ALL ABOUT YOU: GIDEON – CHAPTER 52
DAVID AND GOLIATH #1:
THE SPIRIT OF FAITH vs. THE SPIRIT OF FEAR
| 10-10-04 |
(2 Tim 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
THE SPIRIT OF FEAR
1. fear = Gk: timidity /// (dread); timid, (by impl.) faithless: fearful [afraid].
2. timidity = Dict: 1. subject to fear; easily alarmed. 2. characterized by or indicating fear. – Syn.: timorous, fearful, faint-hearted. Lacking in boldness or self-confidence even when there is no danger present. See cowardly.
3. cowardly = Dict: 1. lacking courage, basely [fundamentally, foundationally] timid. Weakly and basely fearful in the presence of danger: the cowardly wretch deserted his comrades in battle
4. “be not afraid” = 6x by Jesus in the Gospels; “fear not” = 12x by God, Jesus, Angels in the Gospel
THE SPIRIT OF FAITH
1. power = Gk: dunamis; force; spec. miraculous power: ability, abundance, meaning, might (-y deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work /// to be able or possible.
2. love = Gk: agape; love, i.e. affection or benevolence [sacrificial love].
3. sound mind = Gk: discipline, i.e. self-control:--sound mind /// to make of sound mind, i.e. (fig.) to discipline or correct: teach to be sober /// safe (sound) in mind, i.e. self-controlled (moderate as to opinion or passion): discreet, sober, temperate /// FROM sos (“safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect: heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole /// AND (to rein in or curb); the midrif (as a partition of the body), i.e. (by impl. of sympathy) the feelings (or sensitive nature; by extens. the mind or cognitive faculties):--understanding.
4. (Gal 5:22,23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [patience], gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness [humility], temperance [self-control]: against such there is no law.
WE ARE SOLDIERS IN TRAINING (BOOT CAMP – THIS WORLD) IN THE ARMY OF GOD
(Eph 6:10-18) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand [“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” James 4:7]. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith [belief], wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication [petition: request] in the Spirit, and watching [keep awake] thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
1. (1 Pet 5:8,9) Be sober, be vigilant [keep awake: watch]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast [stiff, solid: strong] in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
SOLDIERS:
SEPARATING BELIEVERS (FAITH) FROM UNBELIEVERS (FEAR)
(Judg 7:3) Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people [the called 32,000 soldiers], saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid [the spirit of fear], let him return [to his home] and depart early from mount Gilead [heap of testimony, heap of witness]. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand [22,000]; and there remained ten thousand [10,000].
1. (Zec 13:8,9) And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them [to fuse (metal): cast, founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try] as silver is refined, and will try them [test, examine] them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
REFINING THE ARMY OF GOD INTO OFFICERS AND ENLISTED
gold and silver, Judah and Jerusalem, High Priests and Priests, shepherds and sheep, Peter, James, and John (the inner circle), and the remaining disciples Army Rangers, Navy Seals corporate officers and corporate workers Chevrolet, Ford Motors, Bethlehem Steel, Xerox, IBM
(Judg 7:4-7) And the LORD said unto Gideon [feller (i.e. warrior) /// to fell a tree], 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. 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. 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. And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men [gold - 300] that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people [silver – 9,700] go every man unto his place [“unto his tent” v.8].
GRADUATION
(Mal 3:1-4) Behold, I will send my messenger [an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)], and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly [“in the twinkling of an eye” 1 Cor 15:52] come to his temple [“the temple of the Holy Ghost” 1 Cor 6:19], even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' [to trample; hence to wash (by stamping with the feet)] soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver [high priest and priest; shepherd and sheep: Rev 3:12; John 10:9], that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
1. (Rev 3:12) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
2. (John 10:9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
WHOMEVER YOU MAY BE IN THE ARMY OF GOD, BE A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST
(2 Tim 2:1-4) Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness [affliction, suffer trouble], as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth [serves in a military campaign: soldiers, go to war] entangleth himself [to entwine, (fig.) involve with] with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Amen
