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 You Need Not Be A Backslider by Zac Poonen


[b]You Need Not Be A Backslider[/b]
[i]by Zac Poonen[/i]

In the book of Judges, we read of 13 judges whom God raised
up in chapters 3 to 16. The fourteenth judge was Samuel whom
we read about in 1 Samuel. The names of most of these judges
are not so well known.

The first judge was a man called Othniel who was the
son-in-law and the nephew of Caleb (3:9). It says here that
“the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel” (3:10).

That occurred frequently in the book of Judges. The
Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and on Samson to equip
them to lead God’s people (Chap.6:34;14:6). It was the
Spirit’s anointing alone that enabled them to rule Israel.
That anointing alone can help us to guide and lead God’s
people today, as well.

We may be born again, and that is certainly the work of the
Holy Spirit. But we must still know the Spirit of the Lord
coming upon us and empowering us to serve the Lord. Don’t be
satisfied with an emotional experience that you got in some
meeting. Don’t even be satisfied with speaking in tongues.
You can speak in tongues and yet not be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Don’t ever be satisfied without the power of the Holy Spirit.
You can never, never do God’s work without the power of the
Holy Spirit. Even Jesus who lived a perfect life for 30 years -
Who was born of the Spirit, and Who had lived in obedience
to the Holy Spirit for 30 years – had to be anointed by the
Holy Spirit before He went out to serve His Father.
As He prayed in the river Jordan, the Spirit of God came
upon Him. Follow His example. Any amount of knowledge
or natural gifts can never be a substitute for this anointing.
And we need to live under this anointing constantly.
Samson’s example is a tragic reminder to us how
we can be anointed at one time, and then lose it later.

During all the 40 years that Othniel ruled Israel, there was
peace (3:11). But then Othniel died. Again the sons of
Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. And when they did
evil, the Lord allowed the king of Moab to enslave them.
for 18 years (3:14).

In the book of Judges we see seven such cycles – backsliding
followed by punishment followed by God raising up a judge to
deliver them. Many believers live in such a cycle all their lives –
backsliding, repenting, being delivered and backsliding all
over again and so on…… They keep going round in an endless
circle. They go to a meeting and get stirred up, and dedicate
themselves. When the revival meeting is over, their backsliding
starts very soon. The one day, another anointed preacher comes
and holds meetings and they get stirred up again.

Is it the will of God that we should live in this endless cycle?
Certainly not! Today we can have the Holy Spirit with
us all the time. In those days the Spirit would come upon
just one leader, and everyone was dependent on that leader.
But now now. Today we can all receive the Spirit and we
don’t have to be dependent on any man. We can have the fire
of God burning in our hearts all the time.

After 18 years of serving Moab, the Israelites cried out to
the Lord (v.15). And God raised up another deliverer for
them - Ehud. He was the second judge. I have wondered why
they waited for 18 years before they cried out for
deliverance from their slavery. Why didn’t they cry out
within one month of being enslaved? Why does a person today
live defeated by sin for 18 years (or even 40 years in some
cases), before he seeks for victory over sin? I don’t know
why? But it is happening all around us.

Ehud subdued Moab and the land was undisturbed for 80 years
(v.30). But then again they backslid and God raised up
Shamgar, who killed 600 Philistines with an ox-goad. That
was certainly through the anointing of the Spirit, as Samson
would do later.

Then the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord
again and the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin the king
of Canaan. The Canaanites whom Israel were supposed to
exterminate, now have a king and are ruling Israel!
Believers are supposed to rule over sin. But in most cases,
sin rules over them.

Jabin had 900 iron chariots and he oppressed Israel for 20
years. Then they cried to the Lord and the Lord raised up
Deborah as a judge for them (4:3,4).


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2009/7/4 8:37Profile
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Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re: You Need Not Be A Backslider by Zac Poonen

Quote:
Is it the will of God that we should live in this endless cycle?
Certainly not! Today we can have the Holy Spirit with
us all the time. In those days the Spirit would come upon
just one leader, and everyone was dependent on that leader.
But now now. Today we can all receive the Spirit and we
don’t have to be dependent on any man. We can have the fire
of God burning in our hearts all the time.


Amen. We have the victory over sin through Jesus Christ!


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2009/7/4 10:59Profile





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