4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7 The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites “ Judges 7:3-7.
I encourage you to read the book of Judges afresh. It is the story of how people of Israel fresh from Egypt settled in the Promised Land God gave them. It is the story of how ungrateful and unfaithful human beings can be to their creator and how God can keep his promise even when we fail to. It is the story of people preferring to worship idols the gods of the land to the Savior of their soul. It is the story of how people always at the final analysis when they have done everything and it fails they remember God can save them and as soon as they cry to God he comes to their rescue. It is the story of how God uses men that are willing, fearless, capable, loyal , confident to achieve his noble and principled objectives among men.
The first Judge was Othniel the son in-law and nephew of the gallant soldiers Caleb who demanded for the sons of Anak and conquered the mountains . “But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge” Jud 3:9-10
Next was Ehud,the left handed man who thrusted a double edge dagger to the fact belly of Eglon. “Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.” Jud 3:21.
“After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.”Jud 3:31
Next was Deborah. “Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time.” Judges 4:3. God supported her with Barrak and defeated Sisera the army captain with the courageous woman Jael. “But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.” Jug 4:21.
Next was Gideon. He was selected by God to deliver the people . He went to look for 33,000 people to fight the Midianites- in my words God said these are the irrelevant crowd! As you read in the passage above he whittle them down to 300 courageous men. The question the Holy Spirit is asking you this morning is simple - Are you part of the irrelevant crowd in the your family, church, and in the body of Christ? The enemy of the church has never diminished, as a matter of fact they are increasing, and they change their tactics, methods to frustrate the people of God and slow down God’s plan of salvation. Yes, the gates of hell shall not prevail, but God needs a formidable army. Men are God’s methods. God needs men not boys. God needs Moses, Joshua, Othniels,Jeuds. God needs Deborahs, Jaels,women that knocks king’s down with wisdom. God has no need of the 22,000 crowd who are in church for what they can get from God and are not willing to lift up their finger for a just cause for the Jesus they profess as Saviour and Lord. Men and women out of fear who go to their place of work and have every reason why they cannot mention the name of Jesus or contribute meaningfully to the society at large.
God does not need 10,000 less 300 men who burry themselves in water! Men who bury themselves in their wealth, position, power and are irrelevant to what God is doing in His kingdom.
How do you know whether you are among the irrelevant crowd? Simply ask yourself, what is my contribution to my community, church, nation building? If all your focus is about yourself- make a U-turn. Scoop water with your hands from the ocean and drink like a soldier.If all you do is just complain, forward negative information around on social media, never thought of solution to the multi faceted challenges facing our generation, your church, your community you are part of the irrelevant crowd!
Conclusion: God needs 300 men that will rise and follow their Gideon minded leaders, pastors , politicians who are courageous to defeat the Midianites. The terrorist, the kidnappers, the bandits, corrupters, the cheaters, loafers are the Midianites, Moabites,that are troubling our God giving promise land. We need Christians that will use their wisdom, talents, gifts and resources to win souls, govern their corporations, factories, ministries, parastatals, churches, cities, provinces, nations and continent. No wonder Jesus chose different disciples of different levels and sizes the inner three, the dependable and reliable twelve, the usable seventy and only fed the multitude! The church the nations are tired of irrelevant crowd! Come out of them Paul warns and be separate! Time is ticking the coming of the Lord is near what will be your reason for being an unprofitable servant of the judgment day. Today is not too late, tomorrow may be too late. Jesus love you so do I.
Shalom.
