A Life Of Power

Strength in Weakness

Paul - 2Cor 12:2-10

Gideon

Incomparably great power towards us who believe - Eph 1:15-22

his power that is at work within us - Eph 3:14-21

Mat 13:24-52

Power Defined

The ability to get things done

Know what you're supposed to do

business idea

Know how you're supposed to do it

business plan

Know who you're supposed to work with

Work faithfully

God's creation and man's stewardship - Gen 1:26-29; Gen 2:4-15

Rely on God's power - Philip 2:12-16; Philip 4:13; 2Pet 1:3-4

Prelude - Eph 1:1 - 3:13

Incomparably great power towards us who believe - Eph 1:15-22

Paul is writing as a prisoner

imprisoned in Rome c. 60 A.D.

a seemingly powerless situation

He writes about God's goals and God's power while in prison

Paul understood something that we also need to understand

The prison that held his body did not hold his ministry

He learned a lesson 5 years earlier - 2Cor 12:2-10

God's power is made perfect in weakness

God doesn't view hardships the way we do

God's manifold wisdom is being demonstrated to the universe

manifold (polupoikilos) - like a good movie weaves together plot points

my sufferings for you, which are your glory - Eph 3:13

prisoner of "Christ Jesus" for the sake of you gentiles

Who are you in prison for?

Who are you writing to?

Who are you visiting?

Who are you praying for?

Who have you been unable to escape?

God has established some serious goals for the Church

He redeemed us

He reconciled us to himself

He reconciled us to each other

He has formed us into the Church

This is why Paul is a prisoner for the sake of the gentiles - Eph 3:1

Paul's Prayer - Eph 3:14-21

Kneels before the Father

The Father is the source of our power - vs. 14

If you don't pray you don't have real power.

We spend time on things that we believe will benefit us

Kaplan preparation for SAT and other exams

Lamaze child birth classes

We miss out because we have a secular view of power

like naive people in a system run on bribery

The Father's family is named after him - vs. 15

we are all part of one family

our oneness is an essential part of God's plan for the universe

The Father calls the shots

Are we aligned with God's purposes?

Are we growing in obedience?

for our strengthening

glorious riches - this is just one of many things he could ask for

power comes from God through his Spirit who live within us

for Christ to be "at home" in our hearts - vs. 17

this happens by faith

for us to grasp the enormity of Christ's love - vs. 18

our salvation was a result of Christ's love

we need the ability to comprehend just how far that same love goes

it extends to our brothers and sisters

it extends to our neighbors

it extends to our enemies

it extends to people around the world

for us to know Christ's love

Alan Vincent - "He loves me!"

If you don't know Christ's love you can't operate in his power.

God's power is manifested when Christ's love flows through us

Speaking the truth in love to our brothers and sisters - Eph 4:15

Getting our minds off of ourselves and focusing on others

Forgiving

for us to be filled with all of God's fullness

To God be the glory!

He can do far more than we can ask or imagine

What he can do corresponds to our openness to his power

Glory in the church

We bring God glory by completing our assignments - John 17:4

Glory in Christ Jesus

Forever

Gideon - Judges 6-8

Background - Judges 6:1-10

Israel's unfaithfulness

Midianite oppression

Gideon's Encounter - Judges 6:11-24

Laboring in fear

Where are the miracles God did in the past?

Weakest member of the weakest clan

Struggling to believe

Get out of the boat like Peter - Mat 14:22-33

Getting out of the boat - Mat 14:22-33

If you're not willing to be a vessel of God's power you're useless to him.

Are you a display flashlight or a working one?

The only way to walk in God's power is to try! Get out of the boat!

Internal dialog

"Lord If it's you, tell me to come to you on the water"

Something inside of us wants to

connect with God

walk with "Daddy" doing "grown up" things

"Uh-oh - I can't believe I said that!"

"Well, he's doing it and he did say 'come'".

"I can't believe I'm about to try this!"

"Hey - I'm walking on water! This is great!"

"Uh-oh - I'm walking on water! Help!"

Story of my first prophecy from David Ireland

Holy dissatisfaction

Holy dissatisfaction - it's from God!

Was Gideon yearning for God's intervention?

Why has all this happened to us?

Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said "Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?"

The LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.

Gideon was dissatisfied

Faith works with passion!

Do you want more?

What desire is hiding in your heart?

I won't let you go unless you bless me! - Gen 32:26

If they had been thinking of the country they left - Heb 11:13-16

Born again not of perishable seed, but of imperishable - 1Pet 1:23

Don't complain - Philip 2:12-16

Pray!

Complaining drains spiritual power

Gideon - Judges 6-8 (continued)

Gideon's Commitment - Judges 6:25-32

Make your possessions available to the Lord

Take a stand against idolatry

The Altar

No dressed stones - Ex 20:24-25

Sacrifice

The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost - Luke 19:10

the guilty people who "did it on purpose"

Gideon Gets Started - Judges 6:33-40

Holy Spirit empowerment - Judges 6:34

Trumpet - calling God's people to take up the fight

The Fleece - checking in with God

Contrast God's initial encounter with Moses: Ex 3:1 - 4:26

Zechariah - Luke 1:1-20

Mary - Luke 1:26-38

Gideon's Army - Judges 7:1-22

God reveals his intentions in stages

Downsizing for God's glory - releasing the excessively fearful

Rules of war: Deut 20:1-20

Downsizing for God's glory - releasing the careless

A Life Of Power

Gideon - Judges 6-8 (continued)

Gideon's Army - Judges 7:1-22

God sends encouragement in the night - Midianite dream

Victory

Broken jars

earthen vessels - we must be broken - 2Cor 4

Torches in their left hands (weak hands)

Revelation comes out of our brokenness

Trumpets (shofars) in their right hands (sword hands)

announce God's presence

Ex 19:16 - 20:20; Num 10:9; Joshua 6:1-20

Abijah vs. Jeroboam - 2Chron 13:1-20

Jehoshaphat vs. Amon, Moab, Mt. Seir - 2Chron 20:20-30

Nehemiah - Neh 4:6-22; agreement, building the wall, prayer

Shout

Sword of the Spirit - Word (spoken) of God - Eph 6:17

When God sends you on a mission - say so!

Align your words with God's

Word of faith - Psalm 116:10; 2Cor 4:13

Enemy defeated at the sound of the 300 trumpets

agreement

boldness

Ensuing Battle - Judges 7:23 - 8:21

The rest of Israel got involved after things were looking good

Succoth and Peniel hold back and receive punishment

Peniel to Succoth: Gen 32:22 - 33:17

Aftermath - Judges 8:22 -

Gideon refuses to rule

Gideon builds an ephod

Midian defeated forever

Forty years of peace

Gideon very fruitful

Israel returns to unfaithfulness

Treasure In Jars Of Clay

Treasure

The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure buried in a field.

2Cor 4:6-7 - Our treasure is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Power - Rebuilding the Wall

Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem - Neh 2:11-20

Inspecting the Walls

Proposing the Rebuilding

Rebuilding the walls - Neh 3:1-32

section by section

each family responsible for a section

Withstanding Opposition - Neh 4:1-22

Relying on God

Weapons

Building Tools

Rely on God's power - 2Cor 12:2-10; Philip 2:12-16; Philip 4:13; 2Pet 1:3-4

Reflect on Judges 7:1-22; Num 10:9; Joshua 6:1-20; 2Chron 13:1-20

In what situations have you needed encouragement as you were preparing to do something for the Lord? How did God encourage you?

In what ways have you "blown the trumpet" during a spiritual fight?

In what ways have you spoken God's word into your situation during a spiritual fight?

Have you ever called on God when you were outnumbered and/or ambushed? What happened?

Reflect on Eph 6:17

Describe an occasion when you used the sword of the Spirit.

Describe an occasion when you should have used the sword of the Spirit but didn't.

Reflect on Neh 2-4

What walls need to be rebuilt in your own life? In your family? In your ministry? In your church?

What are you doing to rebuild the walls?

What are you doing to defend the walls?

Reflect on Judges 7:1-8 (repeated from last week)

Have you ever been afraid to do something that God told you to do? Has fear ever stopped you from obeying?

Considering recent events in your life, which of the three groups of Gideon's soldiers best describes you:

the 22,000 fearful and trembling who were sent home

the 9,700 who got down on their knees in the water and therefore were not paying attention to their surroundings

the 300 who lapped with their hands to their mouths and were therefore aware of what was going on around them.

Has God ever "downsized" your resources after you decided to obey him in doing something?

General Questions (repeated from last week)

Do you pray with someone from your Life Group on a weekly basis? If not, why not?

Have you ever helped to train someone in the Christian life?

Has someone that you've trained ever gone on to train others?

A Life Of Power (Part 6)

Pastor Rocklyn E. Clarke - Sunday August 20, 2006