OPERATE WITH CONFIDENCE!
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This Week’s Theme: The Strength of God’s Church
Memory Verse: Isaiah 41:10 “10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
This Week’s Word is Fear: Fear can have at least three meanings. It is an attitude of anxiety or distress, caused by concern over a threat to one’s future. It is also reverence or respect. Finally it is seen as standing in awe of God.
Essence of the Text in a Sentence: The LORD God commanded and Gideon went to deliver the people from the oppression of Midian by with an unusual number of soldiers
Sermon Objective: I want those in attendance to identify what instructions from God’s Word they have rejected, and devise a plan to start obeying them by faith.
Sermon Text: Judges 7:1-23
15 And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”
16 Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
17 And he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do:
18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’ ”
INTRODUCTION:
TRANSITION:
I. DON’T OVERLOOK GOD’S CALL
I. DON’T OVERLOOK GOD’S CALL
Explain the text: LOOK AT VERSE 2.
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
THE LORD SAID TO GIDEON Look at verse 4.
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.”
Look at verse 7
7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”
Again the LORD spoke to Gideon. Look at verse 9
9 It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
10 But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant,
Overlooking Brings Scoffing
Overlooking Brings Scoffing
24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
Overlooking Bring the Sword
Overlooking Bring the Sword
12 Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.”
Overlooking Brings Separation
Overlooking Brings Separation
13 And now, because you have done all these works,” says the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer,
14 therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
15 And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren—the whole posterity of Ephraim.
ILLUSTRATION: PHONES HAVE BECOME SO SOPHISTICATED THAT YOU CAN THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY CALL YOU, WHICH HAS CAUSED SOME OF US TO SCREEN OUR CALLS. IF THE CALLER ID SAYS UNKNOWN OR THE NUMBER DOES NOT HAVE A NAME WE DON’T ANSWER THOSE CALLS. SOME OF US DEPENDING ON OUR PRESENT SITUATION WILL NOT ANSWER EVEN IF WE KNOW IT IS THE BILL COLLECTOR.
APPLICATION: SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD GOD SPEAKING TO YOU THROUGH HIS WORD DOING THE WEEK AND ON SUNDAYS, BUT YOU HAVE OVERLOOKED, IGNORED, NEGLECTED THE LORD’S CALL. GOD IS CALLING FOR YOU TO RESPOND LIKE SAMUEL AS A LITTLE BOY WHEN HE CONTINUED TO HEAR HIS NAME CALLED BUT HE MISTAKENLY THOUGHT IT WAS ELI. DON’T GET IT TWISTED TODAY. GOD IS CALLING YOU. I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE SAME ADVICE THAT ELI GAVE SAMUEL. I NEED YOU TO SAY, “SPEAK LORD, YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING” I NEED YOU TO REALLY MEAN IT SAY IT AGAIN “SPEAK LORD, YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING”
Jesus said, in Matthew 13.9 “9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”” NOW THAT GOD HAS YOUR ATTENTION, I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED TO . . .
What is God telling you to do from this text?
Are you guilty of not listening to the voice of God?
Who are the people you will confess your sins to today and will help to hold you accountable for hearing God?
II. OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS
II. OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS
LOOK AT VERSE 3
3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
LOOK AT VERSES 5-6
5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”
6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.
7 Then the Lord said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”
8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
DO YOU SEE THE PATTERN? THE LORD CALL AND HE HEARD. THE LORD COMMANDED AND HE OBEYED.
REMEMBER JESUS WORDS TO HIS FOLLOWERS
21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
How do I do them?
16 “This day the Lord your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
46 and he said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law.
47 For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess.”
BEWARE BECAUSE THE TENDENCY IT TO IGNORE THEM OR FORGET THEM, BUT HEAR GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS THROUGH SOLOMON
1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
WHY?
2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
APPLICATION:
What is God telling you to do from this text?
Are you guilty of not listening or being distracted when the sermon is preached?
Are you guilty of not obeying or dismissing what you have heard the taught Word?
Share the steps that you will take to confess and turn from disobedience to obedience.
III. OBSERVE GOD’S CRITERION
III. OBSERVE GOD’S CRITERION
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
EXPLANATION: THE LORD SAID TO GIDEON I WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE VICTORY IN A WAY THAT MISREPRESENTS THE SITUATION. YOU HAVE TOO MANY SOLDIERS WITH YOU, AND THEY WILL SAY “MY OWN HAND HAS SAVED ME.” GOD KNEW THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THE CREDIT FOR WINNING THE BATTLE. HE SAID THEY WOULD CLAIM GLORY FOR THEMSELVES AGAINST HIM.
REMEMBER THAT GOD SAID IN THE BOOK OF
ISAIAH 42:8 “8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.”
8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.
GOD IS ADAMANT THAT HE WILL NOT GIVE CREDIT FOR HIS GREATNESS, GOODNESS, AND BEAUTY TO ANY OTHER. HE DOES EVEN WANT TO SHARE IT WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE. NOT ONLY DOES GOD NOT WANT OTHERS TO CLAIM HIS CREDIT, BUT GOD ALSO DOESN’T WANT HIS NAME TO BE PROFANED. LOOK AT ISAIAH 48:11
11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.
GOD EITHER RESPONDS OR DOESN’T RESPOND BASED ON HIS GLORY. GOD DOES OR DOES NOT DO
APPLICATION: MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, DO YOU GET GOD OPERATES BASED ON HIS GLORY.
31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
THEREFORE, WE SHOULD PRAY TO THE GLORY OF HIS NAME. WE SHOULD WORSHIP TO THE GLORY OF HIS NAME. WE SHOULD EVANGELIZE FOR HIS GLORY. WE SHOULD STUDY THE WORD FOR HIS GLORY. WE SHOULD SERVE FOR HIS GLORY. WE SHOULD COUNSEL FOR HIS GLORY. WE SHOULD GIVE FOR HIS GLORY.
What is God telling you to do from this text?
Name things you are not doing to the glory of God’s name.
Do you need to confess and repent this sin today?
Share the steps that you will take to avoid or stop stealing God’s glory and start operating to the glory of His name.
OPERATE WITH CONFIDENCE
OPERATE WITH CONFIDENCE
9 It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
10 But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant,
11 and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outpost of the armed men who were in the camp.
EXPLANATION: You can’t operate in confidence, if you are afraid or unsure. God wanted to strengthen Gideon because people can tell when you are unsure about doing what God says. Look at what happen.
12 Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.
13 And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”
14 Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.”
Now look at Gideon’s response
15 And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”
16 Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
17 And he said to them, “Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do:
18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’ ”
19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outpost of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.
20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”
21 And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled.
22 When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.
23 And the men of Israel gathered together from Naphtali, Asher, and all Manasseh, and pursued the Midianites.
Gideon heard from God. He understood all is for His glory. He obeyed the Lord and finally after receiving confirmation from God. He operated in confidence. This is how to do it. You cannot operate in confidence when you don’t even know His will. or when you are disobedient. You cannot operate in confidence when you are afraid. Remember when hear Him by hearing His Word.
Romans 10:17 “17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 8:31
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is God telling you to do from this text?
Are you operating in confidence?
Based on the sermon, what are you guilty of not doing so you can and what steps you need to take in order to change your life?