★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Family Worship Centre (FWC)
Wuye, Abuja
2nd Sunday Service
6th August, 2017
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| Picture credit: FWC Media |
☆ SERMON:
* Speaker: Pastor Wilson Akubo
* Theme: The Just Shall Live by Faith
* Topic: Heroes of Faith: Gideon
* Text: Hebrews 11:32-34 →''And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens."
★ Judges 8:28 →' 'Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon."
☆ Background of Gideon:
* He was the son of Joash the Abiezrite from the tribe of Manasseh
* His name means 'destroys', ' the hacker', 'a cutter-down', 'the one who bruises'
→ Even though he was a great man, he lived in hiding, threshing wheat in a wine-press because of fear
* He was the 5th judge of Israel
* He succeeded Deborah
* He Judged Israel for 40 years
* He was a soldier, a farmer and commander
* His father was a worshipper and priest of Baal
☆ How Did He Begin His Journey of Faith?
* Israel was oppressed by the Midianites for 7 (seven) years
→ The Israelites cried out to God and He heard them.
→ God located Gideon in hiding and commissioned him to deliver Israel
→ After that first encounter with God, his faith began to rise
→ Even though he initially doubted God, God carried Him along till he fulfilled purpose
→ Gideon stayed faithful to God even in his weakness and doubt. He kept hanging around God.
★ Judges 6:22 → "Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.”
☆ How Did Gideon Express His faith?
1. He built an altar of peace to God in the face of great oppression (Judges 6:24)
⇒ the altar signified the fact that he handed control of the situation to God
→ He recognised God as the God of Peace (Jehovah Shalom)
→ The building of the altar signified his reconciliation to God
2. God Tested His Faith (Judges 6:25-26)
* God instructed him to tear down the altar of Baal and he obeyed (even though he did it at night)
⇒ He showed people the uselessness of idols
→ Faith is finding a way to do what God instructed you, even when you are scared or confused!
* When you begin to walk with God, He will raise people to fight for you (Judges 6:31)
* NOTE: When you obey God and Walk In faith, you set others free!
* He raised an army of 32,000 fighting men
* After raising the army, a new challenge arose
→ Faith will always be tested
→ God does not want anyone to take the glory with anyone (Judges 7:2)
3. He blew the trumpet to gather them for War (Judges 6:34-35)
→ He became bold
→ Faith makes people bold
3. He Obeyed God's Instructions every step of the way
→ Faith is refusing to argue with God even in the face of contrary instructions
* Faith is saying 'yes Sir' to God all the time - even when some of the instruction does not make sense!
→ Gideon knew as a military man that the wisdom of his commander will never fail
* God choose for himself 300 men (Judges 7:7)
→ God can save by many or by few (See: 1 Samuel 14:6)
→ By faith, Gideon let God trim his army from 32,000 to 300 to face a vast army (Judges 7:3-4)
* You must take your faith off things and people that you think can save you
⇒ NOTE: Nothing is impossible with God!
* Faith is obeying God's instructions even in the face of completely confusing or conflicting commands, and against every wise judgement
→ God is a strategic fighter and He knows what to do
4. He went into the camp of the enemy and heard the Revelation that encouraged Him
→ NOTE: Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17)
→ The enemy is afraid of you!
* As you walk in faith, your enemies will be confounded
* As you rise In faith, God will cause confusion in the camp of the enemies
5. He made Confessions of faith (Judges 7:17-18)
* Faith is trusting God and speaking in a corresponding manner
* Gideon made confessions of faith even when the situation seemed otherwise
* NOTE: What you confess is what will come to pass!
6. He gained a great victory against his enemies using uncommon military strategies
★ Judges 7:22 →" When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath."
5. He pursued even When He was Exhausted (perseverance)
★ Judges 8:4 →''When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit."
* When it comes to dealing with the enemy, no remnant is permitted to survive
→ If you leave the remnant, they will regroup and attack you
* If you put your hand on the plough of faith, you are not permitted to stop unless you have total victory
→ Half victory is not acceptable
* God does not want any enemy area unconquered
* If you don't finish enemy, it will come back for you and your children
* You must use the heads of your 'enemies' as your trophies
* Every man of faith who does not give up will one day return with a trophy
6. He was still speaking faith even though he was tired and exhausted
★ Judges 8:7 →"So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”
★ Judges 8:9 →"So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!”
* A man of faith knows that when you begin with God, your end is certain
* Things were not adding up for Gideon but he still spoke in faith
* As a man of faith, keep declaring God's Word till you see the tangible results
→ As long as you have a mouth, the devil will never have victory over you
* Whether you see it or not, keep speaking!
* Faith speaks what it believes
→ when you keep speaking, it will answer to you
7. He Revenged for those who were Unjustly killed
★ Judges 8:18-19 → "And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” So they answered, “As you are, so were they; each one resembled the son of a king.” Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”
* Faith, when it is fully matured, defends the weak
* Strong faith carries the burdens of the weak
8. He Totally Subdued the Enemies of Israel
★ Judges 8:28 → "Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon."
★ Philippians 2:10 → "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth"
7. He displayed that his Faith was rested solely in God by refusing to accept Glory that was Due to God
→ He pointed the people to God - their King
* A true man of faith will always give glory to God in spite of his victories and achievements
☆ Conclusion:
* The faith of Gideon is the faith that:
→ Obeys completely without questioning
→ Placing all that you have in the hands of God even when it does not look like much
→ Makes positive confession based on God's Word
→ Subdues its enemies (negative circumstances) totally
→ Defends and delivers others
→ Gives glory to God for every conquest
