Winning the War But Loosing the Victory

Posted May 5, 2023

Judges Series

4-23-2023

Pastor Val @ Renewal

Judges 8:1-21

Proverbs 15:1

Even in victory, Israel remains her own ________ enemy. Ps. 133:1

that God was absolutely correct in saying Israel would want to “boast about “________” victory

Ephraim would not have _________ or __________ to God’s chosen judge.

Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 5:10; Heb. 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9; Matt. 25:34–40

Leaders must have _____________ or they will make wrong decisions as they deal with different situations.

God’s Justice never includes our personal ________________!

Gideon is acting like a ___________ in exacting __________ vengeance!

For a child to kill a king would be the _____________ humiliation Judges 9:53–54; 1 Sam. 31:1–6

Conclusions: TAKEAWAYS:

If God isn’t in it, the _________ are not going to be good!

Sometimes when we are out of God’s will, we are off in the wilderness of _______________.

____________ causes excesses in our lives

Past obedience is no ____________ of present obedience.

With our sinful nature, desiring to make things right is ___________achieved. Jeremiah 17:9

God did not call Gideon to exercise revenge; he called him to __________ his people.

Trusting God is not just trusting him for deliverance but also for dealing in a ___________way with those who may have wronged us.

One of the greatest obstacles to God’s work among his people and in the world is their_______________.

There is a terrible spiritual_________ involved in the receiving of any blessing.

Steps to Renewal (Losing the Victory)

Are there aspects of your life and work you think you should get more recognition and honor for? How will the gospel of grace help you deal well with your successes?
*What role did pride play in Gideon’s life?
*How can we guard ourselves against pride?
What does this story reveal about God’s character?
In what ways have you had to depend on the Lord’s strength?
What does Gideon’s spiritual downfall teach us about human nature?
In which areas of your life do you need to walk more closely or clearly, in line with the gospel?
How does looking at the servant-heartedness of our Savior liberate us from seeing ministry as self-salvation?
What would you say are some of the idols that distract us from serving God?
What are some good things that you think can cause Christians to become proud or lose their focus on serving God?

Next Steps to Renewal