Sermon Tone Analysis

PUT YOUR ARMOR ON

 

 

Ephesians 6:10-18

 

612 Opening Song

 

618 Closing Song

 

Judg 7:1-8

CHAPTER 7

 

1   Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2   And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

3   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.

4   And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

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.

6   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.

7   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.

8   So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

(KJV)

Well the Bible depicts in the book of Ephesians that the spiritual struggle of the great controversy between Christ and Satan is a warfare.

Usually in warfare dirty tactics are involved the enemy is trying to wipe your carcass out of existence.

And when you’re involved in warfare you got to know what the other guy is doing.

And when you come head to head you want to make sure you get him before he gets you.

In warfare only the strong survive.

As a matter of fact the writer to the Ephesians says

 

Eph 6:10

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

(KJV)

 

The battle in this spiritual warfare is over the heart or mind.

Or the spiritual soul.

Eternal life.

And you got to be ready.

The main weapon of warfare used by the enemy is deception.

Rev 12:9

9   And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

(KJV)

 

I want to ask you a question this morning do you have the wool pulled over your eyes?

Or if you know you are lost do you even care enough about your soul to know what deception is covering your eyes and leading you blindly into hell?

Somebody else said “Well I’m a Christian!”

We know today that the devil doesn’t really mind people going to church.

He’ll let you sing and preach.

Let you testify.

Just as long as he meets you outside after it’s all over.

He doesn’t mind!

If he gets you to commit to everything except one point.

He’s got what he wants.

You don’t have to be totally committed.

I can hear somebody else say

 

“Well I’m a S.D.A. Christian!”

I know of some Sabbath Keepers.

He had those rapped around his finger.

Until God has to trust His gospel message to the gentiles.

Paul says “you gotta be strong in the Lord!”

 

Eph 6:10

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

(KJV)

 

This is war man! 

 

·        I see Gideon getting ready for warfare, I see him surprised at the calling of the Lord.

·        He was fearful to go without the approval of God.  (honey if you’re going to accomplish a great task for God that involves risk make sure it’s His voice bidding you to go!  (ostentation) (walking on water) (fasting) (Children of Isreal (Moses told them don’t go!)

 

·        the midianities had 135,000 and Gideon had only 32,000 men.

Pastor we don’t have no money.

We don’t have the resources—we never did it that way before!

We don’t know if that’s going to work!

There are those who are so use to failure, they failed at home, failed in their relationships, failed with their families, grew up associated with failure, became use to failure, accept failure as the norm, didn’t use failure as a building block but allowed it to become a stumbling block.

And now they associate the God of heaven as a failing God!

With failure comes negativity!

Whenever there’s a challenge or a mountain to climb “Oh what’s the use”

 

(You need to repent.

A change of mind Change your mind)

 

I can’t do this and I can’t do that there’s always some reason why people can’t accomplish success in there Christian experience.

Well you see I’m a victim of my environment, that’s why I can’t follow Christ.

I grew up surrounded by the vice, poverty, drugs.

That’s why they called Jesus the lily of the valley .

.   .

Well you know I have no husband or I have no wife .

.  .

Jesus was single

 

People want to give excuses for failure but

 

With God All things are possible

 

·        Boyfriend

·        Drugs

·        Job so you can keep the Sabbath

·        Mend that relationship

·        You can overcome a grievous habit

 

All things are possible.

Judg 7:1-3

1   Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod.

The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.

2   The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.

In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her,

3   announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.'"

So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

(NIV)

 

Well Lord what’s going on what do you mean too many men!!  Everybody knows that in order to defeat such an army you’re going to need man-power!

Who told you that?

Why does it have to be done that way?!

I think some people realize that God can do all things but I believe they don’t realize that He can do ALL THINGS HIS WAY!

All things are possible.

But you know the other part of that don’t you?

Thy will be done or according to thy will!

 

(D.L. Moody)  Wine~/ Beer~/ all kinds of intoxicating drinks.

 

 

1 John 5:14

 

14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

KJV

 

Sometimes we have something that needs to be done and we have the faith that God can do it except we want it done our own way!