The Story Finding Your Story in God’s Story “A Few Good Men and Women” Series 1 - God Forms His People

Review Chapter 7 “The Battle Begins”

Joshua 24:15-16 (NLT) 15 …choose today whom you will serve… 16 The people replied, “We would never abandon the LORD and serve other gods. Judges 2:10

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NLT) 4 “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

I. The Cycle of Sin Sin – people forget God and worship pagan idols Oppression – God removes his hand of protection and allows surrounding nations to oppress his people Repentance – the oppressed people return to God and cry out for help Deliverance – God orchestrates a deliverance

Judges - Judges 2:16-19

II. Judge - Deliverers Oppressing nations and the Judge deliverer Hebrews 11:32-33 (NLT) 32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah… 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them…

Deborah and the codependent commander Barak - Judges 4:4-9

The Lord to Barak – “I will give you victory over him.” Barak to Deborah - “I will go, but only if you go with me.”

You will receive no honor in this venture The LORD’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.

Gideon – the doubting wheat thresher - Judges 6-8 Mighty hero, the Lord is with you

How will I know? Show me a sign  The consumed offering  The wet fleece  The dry fleece  The Midianite’s dream and interpretation The military cuts – or the Israelites will boast that they saved themselves

Horns, jars, torches and a shout The Lord caused the Midianites warriors to fight against themselves

Samson the pushover– Judges 13-16

Marries a Philistine woman – God at work in this A riddle - Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father’s house with you in it He told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging

Replay - In love with Delilah He told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging

Judges 21:25 (NLT) 25 In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Proverbs 21:2 (NLT) 2 People may be right in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their heart.

III. Application of Deliverance Sin I’m chasing the wrong thing right now. I have mixed up priorities. I have an addiction or an addictive personality and it has captured me. I keep mistreating other people.

Oppression My relationship with God has been affected. I am destroying my relationships with others. It is affecting or will affect my physical and emotional health. It is affecting or will affect me financially.

Repentance I am not ready to come clean with God. I am ready to come clean with God right now.

Deliverance Out of a broken heart of repentance, God can deliver us God keeps taking you back

1 John 1:5-9 Not practicing truth – living in darkness Confess our sin Forgiven and cleansed Living in the light – fellowship with God and with one another