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River Church Sermons


Sep 22, 2019

War Stories # 4

Follow Faith Not Fear – Judges 6-7

By Louie Marsh, 9-15-2019

 11  Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites…27  So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. Judges 6:11,27 (ESV)

 

7  for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)

 

 18  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

 

How God Wants Me to Deal with Fear

 

1) RECOGNIZE who God wants me to be.

 

12  And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” Judges 6:12 (ESV)

 

19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 (ESV)

 

2) REFUSE to get sidetracked.

 

13  And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Judges 6:13 (ESV)

 

2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

 

3) REMEMBER three powerful truths.

 

  • I ALREADY have all the strength I need!

 

14  The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" Judges 6:14 (NIV)

 

14  And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian…” Judges 6:14 (ESV)

 

37  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 (ESV)

 

  •  I really am on a MISSION FROM GOD.

 

do not I send you?” Judges 6:14 (ESV)

 

  • God is with me ALL THE WAY!

 

16  And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” Judges 6:16 (ESV)

 

…“And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.” Matthew 28:20 (GW)

 

4) RID myself of the causes of fear.

 

3  Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. Judges 7:3 (ESV)

 

5) REALIZE when & where God is moving.

 

9  That same night the LORD said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given 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 outposts of the armed men who were in the camp…. 14  And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.” 15  As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand.” Judges 7:9-11; 14-15 (ESV)

 

6) RUN with the ridiculous!

 

16  And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. 17  And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18  When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’” Judges 7:16-18 (ESV)

 

7) GIVE God ALL the credit.

 

2  The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Judges 7:2 (ESV)