This summer we’re in a message series called “Heroes of Faith.” The last two Sundays we’ve looked at the battle of Jericho and the battle between David and Goliath. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of battles in the Old Testament. Have you ever wondered why? Of course, some people dismiss the entire Old Testament as not being relevant in our modern society. Yet, our modern world is still filled with literal battles between countries and violence between individuals and groups. Sometimes war is between good and evil, sometimes between evil and evil and sometimes you can’t be sure.
Today, we’re not going to focus on battles with bullets and bombs, but on the battles of life. Life is a battle. A battle between good and evil, a battle between doing God’s will and giving in to temptation, a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
Ephesians 6:11 (NIV) Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
The Bible speaks of every believer being in a battle with the devil and his forces of darkness. Sometimes, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and outnumbered in the battles of life. This morning, God wants to encourage you to achieve the victory in life’s battles.
So, today, my message is entitled “Against All Odds.” If you’ve ever felt like everything was stacked against you or that you were outgunned in the battles of life, then this message is for you. God loves to take people who seem insignificant and use them to make a huge impact for His kingdom in the battles of life. Why does He do that? So that he gets the glory for the victory won.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV) But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
A lot of people count themselves out in being used by God. They think they are not smart enough, not strong enough, not influential enough to make a difference. Yet God wants to use you to do great things for Him, if you’ll let him. Why does God use the weak? So that no one can boast that they won the victory, so that God gets all the glory. Against all odds, God wants to use you to win great victories for Him, victories in your own life, victories in your family, victories with your church and victories in our city.
The background for our story today begins in
Judges 6:1 (NIV) Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.
The Israelites problems were due to their own sin. Since they had done evil in the Lord’s eyes, he handed them over to be oppressed by the Midianites. The Midianites would raid Israel on a regular basis and take their crops, their livestock and anything they could find. The Israelites were reduced to living in the mountains, caves and strongholds. After seven years …
Judges 6:6 (NIV) Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.
Finally, Israel cried out to the Lord for help. Even though they had gotten themselves in trouble, God listened to their prayer. Today, most of our troubles are brought on by our own sin and ignorance. Yet, God is ready to listen when we call out to Him.
Listen to or watch my June 3, 2012 message Against All Odds.