WHEN GOD CALLS, BE PREPARED TO SERVE
Judges 6:11-19
The story began at verse 1. After the death of Deborah the
children of Israel
went
back to their evil ways, namely the worship of idol gods.
They abandon the God
that delivered them into a state of peace. God sent the
Midianites to take all their
crops and force them into caves in the mountain.
to be their deliverer.
Our disobedient behavior angers God. Regardless of our
behavior God will answer
our prayers. He chastises those He loves, but He is quick to
provide
relief when our prayers are genuine.
In the mist of a disobedient crowd, God always has someone
who is
obedient to him that He can call.
Those who God calls, He ordains and equips with all that is
necessary to
be successful.
MEN OF GOD SHOULD OPERATE UNDER HIS WISDOM
V:11. " The angel of the Lord came and sat down under
the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon
was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
A. Notice, while the rest of Israel
was hiding out in caves and in poor conditions,
Gideon's family
was during relatively well.
1. Gideon's family
was obedient to the Lord and were blessed with food that
was hidden
from the enemy.
2. They were
innovative in hiding their wheat in a wine press.
3. When you are
devoted to God, He is devoted to your well being.
B. When your devotion is to the Lord you become part of the
solution to community
problems.
1. When you are
devoted to the Lord, you have open ear to hear a word from the Lord.
2. The Lord visit
those whose focus is on Him.
A DIVINE CALL TO SERVE
V:12. " When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon,
he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."
A. The Lord knows who you are and what you are capable of
being.
1. Gideon was a
farmer, but Lord defined him as a mighty warrior.
2. Your present
occupation does not determine your potential.
3. You will be
what ever God wants you to be.
B. Gideon was a warrior because he followed the Lord.
1. Gideon was a
warrior because his ear was tuned to the Lord.
2. Gideon was a
warrior because he trusted the Lord.
3. Gideon was a
warrior because feared only the Lord.
a. His family
stayed on their property while the rest of Israel
fled into
the caves.
4. Gideon was a
warrior because he knew the Word of the Lord.
WHEN ANSWERING A CALL SEEK CONFIRMATION IN THE WORD
V:13. "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord
is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our
fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt ?'
But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
A. A bad situation is not the evidence that God has abandon
you.
1. What God has
done in the past, He is able to do in the present.
2. Israel 's
oppression was due to their wide spread
disobedience.
B. God didn't abandon Israel ,
Israel abandon
God.
1. Our
disobedience stops the blessing of God.
2. God did not set
us free, for us to put ourselves back in bondage.
a. Jesus died
to set us free from sin.
b. The best
freedom we have is in obedience to the Lord.
C. Sometimes we need
to look in the mirror see that we are the cause of our trouble.
1. Sometimes God
will allow the righteous to suffer with the unrighteous.
2. God strengthen
the righteous in trouble times to bring about a change in the
unrighteous.
GOD WILL CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE ALL WE NEED TO SERVE
V: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?"
A. We have to be willing and available to serve in what ever
capacity God wills for us.
1. Gideon, a
farmer was called to be the savior of Israel .
2. Gideon, a
farmer was given the strength to be the warrior of Israel .
B. Gideon, the farmer already had what he needed to save Israel .
1. Gideon. the
farmer was commanded to destroy the mighty Midian army.
2. Notice God
didn't send any army, He sent Gideon.
3. With God on our
side, we are more than a whole army.
EXAMINE YOUR WEAKNESSES AND GOD WILL SHOW YOU HIS
STRENGTH
V:15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I
save Israel ? My
clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will
strike down all the Midianites together."
A. God don't need your power to accomplish anything.
1. He need you to
stand for Him so He can manifest His power through you.
2. Gideon look at
the size of his family, not understanding God is all power
by Himself.
3. The power of
the Gospel is manifested through our stand for God's
righteousness.
B. We have to understand that God's call, comes with ability
to be successful.
1. We have to
trust that God's call comes with His power of success.
2. We have to
understand that God is with us through the battle.
3. The most
important thing to remember is the battle belongs to the Lord.
4. God only needs
you as a soldier that the people can see.
GOD WILL SHOW YOU THROUGH HIS GLORY YOUR CALL
V:17. " Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor
in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
A. It is a must that we are able to distinguish between
Satan's lies and God's truth.
1. How can you
determine if it is you own flesh talking rather than God.
2. Whatever God
command you to do will be confirmed by His Word.
B. God's commands will never contradict His Word.
1. Therefore you
need a daily diet of The Word of God.
2. Peace comes to
you when you meditate on God's Word.
ASK GOD TO BLESS YOU IN YOUR MISSION
V:18. " Please do not go away until I come back and
bring my offering and set it before you." And the Lord said, "I will
wait until you return."
A. The Lord is waiting on you to bring an offering to Him/
1. It is more
blessed to give than receive.
2. Your offering
activates His blessing in your life.
B. The offering that God wants most is devotion of your life
to Him.
MAKE A
SACRIFICE TO THE LORD
19 Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah
of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its
broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the
unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And
Gideon did so.
THANK GOD FOR HIS CALL TO
SERVE
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
For more lessons follow me on facebook or visit my blogs
www.revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
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