1-DELIVERANCE FOM THE DARKNESS

Judges 2:6-9 – Timnah Heres named after the great battle and miracle of God and at 110 Joshua died and was buried there.

v10-15 – During Joshua’s life, the people were faithful. But after Joshua’s death, a new generation came and forsook God and didnt know the LORD!
-So because of this, God starts opposing them and the people became distressed.
-There is a reason distress comes in our lives! It’s not a mistake!

v16-19 – We see a pattern that exists throughout the Earth thru history-people today follow the idols of the people around them.

-The darkness in their lives brings opposition from God. When somebody cries out to God in their distress…God hears and answers their prayers and sends a deliverer.

-In a logical and rich society, we start seeing money as the answer to our problems! We cannot find hope and security from a good-looking bank account!

-In distress, people run to seeking money w all their heart in order to have the answers to their financial problems…instead of running to God and seeking Him w all their heart. Love of money will destroy you!

-Are we crying out to God and sacrificing as much as we can for God and His Kingdom!

-We have to realize that we have NO hope without God and that we are enslaved to our sin and we need help!

-Our ONLY hope is to cry out to God, because broken things don’t fix themselves!

-Even in God’s church there is darkness that can lead us to hell!

-The Bible says the love us most will grow cold … do we even think we can continue to be faithful for 30 more years!

-Do we understand how valuable crying out to God in our distress is?? We have to see how valuable our prayer is to God?? What and how long will it take to cry out to God for you??

-God sends Leaders in people’s lives to help deliver us to follow God. And we can learn from them and find comfort in God sending us a leader!

-Why are there lukewarm churches within Gods people?

Rev 3:14-20
-When we are lukewarm, we are locked out from the “door”…not asking God to come into the “door to our heart.”

-Are you spiritually blind that God has bought this church to you to deliver you?! Are we grateful for God’s church?

-We need to get our hearts back to getting fired up in God’s Kingdom and see this as our deliverance!

-We need to deal with the lukewarmness in our church.

1 Thess 5:12-18
– The answer isn’t to rebuke someone for every state they’re in!

-We need to distinguish between lukewarm (idle), weak, or timid so we can help them appropriately!
– It all starts with yourself!(plank/speck)

-The solution for lukewarmness is uncompromising leadership!
-Another word for deliverer is savior (in New Testament).

Psalm 40:1-3

-When you really see you’re in a pit, you understand your need or a savior!
-We think we can work hard and get ourselves out of the slimy out of weakness we are in! That can’t happen…you will be stuck forever. -Somebody has to pull you out…it’s your only hope!

John 8:31-32
-In order to be set free, we have to hold to the teaching!

-Some of us (even disciples) start sinking in a slimy pit, and we even think we can get ourselves out and don’t go to Jesus!

Matthew 11:29 – only Jesus gives rest…for weary and burdened! He’s our lifeline!
-When in the middle of Pacific, we can swim all we want, we can NEVER save ourselves! We all need the life preserver (Jesus).

-When you’re pulled out of ocean, you’re excited and want to live for your Savior 😉

2-DIFFERENCE MAKERS CREATE LIGHT IN DARKNESS

Judges 3:7-11
-Same cycle with Israelites happens again…
-When the delivered is grateful for their deliverance, they are fired up! …and share their faith w everyone round them!!

-We should see that we are others’ deliverers and do everything we can to help deliver them! It we be beaming and radiant through God’s plan!! That’s what a deliverer looks like! Because we hate the heart of our LORD!

1Cor 15:58-your labor is not in vain!

Gal 6:9 – not become weary and never give up!

– Am I working hard or am I distracted? The harvest WILL come! – the Bible says it!