sends his leadership, champion, savior. God sends his Spirit Restoration comes through Victory

There are two kinds of oppression, self-inflicted spiritual oppression, and as the result of someone else doing the oppressing. This is Israels own self-inflicted spiritual oppression of idolatry.

NOTE: Notice that in the Old Testament the spirit was sent to the deliver, the judge, and in the New Testament it was given to all of God’s people.

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THE CYCLE IS COMPLETE

*vrs 11 points to the problem with every human leader the God sends to the Church, however Spirit Filled they might be, he points to look to one who is saying: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” (Revelation 1:18).

40 Years of Peace - causes us to thank Jesus for the eternal peace he brings us beyond death once and for all. This all points to the temporary state of humanities salvation before the Cross.

THE UNLIKELY JUDGE

Ehud was not from one of the tribes of Israel, he also was hindered in his right hand, which implies that he suffered from a deformed hand. It is not just Ehud’s physical disabilities that mark him out as different from his predecessor: there is not mention of the power of God’s Spirit, which came upon Othniel, nor of an immediate call from God to fight the enemy to his name.

King Eglon is a very fat man. Ehud fashioned a double edged blade. The tension in the story builds as he straps the sword to his right thigh. This is where a right handed man would have strapped his sword but being handicapped it would have been obvious that he should have strapped it on the left side, helping the sword go undetected.

vrs. 17 He presented his tribute to Eglon, then he turns back to give a secret message to the king. Ehud being handicapped seemed to pose no threat to the king, therefore, he sent the rest of the court out to hear this secret message.

vrs.21 “The kings obesity possibly by all of the indulgences he had been extorting out of the people was his downfall. The language is not prettied up here in the ESV. The servants did not come in to check on him quiet possibly because they smelled the smell assuming he must be relieving himself.

vrs. 28-29 An assassin, who kills a man having duped him into meeting him alone. Yet Ehud himself says that God was working through him. There is no other way that Israel would have ever followed him into battle. God does not always work through normal or obvious methods. He freed his people giving them triumph over their enemies and peace for eight years.

Note: All of the judges from Ehud onward point us towards Christ. Unlike them, he did not use deception (Ehud), need assistance (Deborah/Barak), or display selfish ambition (Gideon), rashness (Jephthah) or sexual weakness (Samson). In fact he was in every way as flawless on paper as Othniel, and yet, like all the major judges after Othniel, Jesus was an outsider, someone the world could not believe was either God’s chosen Ruler or his Rescuer.

God uses a lefthanded deliverer to save a left handed people!

Think of what you were when you were called. Does God call people because of what they have to offer him or because of what he is already doing and allows us to be just a small part of his greater plan. (This was Ehud, the most unlikely of heroes.

God uses people who are at the margin of our society

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2nd way we fall into forgetfulness.

2.When our lives are not daily being consecrated to God.

ILLUSTRATION:

9/11 AND 1 century crucifixion of Jesus Christ AD 30-33.

CONSECRATION:

1) Setting yourself aside and dedicating yourself to God to be used for His purposes.

2) Refers to a personal act of Dedication or Allegiance

3) To make holy or sacred / the act of being made holy

We were consecrated or set apart at the point of conversion.

Ephesians 1:7-10

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Psalm 51:10

10  Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

*We make a conscious willing decision to dedicate our soul, mind, heart, and body to God.

Consecration involves our Will, intellect, and Affections.

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Here are the weapons of our warfare.

Daily time focused on Communion with God

Daily Appropriation of the Gospel to our lives

Daily Commitment to God as a living Sacrifice

A Firm belief in the Love and Sovereignty of God

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

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1) Daily time focused on Communion with God

Do we spend time with God or just read a verse or chapter out of the bible.

Communion What?

Communion is God’s communication to us coupled with our response to him - all in such a way that he’s glorified and we’re glad.

Communion Why?

John Piper -

“Communion with God is the end for which we were created. The Bible says that we were created for the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7). Yet glorifying God is not something we do after communing with him, but by communing with him. Many human deeds magnify the glory of God’s goodness, but only if they flow from our contentment in communion with him.

Many times our sin gets in the way of our being able to commune with God. The sin in the world destroy communion with God and drive us to flee from Him. Once we have been embraced by Christ and reconciled to God our perspective changes and our desires change.

Communion How?

We do not need to go on a three day retreat or read extensive theological books to enter into communion with God. What we do need is to learn to savor the love, grace, and fellowship of our triune God. As we meditate on the mercy of God in Christ, we are slowly soaked in the life-giving love of the Father and the transforming grace of the Son. All of this occurs through the presence and power of His spirit.

1) Cultivate a Hunger for scripture.

2) Taking the Lords supper regularly

3) Seek opportunities to help those in need (go on a mission trip)

4) Seek refuge in God through times of prayer

Galatians 4:6

“He has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying Abba Father”

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2) Daily Appropriation of the Gospel to our lives

2 Timothy 4:6–8 ESV

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

1 Corinthians 15:10

“I am what I am by the grace of God”

Note: God’s grace is not cutting someone some slack, or letting them off the hook. Grace is more than just kindness by a benevolent God. Grace comes through Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary.

Cultural Note: Many of us view the Gospel merely as a message for the lost sinner. I need the gospel to be burned into my conscience everyday of my life.

Cultural Note: Many of us view the Gospel merely as a message for the lost sinner. I need the gospel to be burned into my conscience everyday of my life.

Justification is not merely a past event in my life, it is a daily present reality.

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3) Daily commitment to God as a living Sacrifice.

Romans 12:1

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship

Atonement for Sin and Consecration to God. OT Sacrifices of the whole animal was consumed on the alter of God. We consecrate our entire being to God alone.

Hebrews 10:1

10 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

NOTE: Our tendency is at that moment of High Spiritual emotion to say Lord I will give my whole being to you. Lord I consecrate it all to you. We then go out like the Israelites in a few weeks and are confronted by some issue in our lives, we then draw back realizing that we are not as consecrated as we thought. Daily renewal keeps us focused on the sacrifice.

“To Present” means to give or put to the disposal of another. You are completely at God’s disposal to do with as he see’s fit in His infinite wisdom and glory.

Isaiah 6 “Who will go for me” here I am Lord send me.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “You are not your own, you were bought with a price, So glorify God in your body.”

“God is not asking us to loan ourselves out to him temporarily. “

Presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice is not a check the box kind of thing that we do, it should be a continual spontaneous response to God.

WE NEVER OUTGROW OUR DESPERATE NEED FOR CHRIST

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4) A firm belief in the sovereignty and Love of God

Lamentations 3:37–38 ESV

Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?

NOTE: So much of the pain of life is caused by the sins of others.

*Failure to believe in the sovereignty of God brings bitterness and a turning away from God.

Illustration: Joseph Genesis 50:20 “What you intended for evil God intended for good.”

Job 1:21 “The Lord Gives and the Lord takes away.” “Is it not from the mouth of God that good and bad come.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Give thanks in all circumstances For this is the will of God”

How do we do this?

Romans 8:28-29

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

vrs. 29 The purpose of all the things that are going on in the book of Judges is that:

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HE WANTS TO CONFORM US INTO THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST

Hebrews 13:5-14

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Judges 2:1

“I will never break my covenant with you”

Cultural Note: God is always faithful to his promises. The picture of sin was placed on the scape goat and led outside the camp to be set free. Here we have no lasting city, all of this is wasting away, but the eternal city of God is coming. The righter of Hebrews is telling us not to forget the great men and women of faith and imitate them.

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Conclusion

It’s possible that in your life things will completely fall apart at some point. Even to the point that you feel you have nothing left. There are two things that God will never take away.

GOD WILL NEVER TAKE AWAY THE GOSPEL

“In the most difficult day’s of your life you still stand before God clothed in his righteousness your sin’s are forgiven, even your doubts.”

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Peter 2:24

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

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GOD WILL NEVER TAKE AWAY HIS PROMISES

We are called to persevere not just to endure to the end. Remember Paul’s picture of perseverance.

2 Timothy 4

I am poured out as a drink offering I have fought the good fight I have finished the race have kept the faith

The word endurance means to stand firm. But, we need to do more than stand firm, we need to move forward that is what perseverance does.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

English Standard Version Chapter 6

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Where is your............................

Heart

Love God with all of your heart, the command shall be on your heart

Soul

you should teach them diligently to your children, ,talk about them when you sit at home, or when you walk out into your neighborhood, place of work, when you go to sleep, ,and get up in the morning. Completely embody Christ.

Strength

bind them as signs on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. Write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates. The very foundation of your life that brings you the strength of the King of kings and Lord of Lords.