Judges
Both Moses and Joshua could see a time coming when Israel would forsake God's commandments. There would be no king in Israel, and every man would do what was right in his own eyes. Yet, in those times, great men and women stood for God and righteousness, judging Israel in isolated circumstances. Gideon, Sampson, Deborah, Samuel and others were heroic. The moral: even in with the bad times news reports we are bombarded with, one person can save the day.
Judges 2:10 - "...there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel."
Who Shall Go Up First?
When Joshua died, Israel asked God who should lead in battle against their enemies. The Lord said, "Judah." So Judah led the way, taking the Canaanites, Perizzites, Jerusalem, Hebron, Debir, Hormah, Gaza, Askelon and Ekron. Those victories should be remembered on "World News Tonight." God gave those cities to Israel 3400 years ago. It pays to pray without fear and trust God’s Word.
Judges 1:1-2 - "...the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand."
Crying Out For A Deliverer
After Joshua died, the children of Israel began to forsake the Lord and turn to the gods of the heathen. God allowed their enemies to overcome them. From time to time, Israel came to their senses and began to repent and cry out to God for deliverance. The book of Judges recounts how God raised up several anointed judges who brought miraculous deliverance. Surely God yearns to hear our cry when we have sinned, cast off fear of the world.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
Judges 3:9 - "And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them..."
Othniel, First Judge
It often takes a crisis to make us pray. Such was the case in Israel after Joshua died. The people began worshiping Baalim and groves of idols, so God sent the king of Mesopotamia to rule harshly over them. Finally the people cried unto the Lord for a deliverer, and He sent to them a godly leader: Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother; Israel's first judge. We need to make Jesus our permanent deliver, especially in the face of giant sized-global fear.
Judges 3:10 - "And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand."
SUPERNATURAL GOD WE SERVE
Living by Faith—It's a Lifestyle
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Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
– 2 Timothy 2:3
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Times of hardness are inevitable. You need to know that. It's true that we've been redeemed from the curse, and there's nothing Satan can do to reverse that, but he is going to challenge you on it.
So don't be surprised when things get tough. Times will come when you have to stand strictly by faith, when you'll have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when you can't feel it or see it happening around you. There will be times when everything looks terrible. That's when you must endure hardness as a good soldier.
So many people hear the word of faith about healing or prosperity and they think, Hey! I'm going to try that. Then when the hard times come, they give up and cave in.
Let me warn you, living by faith is not something you try. It's a lifestyle. You do it when it's hard. You do it when it's easy. You do it all the time because you're not doing it just to get in on the benefits. You're doing it because you know that faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).
Things may get a little rough at times, but let me assure you, you'll always come out on top if you endure hardness as a good soldier. If you refuse to faint and fall away, you will have the victory. The only defeated Christian is the one who quits!
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Praise God!!
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