Beforehand: Be sure to check out Pastor Ben’s message online if you were not able to catch it on Sunday morning.

Below is the outline of Pastor Ben's message.

The Deep Six Study follows.

Epic - “Power”

1 – My “Power” – Judges 7:16-18

2 – Choosing the Right Weapon – Judges 7:19-22; 2 Corinthians 10:4

3 – Don’t Miss the Battle – Judges 7:23

Deep Six Study

Introduction

Our sermon series and corresponding Deep Six Studies bring us to week # 5 where we arrive at that which is central to all of it: the battle. God’s people, Israel, are being swallowed up by the godless culture around them as they increasingly practice idol worship and set aside the righteous ways of God for living life. God puts the heat on them by raising up enemies that rule over them. God’s people cry out for relief and God raises up Gideon to deliver them from their sinful ways and their enemies. All of this culminates in a battle. Gideon and God’s people will need Divine enabling and strength as they go up against their enemies in battle. The parallel is clear: we need Divine enabling and strength as well. But what is not so clear for us today is: who is our enemy and what battle must be fought as we pursue the “Epic” life God Calls us to. This is the focus of this week’s Deep Six Study

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Part 1 - Corresponds to the first point of the message

Judges 7:16-23 – “He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’”

Psalm 18:28-39 – “For You light my lamp; the LORD my God illumines my darkness. For by You I can run upon a troop; and by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God, the God who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great. You enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped. I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not turn back until they were consumed. I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.”

Psalm 20:6-8 – “Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. They have bowed down and fallen, but we have risen and stood upright.”

Psalm 37:39-40 – “But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.”

Comment – God is eager to bring His help, strength, and deliverance to those who call upon Him in time of trouble and are willing to respond to Him in obedience. Each of the Psalms above were written by David and reflect his own experience of trusting God for His help, strength, and deliverance, particularly in his military exploits. As far as we know Gideon was involved in only this one battle, while David’s battles were many. David learned from an early age to trust in God for doing battle with his enemies. Standing before King Saul David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Of course he was referring to his upcoming battle with the giant, Goliath. And as he stood before the giant, David said to Goliath, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands …. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” When it is said that the battle is the Lord’s, it would almost seem to mean that human participation is not needed. But for Gideon, David, and for us this is not the case. Our involvement (which can include anything related to who we are and how we operate – skills, talents, resources, etc.) is essential but is always just a part of what God is doing and even our part, however large or small, is predicated on God’s enabling presence and strength, if indeed the battle is to remain His battle.

Question # 1 – Can you recount an instance where the way God worked in a situation was by using a particular ability or talent that you possess?

Question # 2 – Can you recall an instance when God truly provided His help and strength for a battle you faced and can you describe what it was like ?

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Part 2 - Corresponds to the second point of the message

Judges 7:19-22 – “It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, ‘A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!’ Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.”

Ephesians 6:10-17 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

1 Peter 4:10-11 – “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Comment – For Gideon it was the ability to conceive a plan that involved trumpets and torches concealed in jars; for David it was the ability to use a sling and 5 smooth stones; and for us it will be some way God has fittingly equipped us for the battle before us. But always it will be God through His presence, provision, and active involvement in ways seen and unseen that make it true that the battle is the Lord’s. It is not uncommon for us to approach our battles with too much emphasis on our own abilities, our own resources, and our own importance in the whole scheme of things. When there is too much of us in the mix, we will not be able to see clearly how God is at work. When it came to reducing Israel’s army from 32,000 to 300, the Lord told Gideon specifically what to do. When it came to fighting the battle, we are not told that God gave Gideon any direct instructions. While Gideon conceived of his plan within his own mind, it is important to note that his plan comes into being right after he bows to God in worship after hearing the dream and its interpretation while in the enemy camp. It is a plan that enlisted Gideon’s ability to make a plan, but certainly it is a plan inspired by God and dependent upon God’s active involvement when it is carried out. How important it is for us to stay near to and dependent upon God at all times, so, that we have and rely upon the proper weapons God has in mind for our doing battle, whether they be revealed directly or indirectly through His inspiring influence.

Question # 3 – Can you recall an instance where the right weapon was used in a battle you faced and one where the wrong one was used?

Question # 4 – Where in the unfolding of Gideon’s battle plan do you see God at work that is beyond what the human participants are doing?

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Part 3 – Corresponds to the third point of the message

Judges 7:23 - “Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian.”

1 Corinthians 9:22-27 – “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

Matthew 25:1-13 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Philippians 1:27-30 – “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”

Comment – Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” It is important to note that in the overall context of the book of Philippians this means primarily all things pertaining to the work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not merely all things that concern me and the life I carve out for myself while I put the work of spreading the Gospel on hold. Gideon’s life becoming one that was truly an “epic” life necessitated that he move beyond his own personal life to become directly involved in what God was doing and was calling him to do. And of course this involved a battle. If we are to have lives that are truly “epic” we must do the same. God is always at work spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and He calls for our involvement. Our involvement in the spread of the Gospel of Jesus will not be without opposition and will certainly require that we do battle at times. But we must be careful that we do not miss any battle God has in mind for us because we have not been willing to be a “Gideon” who gave up being occupied merely with his own concerns for giving himself fully to God’s concerns. When we answer God’s call we will not only be in the thick of things, but we will have His divine enabling and strength in full measure.

Question # 5 – Can you recall a time that you were not involved in a battle for the Lord that you should have been?

Question # 6 – Are there any adjustments you sense God wants you to make in your life at this time?

 

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Conclusion

Judges 8:34-35 - Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.”

After the Gideon led victory, the land of Israel was undisturbed for forty years until Gideon’s death. As it says above Israel did not remember God and His deliverance nor Gideon whom God had used so wonderfully.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to someday have a set of people that our lives touched along the way who would remember the Lord their God who delivered them from their enemies on every side and would show kindness to you for the good you had done to them, particularly your part in their being rescued through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. May we be willing and prepared at all times for the necessary battles that come as we participate in the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout our lifetime.

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Related Scripture: Psalm 76

What are your thoughts on this passage and how it relates to our study?” Under “comments” in the Deep Six section of the church website post your thoughts, applications, and questions on this passage or anything from this week’s Deep Six Study.