“A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

--We are studying the entire book of JUDGES!

TODAY: WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

Last week, God raises up a judge, GIDEON…

The people were in rebellion and the OPPRESSION that were handed over to was SO BAD – that this time it take 40 years of oppression, only 7 years…

THEY were reduced to starvation, their land stripped bare, and reduced to FLEEING their homes and HIDING in the mountains, caves, and strongholds

AND GOD finds Gideon, not complaining, but WORKING DILLIGENLY – in ALL he was doing, as an acceptable offering to the Lord

Judges 6:14-16 (NLT) 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” 15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

SO God calls GIDEON to rescue ISRAEL – using the WEAKEST of the WEAK going with the strength Gideon DID have; trusting and depending on God..

Judges 6:24 (NLT) 24 And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means “the Lord is peace”). The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.

After questioning God and bringing an ACCEPTABLE OFFERING to God – Gideon has absolute PEACE in walking forward in WHATEVE God was calling him to do – God always answers us when we CALL OUT TO HIM..

AND I WANT TO POINT OUT WHY was God giving him PEACE? To be PROPERLY prepared for the task at hand

I think we need to remember, that the FRUIT of the SPIRIT is also a PREPARATION.. WATCH THIS…. “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT) 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

SO – we KNOW the fruit…the EVIDENCE we are living a life apart from our sinful nature….but watch…

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

The Fruit produces is NOT just for comfort;. But a STATE to be able to ENTER in to assignment… GIDEON needed a SUPERNATURAL portion of PEACE in GOD to be the WEAKEST man leading a NATION in to war…

SO GIDEON builds an altar as a testament to what he received – PEACE… And PEACE was needed to MOVE FORWARD with God’s instruction…

Judges 6:25-27 (NLT) 25 That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. 26 Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father’s household and the people of the town.

NOTICE in verse 25 – THAT NIGHT – the LORD gave Gideon command RIGHT AWAY – When Gideon responded to God, God guided him…

And SO OFTEN we are seeking the WHERE but we have YET responded to His voice which makes WAY for the guiding…..

Psalm 37:23 (AMPC) 23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

GOOD – defined as in “THOSE SEEKING HIM” Doesn’t have to do with measuring up by marking off your “DO NOT SIN” list

IF YOU ARE SEEKNG HIM – RESPONDING to the VOICE that draws you near YOUR STEPS are established….and HE BUSIES himself with GUIDING YOU

SO WHEN Gideon responds – God says: Get the 2nd Bull (that is 7 years old) from your father’s herd Tear down your father’s altar to Baal Cut down the Asherah pole beside it BUILD an altar to God on this place and lay stones CAREFULLY Sacrifice the bull, using the Asherah pole as fuel for the fire

SO Gideon gets 10 men and does it…BY NIGHT – so their plot would not be prevented by the members of his father’s house and the people THEY EXECUTED the Lord’s command in the SECRET PLACE

NOT EVERY mission of God is to be made a spectacle NOT EVERY mission of God is to be done where everyone can see WHAT SHOULD BE SEEN – is the outcome of the mission – ONLY GOD

And I find it interesting that the BULL was 7 years old.. HOW MANY YEARS were they oppressed? – 7 years…. THE OFFERING on the NEW ALTAR for GOD – was an offering indicating “NO LONGER SLAVES – WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD”

See – in Gideon’s community – BAAL was worshipped right along side YAHWEH So God says – GIDEON, GET MY HOUSE IN ORDER – tear down other altars

AND THE FIRST THING God calls us to do when we start FOLLOWING HIM in ALL things – TEAR DOWN THE ALTARS so MY HOUSE IS IN ORDER

NOTICE I SAID ALTARS – there was BAAL and there was also an ASHERAH pole -----An Asherah pole was stylize trees as a tribue to the Canaanite Goddess - Asherah

SHE WAS ACTUALLY known as the MOTHER of BAAL

THEY ACTUALLY recognized ASHERAH as a TREE OF LIFE – cause they believed she gave life to about 70 other gods – and they worshiped her as Yahweh’s wife… “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

SHE WAS A FALSE TREE OF LIFE And MANY worship FALSE trees of life

WE have these SOURCES of LIFE that are NOT God and we give them credit for blessings and peace and increase and GOD is telling us – WE HAVE TO TEAR THOSE FALSE LIFE SOURCES DOWN!!!!

AND THE ONLY LIFE the Asherah Pole gave life to – was the FIRE that consumed the false god, BAAL, attributed to be her son she didn’t CAUSE fire – she was torn down as FUEL for the fire

Asherah was consumed with Baal - the ALTARS were torn down and consumed by the ALL CONSUMING FIRE OF GOD And FUEL – they were torn down and the GLORY to ONLY God was all consuming - the only role these false gods had – is in their absences and destruction, GOD’s FIRE was ignited

Psalm 97:2-3 (TPT) 2 Clouds both dark and mysterious now surround him. His throne of glory rests upon a foundation of righteousness and justice. 3 All around him burns a blazing glory-fire consuming all his foes.

IF WE WANT his FIRE and GLORY to consume us and spread – ALTARS must be torn down…

Judges 6:28-29 (NLT) 28 Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the altar of Baal had been broken down and that the Asherah pole beside it had been cut down. In their place a new altar had been built, and on it were the remains of the bull that had been sacrificed. 29 The people said to each other, “Who did this?” And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash.

After ASKING AROUND – they figured it out

Matthew 7:20 (NLT) 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. I WOULD LOVE to be identified as one God uses to break down false altars! “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

What are you known for ? Excusing things not of God or STANDING FIRM to give Him all GLORY?!?!

Judges 6:30 (NLT) 30 “Bring out your son,” the men of the town demanded of Joash. “He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole.”

THIS IS HOW DEEP they worshiped a FALSE god and the ALTAR they built to him They worshipped BAAL cause they considered him the god of weather And they HEAVILY relied on weather – to be successful in agriculture

THEY were trying to SAVE themselves in economic times with a false God not realizing the false altar and god they gave glory to was making their issues worse -cause they were not turning to God

HOW MANY ALTARS of dependence and security have we built for SUSTAINING ourselves….. We don’t want to be alone so we build an altar in a bad relationship We don’t want to deal with depression so we build an altar of substance

BUT- we got to - TEAR THEM DOWN

Judges 6:31-32 (NLT) 31 But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him, “Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!” 32 From then on Gideon was called Jerub-baal, which means “Let Baal defend himself,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.

JOASH SAYS – IF YOU’RE GOD IS SO GREAT – LET HIM defend himself Let BAAL pour out his judegement

AND THEY named GIDEON – LET BAAL DEFEND HIMSELF In other words – “BAAL CAN’T TAKE JOASH DOWN” Cause BAAL aint real!

Romans 12:19 (TPT) 19 Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say: “If you don’t take justice in your own hands, I will release justice for you,” says the Lord. “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

GOD will take care of his own justice!

AND A FALSE GOD – has NO ability to do that and WILL fall SO WHY are we scared of the response from the people? The response is POWERLESS – there is NO REAL power supporting rebellion

Judges 6:33 (NLT) 33 Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel.

So they were SO OFFENDED at the people of God tearing down their FALSE ALTARS and standing for YAHWEH ALONE – that the enemy nations ALLIED and was ready to DESTROY the people of God FUNNY – their response to an ALTAR being destroyed caused them to want to go to war – cause THEY were defending a defenseless god called BAAL WHY – Baal never showed up…..

AND we exhaust ourselves defending FALSE authorities cause they can not defend themselves – why – no authority We defend a habit cause it can’t prove itself to be anything but destructive We defend a fleshly desire because it can’t prove itself to be GOOD fruit We defend opinion because it has no authority or proof behind it’s declaration

AND GOD SAYS – turn the other cheek – I will bring justice

Isaiah 45:5-6 (NLT) 5 I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don’t even know me, 6 so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

GOD SAYS – stand firm – I have given you EVERYTHING you need for every battle so that THEY WILL KNOW ME by REAL power and authority that you, my sons and daughters, carry in my name

AND GIDEON, following God

Judges 6:34-35 (NLT) 34 Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him. 35 He also sent “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded.

THE ENEMY took time to form alliances and gather an army And ONCE the enemy was ready to attack – all GIDEON had to do was blow a ram’s horn, send some messengers, and PLENTY of men responded! We will find out in the next chapter – this number was 32,000!

BECAUSE wherever God leads – He already knows how to supply the need no matter what strategy the enemy brings

THE Ram’s horn was a symbol of STRENGTH an VICTORY You have maybe heard it referred to as a SHOFAR It was a horn that is NATURALLY hollow

When it was blown – it was a SOUND of VICTORY before the battle even happened!

Luke 1:68-69 (NKJV) 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,

WHEN WE CALL ON THE NAME Of the LORD – it is a SOUND of VICTORY before your STRUGGLE can be finished And sometimes the way to TEAR DOWN the ALTAR or GAIN a victory in a battle in the middle of a war already won – is to BLOW THE HORN, CALL ON HIS NAME, SHOUT with PRAISE

And I believe when we CALL on his name, and that HORN of victory is sounded – God will send MANY allies with us for our battles…. NOT JUST humans..

Hebrews 1:13-14 (NLT) 13 And God never said to any of the angels, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” 14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

ANGELS will be SENT and LINED UP for battles against things YOU cant see

ANOTHER scripture reads like this… “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

Psalm 91:9-13 (NLT) 9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

HE will order angels to protect you SO WHY are we scared and timid when God says – TEAR IT DOWN

KNOW our authority – it isn’t about OUR power – it is about what we are allied with and supported with and the BACKING OF THE ONE TRUE GOD behind us to accomplish HIS purpose…. IF YOU MAKE Him your refuge and shelter…

SO GIDEON blows the trumpet, God sends those he needs….

Judges 6:36-40 (NLT) 36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.

AFTER ALL GOD had done for Gideon, proving himself over and over again… Gideon asks for 2 more miracles and signs…

Gideon’s faith was still weak, BUT HE KNEW HE could approach God without fear THE FIRST time – he was FEARFUL thinking the Lord would kill him BUT this time – Gideon had a peace saying “lord, I need you to confirm it”

Paul spoke of a law in Deuteronomy in 2 cor 13 – let facts be confirmed by 2 or 3 witnesses… JESUS said this.. “A Kingless Kingdom” Series WEEK 6 – TEAR IT DOWN

John 8:17-18 (NLT) 17 Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”

WE HAVE ALL THE WITNESS we need – to understand:

There is a call on our life - As individuals - As ONE body

To accomplish every assignment on our lives

AND in those assignments – in bringing glory to God

WE MUST not be too fearful to TEAR IT DOWN when God reveals the FALSE altars and idols in our lives….

He has given us EYES to see and EARS to hear

LET US START seeing and hearing CLEARLY The commands of our GOD in this present time..

HE IS NOT a history lesson HE IS NOT hell insurance

HE IS our FATHER AND KING

LET’S REDEEM the kingless kingdoms !

AMEN