Take it by Force
Paul and Adele
Judges 7:2-7 (KJV)
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.
Judges 7:2-7 (KJV)
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.
Judges 7:2-7 (KJV)
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.
Judges 7:2-7 (KJV)
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.
Judges 7:18-22 (KJV)
18
When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with
me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all
the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of
Gideon.
19
So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with
him, came unto the outside of the camp in the
beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly
set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake
the pitchers that were in their hands.
Judges 7:18-22 (KJV)
20
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake
the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the
trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they
cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
21
And they stood every man in his place round about the
camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22
And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and
the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even
throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in
Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
Revelation 12:4 (KJV)
4
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of
heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and
the dragon stood before the woman which
was ready to be delivered, for to devour her
child as soon as it was born.
Romans 7:15-25 (Message)
14-16
I can anticipate the response that is coming: I
know that all Gods commands are spiritual, but Im
not. Isnt this also your experience? Yes. Im full of
myselfafter all, Ive spent a long time in sins prison.
What I dont understand about myself is that I decide
one way, but then I act another, doing things I
absolutely despise. So if I cant be trusted to figure out
what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes
obvious that Gods command is necessary.
Romans 7:15-25 (Message)
17-20
But I need something more! For if I know the law
but still cant keep it, and if the power of sin within me
keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need
help! I realize that I dont have what it takes. I can will
it, but I cantdo it. I decide to do good, but I
dont really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do
it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, dont result
in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me
and gets the better of me every time.
Romans 7:15-25 (Message)
21-23
It happens so regularly that its
predictable. The moment I decide to do good,
sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in
Gods commands, but its pretty obvious that
not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me
covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it,
they take charge.
Romans 7:15-25 (Message)
24
Ive tried everything and nothing helps. Im at
the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do
anything for me? Isnt that the real question?
25
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can
and does. He acted to set things right in this life
of contradictions where I want to serve God with
all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the
influence of sin to do something totally different.
