sermon on judges 7

Will you be one of his 300 or one of the 31,700

Judges Chapter 7

When it comes to being a christian God requires of to have two things.

1. To be courageous in our trust in him
2. To be alert and steadfast

To be Courageous in our trust in him

When Gideon was preparing his army to take on his enemies God tested the men of Gideon’s army. Judges 7:2 the Lord told Gideon that there were too many and that if you were to go into battle and win you will think it was by your own hand and not the Lord's.

So in verse 3 he tested the men and told Gideon to ask the men that if there were any that were afraid to leave now.   “Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.” (Judges 7:3, KJV 1900)  

God first test is an important lesson to hold on to God requires Courage for the task at hand it is one of the essential  characteristics of a christian as well as a spiritual leader we must have courage in our times of peril and in our stressful situations  we must look fear in the face and proclaim that the Christ has made me more than a conquer and I will not be afraid, not to share the gospel not to see souls saved. I will have courage because my God gives me the courage.

to be steadfast/ alert

There were ten thousand left and God still deemed that too many and so he came with another test  in verse 5   “So he brought down the people unto the water: 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 every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.” (Judges 7:5, KJV 1900)  in verse 6 &7 we see the results of this test    “And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.” (Judges 7:6, KJV 1900)  

  “And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men 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.” (Judges 7:7, KJV 1900)  

God wanted not courageous men but steadfast and alert me always at the ready not lapping with our heads downs and unaware of the world around us. He doesn't want a dog lapping away at the message and do nothing with it. He wants the still alert still at the ready, that the water and drinking it by hand so they did not lower their guard of the enemy. The same mentality applies today. We can not be like dogs just sitting here head down in the water just drinking up the world of God we have to be alert and aware, on the ready to give the gospel to the world at all times. We must have courage in this trying times and show the world the courage God gives us. We must not fear rejection, or persecution or the enemies of this secular world, we are the army of God and our faith is rewarded just as Gideon’s when he heard of the vision foretold in verses 15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

Gideon heard the promise, he new the victory is at hand, and it filled him with the strength to carry out the victory.

so  I ask will you  be like the three hundred  God’s chosen, full of courage and at the ready or will you be like the rest, those who were afraid to do the will of God or the dog who head was in the water and unaware of the opportunities God has laid out for you. It is time for you to decide, Are you a part of the 300 or are yo just another member of the 31,700? The victory is already won and it is time to claim it. Will you join me?