The Danger of Human Effort: Why Salvation is Not a Transaction

• The Cycle of Judges 00:01:52 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains the recurring pattern in the book of Judges where Israel follows God, becomes prosperous and lazy, turns to idolatry, suffers curses, cries out, and is delivered by a judge.
• Spiritual Laziness and Prosperity 00:02:11 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that prolonged prosperity leads to spiritual laziness, drawing a parallel between the Israelites' decline after the 40 years of rest and America's moral collapse following the prosperity of the 1950s.
• Idolatry and Fear 00:08:06 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor identifies the core sin of Israel as fearing or worshipping the gods of the Amorites (false gods) instead of the one true God, noting that this fear can manifest as worship.
• Gideon's Fear and Calling 00:10:19 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor analyzes Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress as an act of fear, contrasting this with the angel's declaration that 'the Lord is with thee,' highlighting the tension between human fear and divine presence.
• Divine Commission and Presence 00:12:33 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that God's command 'Have not I sent thee?' is the basis for Gideon's ability to save Israel, emphasizing that God's presence removes the power of opposition.
• Gideon's Fear and Insecurity 00:13:25 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor highlights Gideon's fear, comparing him to Moses, and notes his request for signs to confirm God's reality and presence due to his insecurity.
• Idolatry and Spiritual Warfare 00:15:27 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects Gideon's task of destroying his father's altar to the broader theme of spiritual warfare, using the example of Achan to show how hidden sin hinders God's presence.
• Obedience Despite Fear 00:17:30 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor discusses Gideon tearing down the altar at night due to fear, using this to illustrate that it is better to act in faith even while afraid, relying on God's promises.
• God's Sovereignty in Numbers 00:22:08 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains God's reduction of Gideon's army from 32,000 to 10,000 (and eventually 300) to prevent Israel from boasting in their own strength, ensuring God receives the glory.
• Gideon's Fear and Reduction of Army 00:24:10 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor describes how God reduced Gideon's army from 32,000 to 10,000 and finally to 300 men to demonstrate that victory comes from God, not numbers.
• Spiritual Reality vs. Physical Sight 00:27:39 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that spiritually, the battle is already won because God has declared it so, even before the physical fight begins.
• Faith vs. Fear and Doubt 00:29:11 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor contrasts Gideon's fear with faith, noting that doubt leads to fear, while faith comes from hearing God's Word.
• The Role of Worship in Overcoming Fear 00:34:52 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor identifies worship as the turning point for Gideon, where he moves from fear to faith after hearing God's word.
• God is Love and Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear 00:37:16 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses 1 John 4 to explain that God is love and that perfect love eliminates fear, linking this to the believer's experience.
• The Nature of God and Worship 00:37:01 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor defines God as love, citing 1 John 4, and explains that perfect love casts out fear.
• God's Presence in Worship 00:39:12 ▶️ 📄
  > Using Psalm 22, the pastor asserts that God inhabits the praises of His people and shows up when they worship.
• Overcoming Fear through Faith 00:40:36 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects Gideon's victory to the removal of fear through worship, contrasting human weakness with divine strength.
• The Ministry of the Gospel 00:46:36 ▶️ 📄
  > Referencing 2 Corinthians 4, the pastor discusses the gospel as light hidden in earthen vessels, emphasizing humility and the role of the Holy Spirit.
• Humility and Crucifying the Flesh 00:49:20 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that believers must humble themselves and 'crucify the flesh' rather than relying on their own strength or cleverness, allowing God's light to shine through them.
• The Gospel as Light and Sword 00:51:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor identifies the 'sword of the Lord' as the Word of God and the Gospel, which believers are called to blow like a trumpet to spread the message of salvation.
• Overcoming Fear of Islam 00:52:41 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor addresses the fear of Islam, arguing that Muslims are victims of their religion and need the gospel light, and that believers should not fear them but stand in faith.
• Historical Connection to Midianites 00:53:08 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor connects the biblical Midianites to modern Islam via Saudi Arabia and the crescent symbol, asserting that the spiritual enemy behind both is the same.
• Spiritual Warfare and Victory 00:55:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor encourages the congregation to stop cowering in fear and instead stand for Christ, relying on the finished work of Jesus to fight spiritual battles.

• Sermon Illustration 00:09:38 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the historical context of the Midianites impoverishing Israel and Gideon threshing wheat in a hidden winepress to illustrate the reality of fear and the need for divine intervention.
• Sermon Illustration 00:02:28 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor draws a parallel between the biblical cycle of prosperity leading to spiritual decline and the moral collapse of America following the unprecedented prosperity of the 1950s.
• Sermon Illustration 00:20:19 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor recounts the story of Gideon asking for a sign with the fleece, where dew appeared only on the fleece and not the ground, and then the reverse, to demonstrate God's patience and provision for Gideon's need for confirmation.
• Sermon Illustration 00:16:04 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a 'computer' to clarify that the town of Ai mentioned in the story of Achan is a real historical location, not a metaphor or digital entity.
• Sermon Illustration 00:24:10 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor recounts the biblical story of Gideon reducing his army from 32,000 to 300 men through the water test, and later sneaking into the Midianite camp where he hears an enemy soldier interpret a dream as a sign of Gideon's victory.
• Sermon Illustration 00:30:23 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about a young sister named Ella Ayers who had planned a specific career and college but died before achieving them, illustrating the need to trust God's plan over personal aspirations.
• Sermon Illustration 00:34:16 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor makes a rhetorical joke about Gideon potentially changing political affiliation from Democrat to Republican upon hearing the dream, then immediately corrects himself to emphasize that the change was spiritual, not political.
• Sermon Illustration 00:42:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the biblical account of Gideon's battle against the Midianites, where 300 men with trumpets and broken pitchers defeated 135,000 enemies, as an analogy for how God uses humble means to display His power.
• Sermon Illustration 00:42:16 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor references David defeating Goliath without armor or a sword, relying solely on God's help, to illustrate that human strength is insufficient for spiritual battles.
• Sermon Illustration 00:43:50 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor describes the 'first flashlight' invented by man using clay pots and candles, drawing a parallel to the biblical account of Gideon's soldiers carrying lamps in pitchers.
• Sermon Illustration 00:53:08 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor references the biblical story of Gideon, noting that he had no sword and relied on the 'sword of the Lord' (the Word of God), and connects the Midianites' crescent ornaments to the modern Islamic symbol, arguing they share a common spiritual origin.

• Pastoral Charge 00:39:56 ▶️ 📄
  > Adopt a posture of worship to invite God's presence.
• Pastoral Charge 00:40:52 ▶️ 📄
  > Engage in worship to overcome fear.
• Pastoral Charge 00:53:32 ▶️ 📄
  > Read Judges chapter 8 at home to understand the conclusion of Gideon's story.
• Pastoral Charge 00:55:46 ▶️ 📄
  > Stop living in fear and hiding from cultural or spiritual opposition.
• Pastoral Charge 00:57:19 ▶️ 📄
  > Pray for the Holy Spirit to remove fear and empower them to fight spiritual battles.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:00] We're going to be in the book of Judges, chapter 6, if you want to turn there now.
[00:00:11] The message that I'm going to preach today, I've never preached the same message twice, by the way.
[00:00:18] You say, Pastor, that's not so, you know, those of you who've been here a while.
[00:00:21] Well, actually, I have preached the same general message more than once, especially in my mission days when I would go to different churches and they'd never heard any of my messages.
[00:00:31] So I could preach the same one over and over again, although I didn't always do that.
[00:00:35] But there's a few of you here, just a few, who will remember the general outline of the message I'm about to preach today, which is on Gideon, from Judges 6, 7, and 8.
[00:00:46] We'll be focusing on the first two of those chapters today.
[00:00:50] This message, I believe a lot in.
[00:00:54] Some of the majority of you have never heard it.
[00:00:57] And it is a missions message, and coming back from the mission field, and the fact that I didn't have much time to prepare.
[00:01:04] I thought it would be just the one for you all today.
[00:01:08] Now, I do believe it will be a blessing to you.
[00:01:13] Before we read just the context of the book of Judges, if you remember, the Israelites have entered into the land.
[00:01:21] Joshua has led them in.
[00:01:23] And the Israelites did follow God and his law, generally speaking, well until the death of Joshua and the elders that outlived Joshua.
[00:01:33] But then a new generation arose, chapter 2 of Judges, who knew not the Lord nor his works, and they began to sin, particularly to go after other gods and to no longer worship the one true God, just what they have been warned against in the law.
[00:01:52] And guess what happens to their prosperity?
[00:01:54] It turns into a curse, and they are endangered, and there are all sorts of enemies that are overtaking them, and hence we have the judge's cycle. Throughout the book of Judges, there's a cycle. The people follow the Lord, they are blessed. But what happens when a nation becomes
[00:02:11] so blessed and comfortable for so long? We become lazy, especially spiritually. Isn't that what's happened in America today? The 1950s, unprecedented prosperity for any nation on the earth. And then And when did the moral collapse of America really begin?
[00:02:28] The 60s?
[00:02:29] Is there any coincidence that it happened right after the 50s and the prosperity?
[00:02:34] No, I don't believe so.
[00:02:36] And so they turn, they get lazy.
[00:02:39] They turn away from God.
[00:02:40] And here comes the curses.
[00:02:41] There goes the prosperity.
[00:02:43] And it gets bad.
[00:02:45] And they keep praying to their false gods.
[00:02:47] And finally it gets bad enough.
[00:02:49] Somebody says, hey, remember that guy Jehovah?
[00:02:52] Why don't we try him?
[00:02:54] And so then they start crying out to Jehovah, and he raises up a judge, a deliverer, he delivers them from the enemies, and they give praise to God, and they turn back to God at
[00:03:05] least temporarily, and then God blesses them.
[00:03:09] And guess what happens in that blessing and prosperity after a while?
[00:03:13] They become lazy, especially spiritually.
[00:03:16] He just said that a minute ago.
[00:03:17] Well, wake up.
[00:03:18] And as they become lazy spiritually, they turn away from God.
[00:03:23] And as they turn away from the true God and start fearing and worshiping other gods, what happens to the prosperity?
[00:03:28] It goes out the window.
[00:03:30] Here comes the curses.
[00:03:31] And then the same cycle over and over again.
[00:03:34] So here we are.
[00:03:35] We just got off in chapter 5.
[00:03:37] If you look at the very last verse, it says in verse 31 of chapter 5, So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.
[00:03:48] It was a great deliverance here.
[00:03:50] And it says the land had rest for 40 years.
[00:03:53] 40 years of prosperity.
[00:03:54] Pretty nice.
[00:03:55] So what do you expect is going to happen now?
[00:03:58] It's going to be going down.
[00:03:59] And that's the beginning of chapter 6.
[00:04:01] Let's read part of chapter 6 to begin our message.
[00:04:05] Judges chapter 6, verses 1 through 10.
[00:04:09] Let's begin.
[00:04:10] Actually, I think we'll read 6, 1 through 16.
[00:04:13] Let's read.
[00:04:13] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
[00:04:22] And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, and because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them dens, the dens which are in the mountains and the caves and strongholds.
[00:04:32] And so it was when Israel had sown that the Midianites came up and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them, and they encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth
[00:04:46] till thou come unto Gaza and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor ass.
[00:04:52] For they came up with their cattle and their tents and they came as grasshoppers for multitude.
[00:04:58] For both they and their camels were without number and they entered into the land to destroy it.
[00:05:05] And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord.
[00:05:14] You see the cycle starting over again now?
[00:05:18] Verse 7.
[00:05:36] I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all that oppressed you and draved them out from before you and gave you their land.
[00:05:44] And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God.
[00:05:48] Fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell, but ye have not obeyed my voice.
[00:06:02] Let's stop right there.
[00:06:06] Let's pray.
[00:06:06] Dear Heavenly Father, help us now to understand what's being said in the Word and especially how it applies to us, your children in the United States of America in 2026.
[00:06:20] Help us, Lord, we pray in Christ's name and for his glory. Amen.
[00:06:25] Notice the beginning of the chapter says that the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
[00:06:34] We just read it. What is the evil that they did? Did you hear it?
[00:06:40] Anyone here?
[00:06:40] The evil?
[00:06:41] What was the particular sin that they did?
[00:06:47] Worshipped other gods?
[00:06:48] Very good.
[00:06:48] If you look at verse, the prophet comes and tells them what they did.
[00:06:54] Now remember, they began to worship other gods, and now here comes the curse.
[00:07:00] They cry out to God.
[00:07:01] God sends a prophet, and he tells them what they have done wrong.
[00:07:04] Isn't it interesting that he doesn't tell them how much God loves them?
[00:07:09] Although that may very well be true.
[00:07:12] And he doesn't tell them how wonderful they are.
[00:07:14] He doesn't tell them, here's five steps to explore your potential as a great Christian business person.
[00:07:21] He doesn't do any of that.
[00:07:22] He tells them of their sin.
[00:07:26] And what is the key sin?
[00:07:27] Notice, the prophet comes, and notice how it's phrased.
[00:07:33] He says in verse 10, he rehearses, look, God has delivered you from bondage.
[00:07:38] He brought you up out of Egypt.
[00:07:39] Remember what he told you, verse 10, and I said unto you, I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell, but ye have not obeyed my voice.
[00:07:51] What was the evil, what was the sin that caused them to fall into this abject case of destitution and poverty, they're starving, the nation is a mess, there's all kind of paganism and false religion all over the place.
[00:08:06] what is it? The people of God, instead of fearing the one true God, began to fear the gods of the people around them. And that fear here could also be worship. It means fear, but it could also mean
[00:08:21] worship. The same Hebrew word used for Jehovah is a good thing. If you fear Jehovah, that means you worship him. But to fear a false god is a bad thing, because if you truly fear him, oftentimes
[00:08:34] that means you're worshiping him. Is there any parallel to us in America today? Well, let's keep reading. So the nation is in this situation. The Midianites, Midianites, where's Midian, by the way? What would be the modern day nation? Saudi Arabia, interestingly enough. The Midianites come
[00:08:54] in. They're impoverishing the land. There is a curse. The people are starving. The people are in great distress. They're calling unto the Lord and the Lord doesn't say, oh yeah, I'll fix you up? No, first of all, he shows them their sin. In order to be saved, we have to know our sin and we
[00:09:11] have to repent of our sin. And so the very first thing he does is he tells them the sin. And then they're like, oh, I'm sure, you know, okay. But they don't do anything necessarily. So praise God,
[00:09:24] the Lord sends an angel of the Lord, verse 11. And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah that pertained unto Joash the Abizarite, and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress to
[00:09:38] hide it from the Midianites. So you get this picture. Here's this guy Gideon and any food, the enemy comes and takes the food, right?
[00:09:46] The people are starving. So he's got some, what is it, wheat here that he's threshing out? And usually you do that on the top of a hill. In the old days why so that the wind right will come and separate when you throw it up the the chaff
[00:10:05] the the grain falls back down the chaff blows away well he's doing it in a wine press you know and he's looking here why because he's afraid the issue here is fear remember the sin is actually
[00:10:19] fear it is a sin to fear if that fear is in the wrong direction we talked about the fear of god is a good thing, but the fear of false gods is a bad thing. And you say, well, I don't have any
[00:10:32] false gods. Yeah, we talked about that. How about the gods of the culture? How about the almighty dollar? How about the self? You know, how about, you know, you name it. But in this case, it was
[00:10:44] the gods of the Amorites, the false pagan gods of the land. So this angel of the Lord comes, he sees Gideon in the wine press, and you would think the angel of the Lord would come and say,
[00:10:56] What are you doing?
[00:10:56] Why are you afraid?
[00:10:57] Get up.
[00:10:58] But look what the angel of the Lord says, verse 12.
[00:11:00] And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
[00:11:06] That seems like a strange thing to tell to somebody who's shaking in his sandals afraid, right?
[00:11:14] But the Lord sees something that we can't see with our eyes.
[00:11:19] Faith, right, is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[00:11:25] And Gideon does not receive this encouraging epitaph, but instead he argues with the Lord.
[00:11:33] Never a good idea, by the way.
[00:11:37] And Gideon said unto him, verse 8, O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all of this befallen us?
[00:11:44] And where be all of his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?
[00:11:50] But now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
[00:11:56] And the Lord looked upon him.
[00:11:57] So all he's speaking is fear.
[00:12:00] All he's speaking, look at the circumstances.
[00:12:02] There's no way we can get out of this.
[00:12:04] Everything is a mess.
[00:12:05] Truth has fallen in the streets.
[00:12:06] It's all terrible.
[00:12:07] Look at the government.
[00:12:08] Look at this and that and health care and you name it.
[00:12:12] And God doesn't say, you know, you've got some really good points there.
[00:12:17] No, he doesn't say that.
[00:12:19] Verse 4, and the Lord looked upon him and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.
[00:12:28] How, this fearful man.
[00:12:30] The answer begins in the very next phrase.
[00:12:33] Have not I sent thee?
[00:12:36] If God sent him, if God be for us, who can be against us?
[00:12:43] Verse 15, And he said unto him, O my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?
[00:12:49] He kind of sounds like Moses, right?
[00:12:51] Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
[00:12:57] And the Lord answers, and he said unto thee, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
[00:13:06] He is going to deliver. Why? Because God's going to be with him and use him.
[00:13:11] And so Gideon, now, verse 17, he says, If I have now found grace in thy sight, show me a sign that you talk with me.
[00:13:20] It seems that Gideon, like Moses, please send someone else.
[00:13:25] Don't you know that I'm a stammering man?
[00:13:28] Please send someone else, you know.
[00:13:30] There is fear here, and it's even like, maybe I'm just dreaming, you know.
[00:13:36] Would you please stick around so I can make sure that this is really real?
[00:13:40] Because perhaps he doesn't want to do it.
[00:13:43] He's still afraid, right?
[00:13:44] So he says, if I've found grace in your sight, show me a sign that you're talking with me.
[00:13:49] depart not hence I pray thee until I come unto thee and bring forth my present and set it before thee and he said I will tarry until thou come again and Gideon went and made ready a kid that is a goat and unleavened cakes of
[00:14:02] ephah of flour and the flesh he put in a basket and he put the broth in a pot and brought it out unto him under the oak and presented it and the angel of God
[00:14:10] said unto him take the flesh and the unleavened cakes and lay them upon the rock and pour out the broth he did so and the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes,
[00:14:23] and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes.
[00:14:28] Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God, for because I have seen an angel of the Lord
[00:14:40] face to face. I think Gideon has a fear problem. He's now like, I'm going to die because I've seen the Lord. He perceives maybe this angel of the Lord is really the Lord. Many believe he's the
[00:14:51] pre-incarnate Christ, by the way. And then the Lord says unto him, verse 23, peace be unto thee, fear not, thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an altar unto the Lord and called it Jehovah Shalom.
[00:15:04] And what does Shalom mean? Peace. Unto this day it is yet an orphan of the Ebizirites.
[00:15:11] And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal, or Baal, that thy father hath,
[00:15:25] and cut down the grove that is by it.
[00:15:27] So his own family, his own father's house, has fallen into idolatry.
[00:15:32] They have idols, physical idols, in their house and compound and altar.
[00:15:37] And so what does this have to do with delivering, hey, we've got to fight a war here.
[00:15:42] We don't need to fool around with that stuff.
[00:15:44] No, it has everything to do with it.
[00:15:46] He says, I'm going to be with you.
[00:15:49] If his father's house is full of idolatry, how can he go?
[00:15:53] Remember the sin of Achan after they defeat Jericho?
[00:15:56] And then there's this one guy in the whole camp of Israel, Achan, who sins, and they can't defeat this little tiny town of Ai?
[00:16:04] That's not a computer.
[00:16:05] That's a real town.
[00:16:06] And so, and why?
[00:16:08] Because one man out of 600,000 sinned and hid the sin and would not repent.
[00:16:14] And so God says, I won't go with you, neither will I be with you until you take care of this sin, essentially.
[00:16:21] And so this is the same case here.
[00:16:23] Well, remember, Gideon seems to have a problem with fear.
[00:16:28] Is he going to do it?
[00:16:29] Well, let's take a look.
[00:16:30] Is he going to tear down his father's altar?
[00:16:33] Well, this is what he's been told to do.
[00:16:37] And it says in verse 26, it says, And after you tear it down, the false altar and the false god, and build an altar under the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock in the ordered place,
[00:16:51] and take the second bullock and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
[00:16:58] That's really something.
[00:17:00] Don't just cut down the false god, but take it and use it for fire, for the sacrifice unto me on the true altar.
[00:17:09] Then Gideon, verse 27, took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had said unto him.
[00:17:14] And so it was because he feared his father's household and the men of the city that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
[00:17:25] Well, have you ever been afraid to do something that you know you're supposed to do?
[00:17:30] It's better to do it afraid than not at all, right?
[00:17:33] But it's better still to do it not afraid if it's for the Lord, because we have great and precious promises, like Gideon.
[00:17:41] You're going to do it because I've sent you.
[00:17:43] You're going to do it because I am with you.
[00:17:46] Has he not told us the same thing if we're doing his work upon the earth?
[00:17:51] And so this is what Gideon does.
[00:17:53] Well, verse 28, and now notice, he feared who?
[00:17:59] Here, he feared men.
[00:18:02] In Proverbs, the fear of man bringeth a snare, a trap.
[00:18:06] We should not fear flesh and blood.
[00:18:07] the Bible. Jesus tells us that, right? And so he fears the men, but he does obey. And in verse 28, when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cut down,
[00:18:17] and the grove was cut down, and was by it. And the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. And they said one to another, who hath done this thing? And when they had inquired
[00:18:25] and asked, they said, Gideon, the son of Joash, hath done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, bring out thy son, that he may die, because he hath cast down the altar of Baal,
[00:18:35] and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
[00:18:39] And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal?
[00:18:43] Will ye save him?
[00:18:45] He that will plead for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning.
[00:18:50] If Baal is a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
[00:18:57] That's a good point, right?
[00:19:00] Well, apparently Baal didn't show up.
[00:19:02] So verse 32, Therefore, on that day, he called him Jerubbaal, saying, because he hath thrown down his altar.
[00:19:10] Now, Gideon has been called of the Lord, commissioned of the Lord.
[00:19:17] Gideon still has a fear problem.
[00:19:19] He's not so sure.
[00:19:21] Well, but he's beginning to obey.
[00:19:23] Now look at the next step in this story.
[00:19:27] So, verse 33.
[00:19:29] Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together and went over and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. So it's as if they're going to make another invasion of Israel. At this time, verse 34, the spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and
[00:19:43] he blew a trumpet and a beezer was gathered after him, his family. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also was gathered after him. And he sent messengers unto Asher and unto Zebulun and unto Naphtali. And they came up to meet them. And Gideon said unto God,
[00:20:02] If thou will save Israel by mine hand, didn't he already say he would?
[00:20:09] You see, he's still concerned and fearful, right?
[00:20:12] If thou will save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, behold, I'll put a fleece of wool on the floor.
[00:20:19] And if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou will save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
[00:20:29] Well, guess what happens?
[00:20:31] Verse 38.
[00:20:31] And it was so, for he rose up early in the morrow and thrust the fleece together and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
[00:20:42] What more do you want?
[00:20:43] He told you he sent you.
[00:20:44] He told you he'll be with you.
[00:20:47] He told you what to do, and he's preserved you.
[00:20:51] And now you've asked for a miraculous sign, specific sign, and he's given it to you.
[00:20:57] What else do you want, Gideon?
[00:20:59] Verse 39, and Gideon said, unto God let not thine anger be hot against me I will speak but this once let me prove I pray thee but this once with the fleece let it now be dry
[00:21:13] only upon the fleece and upon all the ground let there be dew how many signs do you need Gideon and God did so that night for it was dry upon the fleece only and there was dew on all the
[00:21:31] ground. Wow, that is a miracle, isn't it? So I don't think Gideon had much else to say. But has he been cured of his fear? Not at all. There's a problem here. And this applies to us. So chapter
[00:21:46] seven, verse one, then Jeroboal, who is also Gideon, he calls, and all the people that were with him rose up early and pitched beside the well of Harad so that the host of the Midianites
[00:21:57] were on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. And the Lord said unto Gideon, And the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their
[00:22:08] hands, lest Israel vault themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
[00:22:13] Now what you'll find out later is how many Midianites have amassed against Israel.
[00:22:18] Do you know the number?
[00:22:21] 135,000.
[00:22:24] And Gideon calls, blows the trumpet, and God says, Ah, you've got too many.
[00:22:29] I don't want that many army people, you know, because if there is too many, then they'll say, ah, well, see how tough we are.
[00:22:37] So notice, it says, he says, the people are too many.
[00:22:41] Verse 3, now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people saying, whoever is fearful and afraid, you see this theme?
[00:22:50] Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead.
[00:22:54] and there returned of the people twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand.
[00:22:59] So how many were there originally?
[00:23:02] There were thirty-two thousand people against a hundred and thirty-five thousand.
[00:23:05] The Lord says, you got way too much.
[00:23:09] You know, Gideon's shaking in his sandals with thirty-two thousand.
[00:23:13] You got way too much.
[00:23:14] Who needs to go home?
[00:23:16] Those who are fearful and afraid.
[00:23:19] If we did that in the church or wherever else, we'd have a real small church, right?
[00:23:25] And so they're the ones that go home.
[00:23:27] So of the 32,000, 22,000 go home.
[00:23:31] They're either honest or they don't want to fight, you know.
[00:23:34] They're afraid.
[00:23:36] And so there's 10,000 left, right?
[00:23:39] And so, verse 4, the Lord, so now we've got 10,000 against 135,000.
[00:23:46] In the natural, it's not looking good for Gideon, is it?
[00:23:50] Gideon knows this.
[00:23:52] He is a bit concerned, no doubt.
[00:23:55] We know this from Scripture.
[00:23:56] and verse 4 the Lord said unto Gideon the people are yet too many bring them down unto the water and I'll try them for thee there and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee
[00:24:10] this shall go with thee the same shall go with thee and of whomsoever I say unto thee this shall not go with thee the same shall not go so 135,000 Midianites 32,000 Israelites God says that's way too much
[00:24:22] you can't do that we've got to winnow it down Whoever is fearful and afraid, go home.
[00:24:26] 22,000, go home.
[00:24:27] We've got 10,000 Israelites, 135,000 Midianites.
[00:24:31] God says there's way too many people.
[00:24:33] We need to whittle it down.
[00:24:35] You know, this is not necessarily good army tactics, is it?
[00:24:40] From the natural realm, right?
[00:24:42] And so if Gideon had a fear problem with 32,000, and now he's even more fearful with 10,000, guess how many God's going to leave him with?
[00:24:54] so y'all come down here and drink because Gideon was a southerner y'all come on down and drink and so some of them we're not exactly sure the difference but some actually went and put their mouth to the water
[00:25:10] and others maybe they took a cup and they're looking you know something like this it seems like the test may have had to do with who is trusting the Lord and they don't care about the enemy
[00:25:20] and who is fearful we're not certain but it seems to fit with what we see in the scripture.
[00:25:26] And so he says in verse 4, The Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many.
[00:25:31] Bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there.
[00:25:34] And it shall be that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee.
[00:25:39] And of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
[00:25:43] So he brought down the people unto the water.
[00:25:45] And the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself likewise everyone that boweth down his knees to drink and the
[00:25:56] number of them that lapped putting their hand to their mouth were 300 men but all the rest of the people bowed down upon the knees to drink water and the Lord said unto Gideon by the 300 men
[00:26:07] 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 Gideon was afraid with 32,000 much more with 10,000 Now with 300, do you think that he's like, get out of here.
[00:26:27] The Lord said he could.
[00:26:28] I think it's kind of like, y'all can go home.
[00:26:34] I don't know.
[00:26:36] But that's the way I see it.
[00:26:37] How about you?
[00:26:40] And as we'll see, Gideon still is terrified.
[00:26:44] But God's not going to use him that way ultimately for the victory.
[00:26:48] Notice what he does.
[00:26:50] So we see in verse 8.
[00:26:56] So the people took victuals and their hand, food and their trumpets, and he sent all the rest of Israel, every man, into his tent and retained those 300 men, and the host of Midian was beneath them in the valley.
[00:27:10] So what are the weapons that these soldiers have?
[00:27:13] Food, and what?
[00:27:15] A trumpet.
[00:27:18] How's that for army tactics?
[00:27:21] And so here they go, verse 9, And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down of the host, for I have delivered it into thine hand.
[00:27:33] Have they fought yet? No.
[00:27:35] But God says, I have delivered it into your hand.
[00:27:37] How does that happen?
[00:27:39] Spiritually, it's already happened.
[00:27:41] God calls things that be not as though they were.
[00:27:43] That's how he called, how did the worlds and the universe and cosmos come about?
[00:27:49] God spoke that there'd be light, and here it is.
[00:27:53] He spoke everything into existence.
[00:27:55] Once God said it, it is done.
[00:27:58] How many times has he told Gideon, go, I've chosen thee.
[00:28:02] You'll smite the Mennites as one man.
[00:28:04] Go, because I am with thee.
[00:28:06] By these 300 will I deliver them into your hand.
[00:28:09] And here again, I have delivered them into your hand.
[00:28:13] They haven't fought yet, but they've already been delivered.
[00:28:17] Does Gideon believe it?
[00:28:19] Notice what God says in the very same verse.
[00:28:23] He says, arise, get thee down.
[00:28:26] Or the next verse.
[00:28:27] Arise, get thee down, verse 9, into the host, for I have delivered it into thine hand.
[00:28:33] But God knows our innermost thoughts, right?
[00:28:35] But if thou fear to go down, that would be a check.
[00:28:41] Go thou with Fura thy servant down to the host, and thou shalt hear what they say, and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host.
[00:28:53] So does Gideon say, hmm, am I afraid or not?
[00:28:56] I'm not sure.
[00:28:58] It says, Then went he down with Fura, his servant, unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
[00:29:05] What does that mean?
[00:29:07] Gideon is terrified.
[00:29:11] Now, notice the faith and fear.
[00:29:12] We have these t-shirts, faith over fear, this, that, and the other thing.
[00:29:17] To the degree that we are doubting what God has said, we will be filled with fear.
[00:29:23] and so at this point Gideon well I believe but oh those Midianites oh the odds oh my and so he's walking by not by faith but by and so God's calling him to walk by faith
[00:29:39] how many times does God have to say it apparently for Gideon many times and isn't it interesting God's already told him four times you can come to church once you can come to church twice
[00:29:50] you can hear Pastor Andy or you can hear Pastor Joseph or whatever else you want And many people just say, isn't that a lovely sermon?
[00:29:58] That was wonderful.
[00:30:00] And then nothing happened.
[00:30:02] And this is kind of what's going on with Gideon.
[00:30:05] Why?
[00:30:06] There is fear that needs to be expelled.
[00:30:08] Well, for us, how does that apply?
[00:30:10] Maybe it's fear of giving up control, fear of allowing God to change us or to change us.
[00:30:18] There might be a cost, our lifestyle or our aspirations or whatever else.
[00:30:23] I wonder if Ella Ayers, our young sister, 19 years old, went to be with the Lord, could speak to us today.
[00:30:31] I remember her telling me about she had this specific profession that she was going to make her living in, already picked out at like age 14.
[00:30:41] She knew the college that she was going to go to and everything else.
[00:30:45] Well, she didn't go to that college, and she never finished college before the Lord called her home.
[00:30:50] And the point there is, praise God, we need to be trusting the Lord.
[00:31:00] We need to be trusting the Lord.
[00:31:01] Yeah, but what about this and what about that?
[00:31:03] The Lord knows.
[00:31:07] Yeah, but this is who I am.
[00:31:09] This defines me.
[00:31:10] The Lord knows.
[00:31:11] If I don't have the money and if I don't have people that like me, then I'm not worth anything.
[00:31:15] Your worth comes from the Lord, not from people or from money or even your own impression of yourself.
[00:31:23] Gideon is afraid.
[00:31:26] He goes down.
[00:31:27] He won't listen to the preacher.
[00:31:29] In this case, the prophet or the angel or the voice of God himself.
[00:31:34] He's listening, but he's still filled with fear and doubt.
[00:31:38] Now, I want you to see what cures him.
[00:31:40] Very interesting.
[00:31:43] This is what cures him.
[00:31:44] He goes down.
[00:31:47] He sneaks into the enemy's camp with Fura, his servant.
[00:31:50] they go to a tent of the Midianites and they listen in on a conversation and let's take a look let's join them now in this tent in the middle of the night verse 12 and it says
[00:32:02] 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 seaside for multitude
[00:32:13] and when Gideon was come behold there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow He just happened to have this dream and he just happened to wake up at the time Gideon showed up
[00:32:25] and he just happened to feel like he needed to tell it loud enough for Gideon to hear.
[00:32:30] He says, Behold, I dreamed a dream and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, came into the tent and smote it that it fell, overturned, and the tent lay along.
[00:32:42] And his fellow, these are the enemies, answered, This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon.
[00:32:49] Save the sword of Gideon, the son of joash a man of israel for into his hand hath god delivered midian and all the hosts now who's saying this the enemy now notice what happens next verse 13 no uh verse 14 we just read
[00:33:12] that now verse 15 and it was so when gideon heard the telling of the dream and the interpretation thereof that he worshiped, and returned unto the host of Israel, and said, Arise, for the Lord hath delivered into your hands the host of Midian.
[00:33:32] Finally, he is saying with conviction what God is saying.
[00:33:36] God said it once, twice, three times, four times, he's not sure.
[00:33:41] He hears it out of the mouth of an unbeliever, Arise, let's go.
[00:33:46] Isn't that strange?
[00:33:48] Faith comes by hearing by the Word of God.
[00:33:55] Does it depend who says it?
[00:33:58] It's God's Word.
[00:34:00] Whether the man who preaches it to you is godly or not, we hope that he is, but it's God's Word.
[00:34:06] The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
[00:34:08] And so finally he hears it from an unbeliever and something changes in him.
[00:34:14] So, you know, something changes.
[00:34:16] I don't know, maybe he was a Democrat, became a Republican.
[00:34:19] No, I don't know.
[00:34:19] No, no, no, no, no.
[00:34:22] Forgive me, forgive me.
[00:34:23] I have no idea what happened, right?
[00:34:27] Actually, I do know what happened.
[00:34:29] It has nothing to do with politics.
[00:34:32] God did a work in his heart.
[00:34:35] Because for him to be afraid and fearful about all that's going on, whether it's Democrat, Republican, politics, money, Iran, this, that, whatever it is, the answer is not in a political party.
[00:34:50] What's the answer?
[00:34:52] It says, after he heard, he got down, he worshiped.
[00:34:58] That's the first.
[00:34:59] It doesn't say he ever worshiped God in the entire story until this point.
[00:35:04] And once he worships God, there's a great change.
[00:35:09] Not really the great change came before he worshiped.
[00:35:12] God does something in the heart.
[00:35:15] That's what we call being born again.
[00:35:17] Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God.
[00:35:19] He's heard, and he's heard, and he's heard.
[00:35:21] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.
[00:35:24] The natural man, oh, well, if God's with us, look at what, what about this?
[00:35:27] What about that?
[00:35:28] Look what's on the news.
[00:35:29] Oh, no, no, no.
[00:35:30] But once God enters in the heart and the Spirit and you're born again and the eyes of your understanding are enlightened and now you, in His light, you can see light.
[00:35:42] Now I see it just like God does.
[00:35:44] I'm walking by faith, not by sight or eyes.
[00:35:47] For the Lord has delivered the Midianites in our hand and you begin to say, walk, believe, act, and live on the very same thing as God has been saying all along.
[00:35:59] And how does that work, Pastor Joseph?
[00:36:00] It didn't happen that way for me.
[00:36:03] Well, sometimes it's slower.
[00:36:05] In this case, I believe it was instantaneous.
[00:36:09] How does this happen?
[00:36:11] He worshiped.
[00:36:12] That word is not anywhere before there.
[00:36:16] Once he worships, things have changed.
[00:36:18] As I said, something's changed in him once he hears, If you fear to go down, you go here.
[00:36:24] He heard the word of God, the truth, even out of the mouth of an unbeliever.
[00:36:28] You know you can get saved by an unbeliever?
[00:36:30] You can get saved by a donkey.
[00:36:32] I mean, as long as, I'm talking about the Bible, not politics now.
[00:36:36] And so, as long as the man is faithfully giving you the word of God, regardless of whether he is righteous or not, it's God's word that changes us.
[00:36:48] So he has changed, he's worshiping, and what took place?
[00:36:52] Well, being born again, but here's a quick insight before we move forward.
[00:36:56] Think about this for a moment.
[00:36:57] When you're worshiping God, who is God?
[00:37:01] God, you fill this in, God is what?
[00:37:09] You guys have been so well trained, you're taking me to theology school.
[00:37:14] That is very good.
[00:37:16] And a very basic thing you might see on a sign or a bumper sticker or something, God is love.
[00:37:24] Does the Bible say that?
[00:37:26] Somebody said no.
[00:37:27] 1 John 4, verse 8.
[00:37:31] He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love.
[00:37:41] Go to verse 16 of the same chapter, 1 John 4.
[00:37:46] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
[00:37:51] God is love.
[00:37:54] Now, out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established.
[00:37:56] He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
[00:38:02] Verse 17, herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.
[00:38:08] Behold, as he is Christ, so are we, so we are in this world.
[00:38:12] Now listen, verse 18, there is no fear in love.
[00:38:18] Now we're starting to talk about Gideon, and how about us?
[00:38:22] there is no fear in love why because but perfect love casteth out fear why because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love we love him because he first loved us now
[00:38:39] let's follow this for a moment God is love when we believe on him he comes to dwell in our hearts and in God whatever he is he is perfectly right if God is love is he perfect love or imperfect love
[00:38:52] He's perfect love.
[00:38:54] And what is perfect love relationship with fear?
[00:38:57] It cast it out, right?
[00:38:58] Perfect love casteth out fears.
[00:39:00] Isn't that what the word says?
[00:39:03] Now turn to Psalm 22 for just a moment.
[00:39:06] There's just one verse here, but you can find the same idea in other places.
[00:39:12] Psalm 22, verse 3.
[00:39:15] For thou art holy, O thou, talking about the Lord, that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
[00:39:24] what are the praises worship he and god inhabits our praises that's why you need to be singing even if our songs aren't the latest rock and roll composition even if we don't have a big band or
[00:39:39] whatever else you call it no you need to be singing to be worshiping the lord now you can worship him not just through singing by listening attentively by reading the word by praying but we
[00:39:48] need to be worshiping because that's what god has called us to do but notice it says god inhabits the praises or the worship of his people.
[00:39:56] You want to meet with God?
[00:39:57] You want God to show up?
[00:39:59] You want to hear from God?
[00:40:00] Get into a posture of worship because God inhabits the worship of his people.
[00:40:06] That's what we talk about in what revival if my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven,
[00:40:14] forgive their sin, heal their land.
[00:40:16] How?
[00:40:16] Because God shows up in a mighty way through a spirit of prayer, through a spirit of faith, through a spirit of worship because he inhabits his people.
[00:40:25] So if you're worshiping the one true God who is perfect love, and you're worshiping him in spirit and in truth, and the Lord inhabits that spirit of worship, the Lord who comes in to you is perfect love.
[00:40:36] And what does perfect love do to fear?
[00:40:38] It casts it out so there's no fear left.
[00:40:41] So when Gideon finally worships the Lord, there goes the fear.
[00:40:47] How about you?
[00:40:48] Do we struggle with fear?
[00:40:50] God forbid.
[00:40:52] Get into a spirit of worship.
[00:40:53] And so now that Gideon has been fixed, if you will, saved, and is now saying one of the things, one of the ways you know that someone is born again is he says the same
[00:41:07] things that the Lord says.
[00:41:09] He is looking at things the same way the Word of God says and not the way the world says.
[00:41:15] And remember, what was the sin that got them all into this trouble to begin with?
[00:41:18] They feared the false gods, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, or whatever else, or the news, or of course false religions, of course was the case then, but what are the idols of the people around us today that we might succumb to fearing?
[00:41:39] And so he's freed from this through a spirit of worship, love is cast out, and now what takes place?
[00:41:45] now that God's presence will be honored, now that God has winnowed down.
[00:41:54] You say, how can I do anything?
[00:41:56] I don't have much money.
[00:41:58] I don't have much strength.
[00:42:00] I don't have much knowledge.
[00:42:01] Who's going to help me out in this situation?
[00:42:03] That's right where God can do a great, wonderful thing for you.
[00:42:07] When you try to do all these things to make sure that you can win and you're trying to fight the battle for the Lord, you're probably in a bad place.
[00:42:16] But when you're trusting in him alone remember David? How much armor did he have on when he beat Goliath?
[00:42:23] None.
[00:42:24] I don't even know if he had shoes on.
[00:42:26] Probably because his feet were shot with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
[00:42:30] He didn't have a breastplate but the breastplate of righteousness and his sword, he didn't even have a sword. Sword of the spirit.
[00:42:38] The word of God. And a sling though and with God's help that little sling killed the giant. How about you and me?
[00:42:45] How about Gideon?
[00:42:46] 300 against 135,000.
[00:42:48] First, we have to see the fear go so that we can bow down in faith and worship for God's presence to come in, to flush out the fear, to fill us with his spirit.
[00:42:58] And then what was the weapons that they took?
[00:43:01] Was it drones and IED?
[00:43:03] No, they took food.
[00:43:06] I think an old knapsack, you know.
[00:43:09] I doubt it was a country ham biscuit, but you know, something like that.
[00:43:12] And over here, not a sword, but a trumpet.
[00:43:15] and they go to battle.
[00:43:18] But now there's no more fear.
[00:43:19] The Lord's on their side.
[00:43:20] What can man do unto me?
[00:43:22] And so they go.
[00:43:23] He says, arise.
[00:43:25] Verse 15.
[00:43:27] For the Lord hath delivered unto your hand the host of the men.
[00:43:29] And he divided them, the 300 men, into three companies.
[00:43:32] He put a trumpet in every man's hand.
[00:43:34] And now put your food down.
[00:43:35] You've ate enough.
[00:43:36] And he says, with empty pitchers.
[00:43:39] So think of a clay pot, like a pottery, a clay pitcher, or a vase kind of thing.
[00:43:46] but with a handle, and they got these pots.
[00:43:49] What are you going to do with the pots?
[00:43:50] Ah, we're going to put a candle in it.
[00:43:52] Now, this isn't a jack-o'-lantern, no.
[00:43:54] This is actually recorded history, the first flashlight ever invented by man.
[00:44:02] Because look what happens.
[00:44:05] Put these pictures with lamps in the picture.
[00:44:07] And he said unto them, look on me and do likewise.
[00:44:10] And behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that as I do, you shall also do.
[00:44:17] so shall you do. Verse 18, when I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of the camp, and say, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.
[00:44:30] Now, did he tell them what to do after that? No. Go down and hit them? No. Go down and find a real sword or steal theirs? No. What are you going to do? Blow the trumpet, and break open the pitcher,
[00:44:45] that's the first flashlight right there's a candle in there break it open there's the light first flashlight and shout the sword of the lord of gideon and that's all you do that's the whole battle plan maybe our troops should have done that in iran i don't know but but look look what
[00:45:03] happens when they do remember the spirit of the lord is on gideon he's instructing him here verse 19 so the gideon and the hundred men that were with him came unto the outside of the camp
[00:45:15] in the beginning of the middle watch, they had but newly set the watch, they blew the trumpets, they break the pitchers that were in their hand, and the 300 come, so suddenly this pitch black dark, here's all these lights all above them, right, which in pitch black
[00:45:29] the candle would be light, pretty bright for them, what's going on, right, and so, and they cried, they break the lamps in their left hands, and trumpets in their right hands to blow with on, they cried, the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon, and they stood, every
[00:45:44] man his place round about the camp, and all of the hosts, the Midianites are down in the valley, they ran, they cried, they fled, and the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout the host, and the host fled
[00:45:59] to Beth Shittah and Zerathath, and the border of Abel, Meholah, and Tabath, and if you read the rest of this story, 120,000 were slain of the 135,000. How? By the pitcher being broken, the flashlight, and the trumpet, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. Now, before we end,
[00:46:24] well, who was it that won the battle? God did it. God gets the glory. What about us?
[00:46:31] Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 4.
[00:46:36] After Paul compares the glory of the old covenant with the new covenant, the shining of Moses' face after he would come down from speaking with the Lord to the glory of God now in our hearts in the New Testament by the Spirit,
[00:46:53] 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 1 and following.
[00:46:58] Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth,
[00:47:12] commending ourselves to every man's conscience and the sight of God.
[00:47:16] But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.
[00:47:19] Think about the gospel being lit.
[00:47:21] Jesus is the what of the world, and the light in the picture is hid, right?
[00:47:28] If our gospel is hid, it's hid to those who are lost.
[00:47:33] Verse 4, in whom the God of this world, who's that?
[00:47:37] The devil, hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon them, shine under them.
[00:47:48] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
[00:47:55] Listen, for God who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness darkness has shined in our hearts, brothers and sisters, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. When we are born again, he translated us out of
[00:48:12] the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. He enters into our heart. We are enlightened. His spirit is in us. The gospel light is inside of us. And notice the very next verse. But we have this
[00:48:24] treasure, what treasure? The light of the gospel of Christ in what? In earthen vessels. What's that picture? A vase. It's the same thing that Gideon said, put the candle in, right? And it's referring to what? Isn't this made out of the earth? Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. We have the light of Christ
[00:48:49] inside of these earthen vessels. So brothers and sisters, how do we get it out? We have the treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, not of us. And that was the
[00:49:05] whole thing of Gideon, right? God must get the glory, not of us. And that's why Paul says in other places, mortify the flesh, put to death the flesh, that we in this body might be broken.
[00:49:20] We in this body, that we may not look at the body as what it's all about, but that as the body is shattered in the sense of humbling ourselves, putting to death the lust of the flesh, that the
[00:49:32] light may open up. If we exalt ourselves, what is God going to do? Humble us. But if we humble ourselves, I'm not talking about go get a board and hit yourself in the head or, you know, hit
[00:49:44] yourself with chains. I'm talking about crucifying the flesh, which the Bible tells us to. I'm talking about the light is inside of us, and if we're continually to trust in ourselves and in our knowledge and in our cleverness, and we're going to walk around in the fear of man and
[00:50:00] everything else. The light can't shine out. Brothers and sisters, non-Christians are not reading the Bible. They're reading Christians. And when they read your life, what do they see?
[00:50:14] Anything different from anyone else? So then the body, if you will, is broken. This is my body, which is broken for you, that the life-giving blood and the water might flow from the throne of God from the cross, so too for us. God's light is deposited in us, and he says, you are the light
[00:50:33] of the world. Don't hide it under a basket. Don't hide it under a bushel, but put it on a candlestick.
[00:50:40] You and your humility, you and your brokenness, you and your desire not to walk in your own strength or your own cleverness, but to submit unto the Lord, to trust in the Lord with all your
[00:50:52] heart to lean not your understanding and all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path and in the light of the glorious gospel of christ that has saved us through the perfect life of
[00:51:03] jesus who was the light of the world his death on the cross his glorious resurrection on the third day his ascension to heaven on the 40th day his work that is finished is now not only appropriated
[00:51:16] to us but his life is poured into us which is light itself for God is not only love but he is also light and now as we humble ourselves put to death the lust of the flesh walk by faith not by
[00:51:32] sight what do we do we shine forth the light of Christ and we blow the trumpet what trumpet the gospel call the gospel of God the word of God what do we need the sword of the Lord and of Gideon
[00:51:46] but they didn't have any sword.
[00:51:47] The sword of the Lord, brothers and sisters, Ephesians 6, is the word of God.
[00:51:53] Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit.
[00:51:57] And isn't that what God's calling us to?
[00:51:59] Has he not called you?
[00:52:00] Have I not sent you?
[00:52:02] Have I not called you?
[00:52:03] Am I not with you?
[00:52:04] Will I not do what I have said I will do?
[00:52:07] Do we have to hear it out of an unbeliever's mouth to believe it?
[00:52:10] God forbid.
[00:52:12] Before we end, I want to give you this.
[00:52:15] We fear the gods of secularism or the gods of progressivism or communism and all the other isms that are here and are threatening and are dangerous.
[00:52:26] You know, God has died, it says in Hebrews 2, to deliver us from the fear of death, which is the ultimate source of all fears, so that we might be delivered into the fate of Jesus Christ.
[00:52:38] But what about the fear of Islam?
[00:52:41] You know, there's a new mosque being built soon here in Mooresville.
[00:52:45] They currently meet just across the street.
[00:52:48] Brothers and sisters, we should not fear Islam.
[00:52:52] The greatest victim of Islam is who?
[00:52:56] The Muslim people.
[00:52:58] They need the gospel light.
[00:53:01] We should be willing to stand and to speak the truth and to have victory.
[00:53:05] Well, who was it that Gideon was up against?
[00:53:08] The Midianites.
[00:53:09] And what country did they come from?
[00:53:12] You go study that.
[00:53:13] The Midianites are all from Saudi Arabia.
[00:53:15] Where was Islam born?
[00:53:19] Saudi Arabia.
[00:53:20] Real quickly, turn back to our text and we'll end in chapter 8.
[00:53:26] We read chapter 6, we read chapter 7 of Judges, the story of Gideon.
[00:53:30] Go home and read chapter 8.
[00:53:32] I just want to show you two verses in here and we're done.
[00:53:35] Go home and read chapter 8 and hear the epilogue of the story.
[00:53:40] After they completely defeated and annihilated the enemy, they took the gold that was on their camel's necks and everything else and he ended up doing something with that that you can read about later that didn't work out so well.
[00:53:54] However, notice what it says about these gold ornaments.
[00:53:58] In Judges 8, verse 21, Then Ziba and Zalmunna says, Rise thou and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength.
[00:54:08] And Gideon arose, slew Ziba and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
[00:54:14] Now you know how much I like the King James Bible.
[00:54:16] But hear that word ornaments in some newer Bibles may tell you crescents. They are ornaments, but the actual Hebrew word that is behind it is actually a crescent-shaped ornament. Now, you don't think they were talking about croissants, do you?
[00:54:35] The Hebrew word, sakharon. Interesting. The sign of Islam is what? A crescent.
[00:54:45] This is long before Islam.
[00:54:48] This is like, how long before?
[00:54:51] About 1,200 years before Jesus.
[00:54:55] And Jesus is 600 years before Islam.
[00:54:57] This is 1,800 years before Muhammad was born.
[00:55:00] Where's these crescents coming from?
[00:55:03] The better question is, where did Islam get the crescent?
[00:55:07] These people from Saudi Arabia, 1,800 years before Islam came about, were worshiping the moon god, and his symbol was the crescent.
[00:55:16] And Islam is still confused about that, and when you go and find mosques like the one we went to in Michigan, huge crescent on top.
[00:55:27] It's the same enemy.
[00:55:29] These people weren't Muslims.
[00:55:30] What are you talking about?
[00:55:31] No, no, it's not Muslims that are the enemy.
[00:55:33] It's the spirit behind them.
[00:55:36] It's not the radical leftists that want to break everything and use violence to transform America that's the enemy.
[00:55:43] It's the spirit behind them.
[00:55:46] We do not need to be afraid.
[00:55:47] We do not need to cower like the Israelites did in the caves and dens and what are we going to do or thresh the wheat in the winepress.
[00:55:56] It's time for us to believe the Word of God, to stand up for Christ, to preach the Gospel of Christ, and you say, well, I may lose something.
[00:56:05] It's time to break the flesh and those desires and those carnal fears so the light that is only found in this universe, the Gospel light in you and me who've been born again can shine forth so that people might see
[00:56:20] and come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and not only to shine forth that light but to do it not just in humility and in a holy life but in proclamation of the only thing that's worth anything,
[00:56:34] the gospel of Jesus Christ, His holy word, to His glory, to His praise.
[00:56:39] And we pray to the revival of the American church, to the revival and healing of our land, to the glory of our Triune God.
[00:56:48] Amen?
[00:56:49] May it be so.
[00:56:51] Dear Heavenly Father, help us, we pray, as we see what you did in Gideon long ago.
[00:56:57] Lord, we know that we need that in us.
[00:57:00] Help us not to fear man.
[00:57:03] Help us not to fear the gods of those around us, whether it be the false religions, whether it be the almighty dollar, or God forbid, that we secretly worship ourself.
[00:57:16] the satanic trinity, me, myself, and I.
[00:57:19] Help us, Lord, to see what you did for fearful Gideon and to encourage us, Lord, to, in a posture of worship, allow your spirit to fill us, to flush out every bit of fear that we might rise and go forth in faith
[00:57:37] from victory to victory, fighting the spiritual war, clothed in the same armor that David beat Goliath, yea better still that Jesus your wondrous son defeated and slew Satan himself at the cross saying it is finished
[00:57:55] the war has been won but Lord you call us to stand help us to stand for truly faith is the victory to your glory honor and praise it's in Christ's name we thank you amen and amen
[00:58:09] shall we not stand and declare that very same thing in song fate is the victory. You'll find it on the screen, number 71. It's time to arise, for the Lord has delivered the enemy into our hands. Amen? Let us sing to that effect.