Is There A Warrior Among Us? | 5.14.23 | Sunday AM | On Fire Christian Church
Is There A Warrior Among Us?
“Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.” Proverbs 14:4 NKJV
No oxen, clean trough
The crib and stable may be easily kept clean where there are few or no oxen: but there is so much advantage arising from tilling the ground, that it is better to have a litter with plenty of oxen, than to have great neatness without them. Some think this is spoken of those who boast much of constant neatness about their houses, &c., which, at the same time, shows they carry on but little business. For where there is much business done, and many persons coming and going, there will necessarily be oftentimes less cleanliness and neatness.
Sometimes we can complain about a dirty church or dirty bathrooms or this or that. But if we never used the bathrooms in a church there would be no people.
Things break because here are people using them.
Having a sword that never gets dirty and being content in that opens a door for an apathetic heart and for a person that never wants to get his sword dirty or enter into battle
Touching people’s lives invades our lives and can be taxing at times and excuses can be made for this invasion of our lives
“Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’” Luke 10:30-35 NKJV
During the times of the Judges we read of Gods Children bound for over 20 years and God hears their cries and looks for help among them. Help was not coming from outside but from within
God speaks to a woman named Deborah and lays out a plan of action for deliverance
“When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Hagoyim. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.” Judges 4:1-3 NKJV
God sought warriors to arise to bring deliverance to more than just themselves
“Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?” Judges 4:6-7 NKJV
“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord!”. Judges 5:2 NKJV
A leader must lead and people must follow
Deborah called on Zebulon and Naphtali
“Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.”Judges 5:18 NKJV
Prior to this verse we read some disturbing things about those who were settled in apathy and decided to stay away from the battle and turn a cheek to the true condition of their brothers
“And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; As Issachar, so was Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolves of heart. Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets.”. Judges 5:15-17 NKJV
This verse starts with commending Issachar as princes for their warrior likeness but doesn’t end there
Divisions-would be families or clans
It is a pity that the verse does not end here, for the next clause begins the description of “the malingerers,” whose cowardice or selfishness is triumphantly contrasted with the heroic daring of Zebulon and Naphtali
Malingerers are those who pretend or exaggerate incapacity or illness
Do you know someone who always seems to develop an excuse when there is work to be done ?
The love of ease enervates many a one who should be doing valiantly for the ‘Captain of his salvation.’ The men of Reuben cared more for their sheep than for their nation.
why did Dan remain in ships? the Danites inhabiting Joppa, and other places bordering on the Mediterranean sea, attended their navigation and merchandise; and which they chose rather to do, than to appear in the field of battle in the behalf of their brethren; judging this to be a sufficient excuse,
Asher continued on the sea shore; on the shore of the Mediterranean sea, attending traffic and business, and did not concern themselves at all in this war:
“When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Luke 22:45-48 NKJV
“Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” Psalms 94:16 NKJV
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV
At Salvation you have entered into a battle and are training for war
Opposing forces seek to destroy but God raises His Church to display His glory
“to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,” Ephesians 3:10 NKJV
The church with all diversity of gifts and callings must come together in this last hour to place the jewel of a soul In the crown of the savior that the lamb of God lay receive the reward of His suffering
It’s time to enter the battle no matter how unpleasant or how much it messes up our schedule
Our lives must become a drink offering
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price.” I Corinthians 6:19-20
