 All right. Well, the title of our sermon is the workman's hammer part three in Judges chapter four So when our first look at this text now We considered the ongoing need of the people in verses one through three the need of the people the children of Israel are locked Trapped you could say enslaved Fixed into a desperate Destructive and ongoing pattern of sin Ongoing pattern of rebellion that once again finds them under the judgment of God Jabin both the king of Canaan and the instrument of God's judgment against them has them under a harsh severe and violent oppression And apart from the mercy of God his iron grip over the nation will certainly absolutely not be broken His 900 chariots are an indication of that right his 900 chariots representative is of his strength representative of his power and so for 20 years Jabin under strong military power has successfully subdued and subjected the people of God to severe oppression We noted from Understanding their circumstances though as we look at the children of Israel we look at the nation We look at the circumstances that they continue to find themselves in we noted that it's their own sin Their own rebellion against God that is actually the real Destructive force in Israel as much as they might like to as we might in our sin like to blame someone else or Blame our circumstances or worse yet some actually blame God for the things that happen to them This the the problem they find themselves in the circumstances that they find themselves in or actually their own fault It's their own sin their own rebellion Sin is what has a destructive violent? Enslaving grip oppressive iron grip on the nation right there's a moral restraint enforced under the law while the while the judge governs the people but when the judge dies The intent of the heart is to do evil They're under oppression from their own Sin and sin has led them into the circumstances in which they now find themselves The people don't need mere deliverance from an oppressive enemy named Jabin They need deliverance from their sin. They don't need a mere moral reformation. They need Regeneration right they need to trust in the Lord for his promise and they need to put their faith in the seed of the woman Who will one day deal a death blow to the head of the serpent and that death blow is pictured here Isn't it in Judges chapter 4? We get a little foreshadowing a little foretaste of victory in the death blow that the seed of the woman will inflict Upon the serpent and that at the hand of the workman's hammer Jail Now in our second look at this text we then considered The command of the Lord in verses 4 through 10 The Lord has heard the cries of his people God's merciful, isn't he? long suffering Patient and kind and God continues even in their sin and rebellion. God hears the cries of his people He has a covenant loving kindness toward them and God will keep his covenant He is a God of mercy God of grace So we issues then a clear command and a clear promise that we see repeated in verse 6 He says to them listen go Deploy troops at Mount Tabor take with you 10,000 men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun and against you I will deploy Cicera the commander of Jabin's army with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon And I will deliver him into your hand the Lord commands and the Lord promises now It's up to faith to believe the Lord to take him at his word and to go in and see the Lord Work mightily against their enemies. Well Where in the world then? Where are the godly men of Israel who are going to take the word the Lord at his word? Where are the godly men of Israel who are going to obey the command? Where are the leaders? Where are the men who are going to go out against this? Uncircumcised Canaanite and deliver God's judgment against them. Where are the men? this promise Goes unrealized to this point in Judges chapter 4 because the command of God to this point is Disobeyed like we tell our kids right delayed obedience is disobedience, right? He has been delaying Obedience to the Lord's command and a fear there's no other explanation right Barak is timid Barak is faithless He's not trusting the word of the Lord that's come clearly to him from Debra the prophetess that the Lord will deliver Cicera into your hand go out and take it Reminds us doesn't it of the Israelites on the border of the Promised Land and They sent out the spies the spies come back ten of them with an awful report They're giants of the land fortified cities, and we're not going to be able to take it Certainly, we're going to die. They're too strong for us Yet Caleb Joshua say no the Lord is with us The Lord is with you is any fortified city going to stand No, they're like dust on the scales to God and yet Barak here is faithless and fearful the men of Israel the men of Israel are fearful and Faithless and so what happens the Lord then raises up a faithful a faith filled woman in verse 4 Debra the prophetess Sits in the seat of Moses as it were judging Israel at this time in the leadership vacuum Left behind by weak and faithless feckless and cowardly men. There are often many times there are Disappointed and discouraged women. Isn't that true? Often in the absence of male leadership there are disappointed and discouraged and Dejected women who love the Lord and want to serve him But often in the vacuum of leadership left behind by weak and faithless men. There are often domineering Often deluded women who want to take control of themselves Against the command against the instruction against the clear plan that God has laid out but sometimes as here the Lord raises up a fearless and faithful woman to Follow to follow the Lord and to lead the people so Debra here is that one who's been raised up Debra sends for Barak and Debra reminds Barak of the command has not the Lord God of Israel commanded Barak go Deploy troops at Mount Tabor so here at Debra's reproof you could say Barak musters a little faith Maybe just about the size of a mustard seed and Barak Says to Debra, I'll go But I don't want to go alone. I don't want to go alone. Will you hold my hand? Will you go with me? I'll go, but only if you go with me and What we see what we see is not great faith on display. We don't see great faith on display We see a great God who does great things even through weak and sometimes fearful failing faith so God is going to win the victory God is going to win the victory, but there will be no glory in it for Barak and God has chosen the weak things of the world to Put to shame the things which are mighty you've got the Canaanites 900 chariots all his cohort his troops mighty and God has chosen weak Barak to go up against Cicera and God is going to route the Canaanites Before the eyes of Barak. Let's see how the Lord does it. Let's see how he does it Point one we looked at the need of the people right point two we considered the command of the Lord now point three Look at the salvation of the Lord the salvation of the Lord Now God is Obviously the champion of the story he wins the victory. He delivers the people he leaves Absolutely no question that the glory is entirely his and leaves no question Again that we can put our trust entirely in him and one of the ways in which he does that is by Decreating the ends from the beginning. He says in verse seven. I will deliver Cicera into your hand. How many times does the Lord have to do that for us to get it, right? He decrees the end from the beginning. He calls his agent from a far country And he accomplishes all his purpose right the Lord has said it and he will absolutely do it But in decreeing the end from the beginning the Lord also Decrees the means that he uses to bring about that end everything in the middle He doesn't just say here's how it's going to end up But the Lord being sovereign over all things whatsoever that come to pass the Lord decrees Every means laid out like breadcrumbs right along the way he Sovereignly decrees all the means that will bring about that appointed end and we see those pieces now being arranged beginning in verse 10 Look at verse 10 first Arranging these pieces we have entering stage right so to speak Barak and Deborah and the troops of Israel finally obeying the command of the Lord verse 10 Barak called Zebulun and naftali to Kadesh He went up with 10,000 men under his command and Deborah went up with him and notice Barak is keeping the commandment of the Lord. He calls Zebulun calls naftali and 10,000 men Calls them to Mount Tabor only Deborah is with him now We know from the command that the Lord has given they were to gather at Mount Tabor in Kadesh Which is southwest of the Sea of Galilee south west of the city this is positioned on the river Kishon Where the battle is going to take place? Okay, so first the Lord arranges Barak Deborah and the troops of Israel on Mount Tabor second verse 11 seemingly out of nowhere and With no explanation as of yet Hebrew the Kenite is introduced where does Hebrew come from look at verse 11 Hebrew the Kenite of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses Had separated himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent near the terabinth tree at Zah Anayam, which is beside Kadesh This is unusual. We don't know where Kibar Kibar or where why he's important to the story at this point We don't know what's gonna happen with him at this point if you're reading it for the first time you wouldn't know We know from chapter 1 verse 16. We know that the Kenites lived in the south. They were Gentiles They were not of the nation of Israel and Hebrew was a bit of a nomad and probably a bit of an outlier He separates himself from his family separates himself from the Kenites and he moves his family far north now Above Judah far north near Galilee and it says in verse 11 there near the Elon The word literally means the great tree the great tree that tree is at Zah Anayam and many of your translations say oak The word was often used of any large tree Any Elon was a large tree and oftentimes large trees just marked an important location Oftentimes a sacred or a spiritual location a location that had some type of spiritual significance And most likely in that area that Geography the tree was either a terabinth or an oak. So that's why you see your translations say terabinth or oak Okay, it was a great tree the great tree. It's not Anayam. It's not foreign to us, right before GPS Somebody would tell you go down the road turn at the big tree at that corner and go It was a landmark the big tree. They're using it in the same way now What a coincidence The tree was beside Kadesh where Barak just showed up with 10,000 men. Is it a coincidence now? There's no such thing as coincidences. We talked about that this morning. No such thing God is arranging the pieces of the battleground. He's putting them in Position for the fight, right? God is arranging his great victory as we'll see And that reminds us that the Lord Executes his decrees through providence Lord has decreed the end from the beginning and he executes what he decrees through acts of providence Right through acts of providence. We know that toward believers that that providence includes all things good His providence is good toward us. He works all Things together for good to those who love him who are the called according to his purpose, right? So God is working out all things according to his good Providence toward his people certainly declaring the end from the beginning as it says in Isaiah 46 10 and then Isaiah 46 11 Working all things toward that decreed end calling as he says there the man who executes my counsel from a far country Indeed, I have spoken it the Lord says I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it I will also do it in those statements. You see the decreed end and the providence of God. God says I have spoken it That's what's going to happen and I will bring it to pass right? I will execute my providence to make sure that it comes about I have purposed it I've set the ends. I've decreed the ends and I will also do it I will bring about those ends by executing my decrees through providence God doesn't just decree the ends. He decrees the means now Why would that be important for us today to think about right? We don't often understand the circumstances of our life We don't always Understand what's going on in our circumstances often. That's very confusing What in the world is going on right now, right? I feel absolutely tossed about Confused and if we're not careful that can lead us to doubt can lead us to worry Can can lead us to fret and sweat and toil And we shouldn't why because God is working all things together For our good bringing about his decreed ends, which were always perfect always good Right, we can trust the Lord in that so although it may look to you like your life is in tempest Who's in control? God's in control right God's in control Reminded of the disciples on the boat right the boat is being tossed on the sea They believe that they're going to die and what's the Lord doing the Lord is sleeping. That's called faith That's called trust. It's called understanding that God is in control The Lord says I've purposed I will also do it now In chapter 4 if someone were reading this account for the first time It's impossible to know at this point what the role the house of Heber plays in the Lord's plans We just don't know you can be sure you can be sure that the Lord is working all of this together We don't always understand our circumstances and many examples of that in the Bible aren't there many examples? Joseph Couldn't have foreseen what the Lord would do through his slavery in Egypt You can imagine Joseph sitting in the bottom of that pit right thinking what in the world is going on right now Couldn't have seen the Lord spared him sent him into Egypt so that many lives could be saved right that God's people Could be delivered Jacob Couldn't have foreseen what the Lord would do when he was fleeing his brother Esau right? He runs for his life away from his brother Esau says it go he goes out of the country when he comes back in He comes back in with two companies. He leaves with nothing but his staff He comes back with two companies of people with him the Lord blessed Jacob Moses had no idea what the Lord intended by running him into the wilderness and out of the house of Pharaoh Here's what Moses knew here's what Moses knew That he would rather suffer affliction with the people of God to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin That's what Moses knew Moses knew that he esteemed the reproach of Christ as greater riches than all the treasures in Egypt That's what Moses knew so Moses what did Moses do Moses just lived trusting the Lord Lived and the Lord directed his steps and the Lord used Moses the Lord had already decreed the ends and the Lord by driving Moses out into the wilderness fleeing after he had killed the Egyptian right God drove Moses out into the wilderness to Accomplish his purposes and Moses like the rest of us find out later exactly what all that entails That's all that Moses knows often. We know just as little we just need to trust the Lord The Christian life is a matter of faith the Christian life is a matter of faith God knows we need to trust him, right? okay The Puritan Richard Rogers says this great commentary on the book of Judges the Puritan Richard Rogers says this all Things shall be in time directed by him to a good end though even though we see it not buy and buy and It being so with us though We see not the mind and purpose of God toward us in the particulars at the first and What will fall out through the course of our lives yet? We are sure that his special providence watches over us for our good So that we need not doubt, but that God directs all things to that good end We simply need a sound understanding of his word don't we a sound Understanding of the way in which God operates what God does on behalf of his people and we need faith We need the faith to apply his word in our circumstances We need faith to trust him to work in them We need faith to know that God will work through them for our good And we need to believe it and live according to it, right? Don't worry. Don't fret. Don't sweat Start applying worldly wisdom. Don't do it. God is providentially working trust him so first In our scene Preparing for battle. We have Deborah Barak the troops of Israel second We see Hebrew the Kenite. Not sure what he's doing here yet. We'll find out third The Lord puts in place Cicera the commander of Jabin's army Cicera is invited to our scene and we know from verse 17 That there was peace between Hebrew the Kenite and Jabin king of Hazor Hebrew had no plans to take out Cicera. There was a shalom a peace between them That's a a covenantal word. It implies a peace treaty between the two of them This was an arranged peace. There doesn't appear to be any animosity at all In fact, there was a treaty so verse 12 They reported who reported Heber reported to Cicera That Barak the son of Abinohum had gone up to Mount Tabor and so verse 13 Cicera gathered together all his chariots 900 chariots of iron and all the people who were with him from Heresheth Hagoyim to the river Kishan now the centerpiece of Cicera's arsenal was the iron chariot 900 of them, but Josephus the Jewish historian records that he also had 30,000 infantry in 10,000 horses So 900 iron chariots, they were the the Blitzkrieg tank the technological advanced warfare of the time 900 chariots, but he also had 30,000 men 10,000 horses. What do you think from all this that Cicera is trusting in? Does it matter ultimately how many troops Cicera has? No, it doesn't matter a hoot He walks in darkness. Cicera walks in darkness. Do you see? Cicera is trusting in his might. God These people the people of the nations gathering themselves to get together against the Lord and against his anointed and what does God do? He sits back in the heavens and he laughs He holds them in derision. They're like grasshoppers The Bible says before him as nothing before him as dust on the scales and our God sits in heaven in Omnipotent power and he laughs And so the scene is set then the actors are in place Berek Deborah the army of Israel on Mount Tabor Hebrew the Kenite nearby in Kadesh Cicera and his cohort near the river Kishon and then verse 14 Deborah rings the bell let the battle royale begin right so Deborah said to Berek verse 14 up Up this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Cicera into your hand Has not the Lord gone out before you that may have been Berek Situated on Mount Tabor Looking down upon this vast army and all of Jabin's chariots in the in the riverbed of the river Kishon So to speak and he sees Cicera's force arrayed against them and Berek hesitates Right Berek is fearful Berek is a little faithless So it took the voice of faith to press Berek into action Whereby his own faith would be strengthened for the fight now you and I We know if you've been in Christ for any length of time exactly what that's like, right? How many times have I to my shame been fearful, but some strong brother some outspoken sister comes alongside me and Charges me up and we're ready to charge hell together with a square gun, right? It just motivates you charges you to obey the Lord to put your faith and trust in him That's Deborah right now to Berek up up Berek This is the day the Lord is gonna deliver Cicera into your hand and look has not the Lord gone out before you We often need the encouragement of others. We often need Exhortation to persevere in the faith the Bible is full of those one another's isn't it full of those one another's Exhort one another while it is called today and even more so as you see the day of the Lord approaching We need to do that for one another exhort one another challenge one another It's one of the reasons we have an evangelism testimony in our service, right? So to testify the Lord's goodness and grace in the preaching of the gospel and to encourage one another in that good work That we're supposed to do it's often a difficult work or a fearful work We need to be about that business the Lord says up, right? This is the day I've delivered the nations into your hand through the gospel. We want to see people saved We need to be about that work. We often need that encouragement believe God Take him at his word has not the Lord gone out before you Deborah says so Berek then hearing Deborah Taking faith now himself Goes down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him In summary fashion verse 15. We don't get many details What we do get is this and the Lord routed Cicera and all his chariots and all His army with the edge of the sword before Berek and Cicera Alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot Now Berek as we've discussed shows up later in the New Testament in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11 What does it say in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 34, but this by faith Berek turned to flight the armies of the aliens By faith Berek turned these men subdued kingdoms right turned to flight the armies of the aliens But notice at the beginning of verse 15 here. Who was it who routed Cicera and all his chariots And all his army verse 15 the Lord did that The Lord did that the Lord routed Cicera took out all his chariots took out all his army with the edge of the sword The notice notice verse 15 the Lord routed the army with the edge of the sword before Berek in other words before his eyes Berek I'm sure had a sword in his hand. He had pulled out his sword. They were charging down the mountain right they were charging down the mountain and The army all his chariots are taken out as it were before Berek's eyes If you've ever seen the Lord work that way before we've thought about that here before In talking to a new believer like you would see the Lord working in them before our eyes, right? Somebody comes in there They're gloriously saved. You see a transformation in their life Maybe you're married to someone who's been saved and you've seen the work of the Lord in them It's like the Lord did this miracle right before our eyes. That's Berek Berek's got a sword out and the Lord routes Cicera before his very eyes Before him in other words the Lord did it the Lord did it the word routed humum means to cause motion and Confusion that's interesting the Lord caused a motion in confusion Same word is used in Exodus chapter 14 verse 24 of the Lord Troubling where it says they're in Exodus 14 24 the love the Lord Troubled the army of Pharaoh and he troubled them by the pillar of fire and by the cloud the Lord troubled their army the Lord here troubled Cicera He caused motion caused confusion interesting There's some kind of miraculous occurrence here That has been brought about by the Lord to cause motion to cause Confusion to cause trouble for Cicera and his army and the Lord does it more about that in a moment look at verse 16 then But then Berek He pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harasheth Hagoyim and all the army of Cicera fell by the edge of the sword Not a man was left in case you didn't get the all He adds not a man was left in absolute miraculous victory miraculous victory Behold the victory that God delivered through obedient faith weak and delayed as it may have been Is there any doubt the Lord God did this the Lord God did this Is there any doubt that he can and that he will Accomplished all that he is purposed for you through the same means. Is there any doubt that God would do that? God Delights to give victory through faith. God delights to give victory through faith up right up Obey the Lord. He has delivered your enemies into your hand. Obey the Lord This is a great victory, but the details are a bit sparse. How did God do it or we're given a little indication in chapter 5 Beginning in verse 19 flip the page. Look at judges chapter 5 and drop down there to verse 19 verse 19 and verse 19 the kings came and fought Then the kings of Canaan fought in ta'anak by the waters of Megiddo That's how this is this location is referred to here in verse 19. They took no spoils of silver They took no spoils because they were routed They had no spoils, right? They lost In verse in chapter 4 verse 13. It's the river Kishon. That's the Marker if you will of the location the Kishon was a river that ran through the Jezreel Valley We know that geography from the Bible the Jezreel Valley here. It's the waters of Megiddo Megiddo was a stronghold or a fortress that was along the river in that Jezreel Valley Ta'anak was the town nearby often Ta'anak and the stronghold of Megiddo were associated with one another and the river Kishon was often called the waters of Megiddo That was the river that fed the stronghold at Megiddo That says in verse 20 then they fought from the heavens. That's interesting the stars From their courses fought against Cicera in other words heavenly forces are at work here This is a way of describing that God was at work fighting from the heavens the stars from their courses fought against Cicera and Verse 21 here it is the torrent of Kishon swept them away that ancient torrent the torrent of Kishon. Oh My soul Deborah sings right march on in strength go forth and Conquer that should be our response. We read a story like this. We see the Lord work as he does our Response should be oh my soul. Oh My soul today, maybe in our colloquialism. It might be oh my goodness. We don't have any goodness They would be better to say oh my soul. Oh my soul. What has the Lord done? March on in strength right behold the victory that the Lord has won the Lord has conquered our enemies as well Hasn't he Lord has conquered our enemies as well. Oh my soul march on in strength the word translated river in reference to the Kishon Better refers to a wadi the word is wadi a wadi Was a dry riverbed in a valley as this one was in the Kishon Valley the Jezreel Valley Was a dry riverbed that acted like a channel water would pour out of the mountains and would flow through that channel So when there were heavy rains, where did the rain go especially on those mountaintops? The rain would pour down off the mountains into that channel into that valley and it would rush through like a flood Right. That's the torrent the torrent of the Kishon Wadi was a dry riverbed That dry riverbed as it would begin to get wet would turn into a bog It was saying that you've seen a dry riverbed before right it would turn into a bog Things would sink down into the dry riverbed old westerns Referred to this as a gulch or a gully washer. This was a gulch or a gully washer Easy to cross when dry clear Open easy to get an iron chariot across when that thing got wet when there was water beginning to collect What would happen to an iron chariot? They're made of iron a thing would have sunk would have been absolutely Useless in the soft sand the dirt of the basin would have turned into a bog When the water began to collect when the torrent and the heavy rains came when the flood came well What was a wadi in chapter 4 verse 13 became a torrent in chapter 5 verse 21 Sweeping the army of Cicera away and we see the weapon that the Lord used so to speak to take out Cicera and his armies it's not unlike the Lord taking out Pharaoh and his armies in the Red Sea isn't it Lord used those waters Certainly those chariots made of iron Became uselessly bogged down in the mud of that riverbed and the water like a torrent sweeping most of the infantry Sweeping the horses away those that were left were pursued the Bible says put to the edge of the sword until not a man Was left the Jez the Jezreel Valley became a death trap a Death trap the Jezreel Valley became a death trap for all except one Look at verse 17 chapter 4 verse 17. However Cicera had fled away on foot To the tent of Jez the wife of Heber the Kenite For there was peace between Jaban king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite Why is it in chapter 4 verse 17 that Cicera would leave the safety of his chariot and flee away on foot? It's because his chariot was bogged down in the mud So Cicera had to alight from his chariot and flee on foot. He left it stuck in the mud of the wadi and Cicera's chariots then what were What did the Lord do with the might and power of Cicera and the Kenites? What did the Lord do he brought them to literally nothing in a moment? Brought them to absolute nothing Cicera's chariots served him no better than Goliath's strength No better than Goliath's size No, better than Goliath's spear No, better than Goliath's sword David used his sword to cut off his head with it He left Cicera right Cicera's chariot served him no better than Nabal's wealth Nabal died Cicera's chariots served him no better than Ahithophel's wisdom. Ahithophel committed suicide Cicera's chariots served him no better than Haman's favor with the king Haman was hung on the guillotine on the The structure that he built It served Cicera no better than the Pharisees formalism and It served Cicera no better than will your bank account Your job your wealth your strength your health your family your anything It can be brought to nothing in a moment What matters the Lord matters faith in him What has happened all those things in which Cicera has placed his trust they are bogged down in the mud Just remember How easy it would be for the Lord to sink your trusted idols into the mud and make them literally worthless So Cicera in chapter 4 verse 17 seeks refuge then with a known alley ally and here enters Heber the Kenite Right the Kenites were allies of Israel in the south But Hebrew it obviously broken ties with the Kenites in the south moved north And there in the north he's made a covenant of peace a shalom with Jabin the Canaanite king Well, we'll consider what happens to Cicera Next week as we conclude our study of the workman's hammer But suffice it to say for now that his dreams of a peaceful retreat his dreams of a peaceful rest from battle Turn into a violent and disturbing nightmare With a tent peg through his head The victory won over Cicera that day was to be sure the Lord's victory however The Lord chose to provide that deliverance Chose to provide that salvation through faith weak as it was That brothers and sisters should serve to strengthen our faith that should strengthen embolden your faith my faith Should serve to embolden us strengthen us when we face the armies of our enemies arrayed in all our Air force before our eyes when we fall into fear doubt confusion discouragement the Lord is our anchor The Lord is our triumph faith is Apart is our part in the victory our part in the triumph the Lord has decreed it so Lord's gonna get the victory But he's also decreed the means Through which the victory will come about and that means is our faith And it's interesting how faith gives all the credit all the glory to God God gets all the glory God gets all the credit and we can sit back and say oh my soul But oh my soul march on in strength march on in strength first John chapter 5 verse 4 John says for whatever is born of God Overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world our Faith who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God It's easy often easy isn't it for us to sit back and say well these are just Bible stories these are Nice that we can listen to him that way And when you were a kid and you sat down in a circle and teacher came for story time and she opened a little book and gave you a little story Easy to think about Bible stories that way. This is not this is not that way These are not just little quaint Bible stories to capture our imagination or capture our attention It's easy to detach ourselves from the people and the places and the times and the events and the circumstances and the very real Judgment and the very real faith and the very real victory We can detach ourselves from those things and when you do you render These as nothing more than stories to you These are not just stories These are historical accounts and the Lord has recorded them the Lord has decreed them in his word For our example for our admonition upon whom the end of the ages has come We're not to see them as just quaint little stories. We are to be charged up by them. We are to think to ourselves. Oh my soul March on in strength And it has been this way throughout the ages throughout the ages God has magnified his word God has magnified his will God has magnified his purposes God has magnified his strength and his power and his might Through these biblical accounts in this way through faith It will be in this same way that God will magnify his word and magnify his will in our day in our Circumstances, he will magnify his will. He'll magnify his purposes He'll magnify his decrees through his word through faith through our faith in our day He'll magnify himself. He'll magnify the Lord Jesus Christ, right? He'll glorify the work of God in us through your faith in him And what hardship have you faced in your life that rises to the level of hardship faced here by the Israelites under Jabin king of Azor and what trials have we faced at? What point have you ever have you ever faced? 900 iron chariots, 30,000 men, 10,000 horses flying off Mount Tabor with a sword in your hand to go to battle When have we ever even come close to anything like that? And sometimes we get fraught with worry and distrust just on the drive to work in the morning, right? Mercy, are we not often as weak in faith and weaker, weaker than Barak? Barak through faith turned alien armies to flight Hebrews chapter 11 Let the wicked mock and laugh, let this world heaps scorn upon you He who has begun a good work in you will complete it Until the day of Jesus Christ. He will Complete it. I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day So let this Let this account of God's greatness. Let this account of God's power Let this account of God's sovereignty God's providence God's working in history Let this account of God's faithfulness his covenant loving kindness Let this account of God's deliverance God's salvation strengthen and Bolden your faith to obey the Lord our God and to go forth and conquer, right? Oh my soul march on in strength We'll close with the words of David from Psalm chapter 20 verse 6. He says now I know I know It's such confidence right such faith easy to pass over those words David says I Know I know that the Lord saves his anointed He will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand Some trust in chariots some trust in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God They have bowed down and fallen look They've been bogged down in a gulch, right? Their iron chariots have come to nothing their inventory is gone their horses are gone They have bowed down and fallen David says, but we have risen and stand up, right? Put your faith and trust in the Lord who always leads us in triumph All praise honor and glory to the Lord our God and the saving strength of his right hand amen Amen, let's pray Father in heaven praise be to your name Praise be to you Lord all honor and glory and praise and worship and might and dominion and power be to you our Victorious and conquering King Thank you Lord that you go before us. Thank you Lord that you are the one who gains the victory your might your power Your right hand is earned for us secured for us the victory in Christ Jesus our Lord and Praise you praise be to you Lord that you use the means of our faith to bring that about just trusting you Looking at you work and watching your glorious might your glorious power at work. Oh My soul Lord, we love you. We praise you. We worship you. We thank you for this Help us Lord to be charged up in bold and fueled in our faith Lord Strengthen us help our unbelief Help us to trust in you to follow hard after you to obey you to march on in victory to march on and conquer Because you Lord have secured Peace from our enemies all around you've won the victory in Christ We praise you and thank you for that Lord help us to be strong in the power of your might and to walk in Triumph in Christ Jesus our Lord. We love you. We praise you. We thank you for these things often in this world We're faced with circumstances that will cause us to fear and to doubt We praise you that you are our strength help us Lord by your spirit to look to you and Gift us faith Lord to live the Christian life to persevere to the end in obedience to your word and Lord I pray that you would encourage your people with fruit in their battle Lord lay the enemies in the valley before them They might see the victory of our God and glorify your great name and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in it for your everlasting Praise we pray these things in his name. Amen