WHEN the DEVIL'S DEFEATED

Text: Judges 7:1-22

WE'VE GOT THE DEVIL ON THE RUN lyrics:

WHEN I WAS A BOY THOSE OLD CAMP MEETINGS WERE SUCH A THRILL TO ME, SOUL REVIVING CREEK BAPTIZING SURE MADE THE DEVIL WANT TO FLEE, PREACHING PRAYING SHOUTING SAYING THANK YOU LORD FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, SOME ONE CRIED TESTIFIED WE'VE GOT THE DEVIL ON THE RUN. WELL THE LORD IS THE SAME HIS POWER HASN'T CHANGED,IT'S JUST LIKE IT USED TO BE, SO IF WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE STRENGTH WE NEED, THE PROBLEM IS YOU AND ME, NOT PREACHING PRAYING SHOUTING SAYING THANK YOU LORD FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, OH WE NEED SOME CRYING TESTIFYING WE'LL KEEP THE DEVIL ON THE RUN. WE'VE GOT THE DEVIL ON THE RUN NOW WE'VE GOT THE DEVIL ON THE RUN, HE CAN'T STAY WHEN WE PRAY AND SING OF WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE, THERE'S HEALING FOR THE BODY SAVING FOR THE SOUL AND JOY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NONE, WITHOUT A DOUBT WE GOT A RIGHT TO SHOUT WE GOT THE DEVIL ON THE RUN. I. The DEVIL’S DEFEATED when you‘re…CONFIDENT in GOD

Judges 7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. Gideon was surnamed Jerubbaal because he stood against the Devil

early risers are ready to get the job done

you draw water from the Word which never runs dry

Your feet are planted of higher ground

Faith in His promises keep you confident in God

Judges 7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

God will use us but he does not need us to do great things

God is not indebted to you for your service

You are indebted to Him for employing you

When God is with you one can put a thousand to flight

God will not use the proud and boastful man

Only God is able to deliver us from our enemies

Judges 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

Fearful, faint-hearted people are not fit for employment by God

Confidence in God turns away all doubt and fear

II. The DEVIL’S DEFEATED when you‘re… CONTINUALLY on GUARD

Judges 7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, 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.

Too many Christians are influenced by distractions

You must not keep company with believers who are negative

You must keep your guard up by remaining separate from evil

Trials separate the chaff from the wheat purifying the heart

You’re equipped for the trials of this life, prepared for battle

Judges 7:5 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

Upon their knees face to the water they took time for refreshment

Those who cupped the water drank in haste, ready to fight

God will use the soldier that he can trust to be on duty continually

Be committed to watchfulness

Judges 7:6 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.

Many were called to the task of fighting the enemy

Only three hundred were chosen to go into battle

Only a few choose the narrow path to eternal life

You’re among the few that are chosen

Judges 7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

God only needs the faithful few to accomplish his will

Through great faith and courage you must let all the others go

God has given you a special purpose for ministry

III. The DEVIL’S DEFEATED when you‘re… CONTROLLED by the HOLY GHOST Judges 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

They went to battle with an instrument rather than a weapon

You succeed when you are armed for worship rather than warfare

You’re an empty vessel that’s been filled with the Holy Ghost

Judges 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. Jesus left an example that we should follow in his steps

He promised you would do greater works

Be a follower of Jesus, an imitator of godliness

Judges 7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Gideon chose the Lord for victory in his battle

It is best to let the Lord do battle for you

Our victory is in Jesus, our Savior forever

depend on the Holy Ghost to lead and guide you into battle

Judges 7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

Without armor they crept outside the enemy camp quietly

The enemy is taken by surprise when the Holy Ghost leads

Pitchers were used for water and oil

You are able to confront the enemy rapidly with the word of God

Judges 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Gideon’s battle tactics were intended to confuse the enemy

The sound of pitchers must have been like swords rattling

Bright flashes of light must have been terrifying to the enemy

Shouts from his men stirred up fear in the heart of the enemy

The Holy Ghost will put fear in the heart of the enemy

Two mad men were possessed by demons that feared Jesus

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29) Judges 7:21,22 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

The day will come when the Devil will finally be defeated

He knows his time is short and he wages war against the saints

Similarities are found with the final battle, Armageddon

Enemy armies will include Saudi Arabians and kings of the east

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. (Revelation16:12)

They gathered together in the valley of Jezreel (Har-Megiddo)

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. ( Revelation 16:16)

The sound of voices, crashing and bright lights and trumpets

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. (Revelation 8:5,6)

The wicked one will be destroyed with the brightness of his coming And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thessalonians 2:8)

The beast and false prophet will be taken while his armies are slain

And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21)

Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:1,2)