Posts Tagged ‘thelab’
theLab Staff : Cool confirmation : You are invited to apply
We are developing our launch team, and YOU are invited!
In this message:
- Amazing confirmation
- The Vision
- The Requirements
- The Plan
At noon prayer yesterday we prayed for two specific things:
- That there would be a rapid response to the call
- That people would respond from other nations
When I got home from prayer, Amy handed me a letter (snail mail!) from The Netherlands. He wrote, in broken English,
“I have heard about the teachings of Rev. John Burton… I desire to receive more information… I desire to come in contact with them who walks in the way that Rev. John Burton have teach. I don’t have email possibility. Thank you very much in advance.”
Amazing! No internet, no email yet God use him to send a confirmation from the other side of the world!
Then, later that day, I received a message from someone in Australia asking how they can participate.
That’s rapid, and that’s international!
The Revival Church staff is leading the charge in the development of theLab staff, and others have already come on board with us. It’s still very much in development, but here’s some of what’s being prayed and thought through:
THE VISION
The vision is really what it has been since we’ve arrived in Detroit. To gather together burning revivalists, intercessors and prophetic messengers who will carry the fire of the Holy Spirit to Detroit and the cities of the Earth.
We are very aggressively calling together 1000 intercessors to gather every Friday night in prayer, and theLab staff will be leading them.
Additionally, theLab will be developing a monthly large scale event where we’ll bring in anointed men and women of God to infuse life into this region.
THE REQUIREMENTS
In order to join theLab staff, there is a mandatory level of participation (you basically have to be extremely available and ensure theLab is your primary ministry focus several times a week).
- Arrive by 9:45pm every Friday night for theLab prayer event and be ready to impart into the church leaders and others through prayer and the transfer of our key values of intercession, prophecy, intimacy and deliverance.
- Attend every noon prayer meeting. The only excusable absence is for those who have to work during the noon hour. Those that have a job MUST still attend at least one noon prayer event. The noon prayer meetings are critical as we debrief, listen to God for further strategy and pray together.
- Attend Revival Church’s evening service (when we move to Sunday mornings, people who are on theLab staff who attend other churches will attend their own morning church service, but they will be required to attend the Revival Church evening service(s)). This service is the primary briefing for the week and it’s a time of deep prayer, corporate worship and impartation.
- Attend weekly training sessions. This has yet to be developed, but we plan on developing a ‘school of the Holy Spirit’ where we will train people in the core values of theLab so they can, in turn, impart them into others.
- Travel locally together when I’m ministering in another church or when theLab is serving in a particular function. The team will join with me as instruments of fire as we infuse churches and conferences. An example is the upcoming Fire in February conference where theLab has been asked to provide the intercession coverage for each of the event’s services. (be sure to register at www.awakeningnet.us)
- Traveling with me outside of the region (more than 2 hours away) will be optional, but is still encouraged.
- Participating in other ministries is allowed, but theLab must be your primary commitment. If there is a conflict between ministry schedules, it’s required that you fulfill your commitment to theLab.
- You will have the opportunity to serve in a variety of ministry functions at theLab. Administrators, teachers, singers, worshipers and others will be needed to run the ministry.
Keep in mind as you evaluate whether you can participate or not—these are minimum requirements, and are not optional.
THE PLAN
- We’re in the development stage right now, and we need as many people to jump on board during the pre-launch as possible. You will help pioneer and form this new ministry of revival!
- We are considering 4 or 6 month semesters/trimesters.
- The pre-launch starts immediately. Simply show up at the next prayer meeting and/or send me an email at [email protected].
- We’ll be training in the prophetic, intimacy, intercession, reformation in the church and other key focuses.
- theLab staff will be giving leadership to the 1000 intercessors who will be giving leadership to the entire region.
- This is open to anybody who is a deeply committed Christian, and who will be honorable in their commitment to the team and the mission at theLab.
- For those moving from other states or nations, you will be fully responsible to secure housing, transportation and the necessary finances to live in Detroit.
- **SPECIAL: those who join us in pre-launch any time in February will be exempt from any tuition that we may implement at launch time—for life! (this does not include costs for conferences, materials, etc.)
Contact me at [email protected] for more info or to apply!
The ministry’s next phase : Developing our team
The vision is becoming more focused and we’re gathering together an expanded ministry team.
I have been trembling and awakened to a new place since the first of the year—since we have gone to a new place in prayer at Revival Church. I am SO EXCITED about the testimonies that are arising from theLab and other ministries. People are COMING ALIVE!!!!!
The purpose of this message is to call together an expanded and deeply connected and focused team of revivalists to join us in the ministry.
I’m raising up a brand new ministry team.
Some of you have been with us for quite some time—and I’m asking for you to sign up again… for a brand new and intense phase of ministry.
Here’s what the plan is:
- The Revival Church/John Burton Ministries team will be deeply involved in the dynamic and continually developing mission together several times a week.
- theLab—This is the primary mandate at the moment and must be the main focus for all of us. Those running with us as a part of the ministry team will be traveling from church to church together every Friday night. Additionally, it’s imperative to make every noon prayer meeting that you can. Keep in mind, I’m calling EVERY pastor, intercessor, revivalist and burning man, woman and child of God in Detroit to be at EVERY Friday night prayer meeting. We certainly need as close to 100% participation from those connected to Revival Church and our ministry as possible. We are modeling a part of the reformation in the church for the rest of the city.
- 1000 Intercessors—As we all do this together, we’ll be sounding the alarm for every person in the Detroit region that’s called to initiate revival to also attend theLab. We’ll be modeling this lifestyle of intercession and urgency to the region and all spreading the word and calling the 1000 leaders into position. The call isn’t to ‘sign up’ but to ‘show up’.
- Ministry Events (other venues)—An important element of the vision is to take the fire into other venues. The ministry team will be with me as I minister in other churches to impart the burning of the Holy Spirit, to cast the vision of theLab and the 1000 Intercessors and to pray throughout the event as I speak. This morning at Salt River was an excellent example. It was powerful and we had some of the people ministering revival as a part of the service. However, we were under manned. We’ll have to become more strategic as we plan on future events. It’s important for the entire team plus the entire church body to stay together to advance the cause of revival. **My heart was to have every person associated with Revival Church with us this morning to encourage Salt River… many people were missed… it wasn’t the same without you!!!
- NOTE: I need people to step up to handle certain roles such as marketing, setting up speaking engagements, working on travel arrangements, intercession, etc.
- NOTE: The next ministry event that we need every team member to serve in is the Fire in February event in Dearborn. We’ll be launching the event with theLab style fiery prayer and intercession. With only 60 people or so at Revival Church, we absolutely need every one to show up for each service. REGISTER at www.awakeningnet.us.
- Ministry Events (hosted by theLab)—This is a huge vision and it will require a huge team. Right now we need the team (which should be at least 30 people strong) to form and get to work searching for property, hosting prayer events, connecting with potential guest ministers, networking with other churches in the area, etc. Everything from small conferences to large stadium events will need everybody to work hard together.
- Revival Church—This is the briefing for the rest of the week. What is happening at theLab and at ministry events will be briefed on here, prayed through, etc. Additionally, the call to action will be sounded here and we’ll all ensure we’re on the same page and ready for our instructions and assignments for the rest of the week. This will be a place of wild and free worship, zealous prayer and clear impartation.
Contact me at [email protected] or 313.799.3473 to discuss your participation. This new team includes people that have been on my staff for quite some time and it will include many others who are ready to clear their calendars and invest with passion into the pursuit of revival in Detroit.
Two videos : A Casual Approach : Prophetic warning
Watch two brand new videos—theLab vision explained AND a teaching on prophetic warning and a casual response.
Amos 3: Will a trumpet sound and the people not be afraid?
Last night at Revival Church rocked us.
As a prophetic center of revival for the region, and as a ministry that has our finger on the prophetic pulse of the nation, God is starting to release key strategies to us.
Watch TWO VIDEOS that deal with this issue.
First, head on over to www.revivallab.com and check out the new video on the sidebar where I explain the critical prophetic mandate for the pastors, leaders and intercessors in Detroit to gather together every Friday at 10pm.
Then, watch the teaching on A Casual Approach to a prophetic warning from last night’s service.
You can watch that teaching at media.johnburton.net.
You can also subscribe to the RSS feed at http://media.johnburton.net/rss.
The teaching notes are also there for you to follow along with.
Revival Church Family Dinner tomorrow : theLab : Don’t sign up. Show up.
A whole city weekly prayer event—theLab. Don’t sign up. Show up.
FIRST—Sunday evening (tomorrow!) immediately after the service at Revival Church, we’ll be enjoying a POT LUCK DINNER! Everybody bring TWO dishes: A main course AND either a side OR a dessert.
This is the perfect Sunday to bring your friends and family!
DON’T SIGN UP. SHOW UP.
People may wonder how to sign up to be one of the 1000 intercessors that being called to cover Detroit. There is no sign up. You simply show up. This whole city weekly prayer meeting takes place every Friday from 10pm-midnight.
What’s the plan?
It’s simple. EVERY pastor, ministry leader, intercessor, revivalist and burning man, woman and child in the region (should be thousands!) shows up every Friday to pray together from 10pm-midnight.
A key component is radical participation by the pastors. In a radically divided city, we are breaking down those walls by supporting other pastors and blessing them in fervent prayer.
Check out www.revivallab.com every week for a map and directions to the next event. It’s been POWERFUL to say the least!
1000 intercessors
We are gathering 1000 intercessors to pray together every Friday night
The mandate to gather 1000 intercessors is becoming more clear, and more critical.
If we handle this well, and are immediate and continual in our response, a culture shocking invasion of the Holy Spirit could actually hit this region.
DON’T SIGN UP, SHOW UP
theLab is the vehicle to gather the 1000 intercessors. We’re not interested in people signing up or in a casual connection to this all encompassing mission. Don’t sign up, but simply show up.
Every Friday from 10pm-midnight we are calling the 1000 intercessors together to pray in tongues for an hour and a half, followed by a half an hour of scripture reading.
We are in a different church each Friday night, and YOU are invited.
While the time may feel inconvenient, it is also time that is free. It’s wide open. The pastors, leaders, intercessors and the entire city church in Detroit is free every Friday from 10pm-midnight, almost without exception.
As we put corporate prayer, on site, together, at the top of our ‘to do’ list each week, God’s plans can come to pass… and right on time.
Tonight we’ll be in Chesterfield… praying with FIRE!
New video teaching : Intimate Encounter
The cities of the Earth are waiting for the church to encounter God.
There’s an exceedingly urgent prophetic call for churches to become encounter and intimacy focused again. Head on over to media.johnburton.net and watch tonight’s service and download the notes so you can follow along.
This teaching reveals a serious call to reorder our lives, lock arms with other intercession-driven Believers and discover the mandate for intimacy, encounter and taking dominion.
As we do this, entire cities and regions will experience the supernatural wonder of God.
I also discuss the radically serious mandate for 1000 intercessors to gather every Friday night from 10-midnight at theLab. The times are so desperate, and we simply must call every pastor, leader, intercessor and revivalist in Detroit together for deep prayer in the Holy Spirit each week. This intimacy and agreement will result in an explosion in Detroit that’s so needed.
For info on where our next prayer experiment will be, text FOLLOW REVIVALLAB to 40404 or visit www.revivallab.com.
Becoming Unoffendable video : theLab Broadcast tonight
As predicted, last night’s message on Becoming Unoffendable had great impact!
You can watch that video, or listen to the audio right now at http://media.johnburton.net. You can also read along with the notes as I teach.
Also, TONIGHT at 8:30pm theLab Broadcast is on the air!
Simply head on over to http://media.johnburton.net/live right at 8:30pm, and that’s it! The video should be playing.
Spread the word about the gathering of 1000 intercessors in Detroit. We’re looking for 1000 people to travel with us each week as we pray in a different church every Friday night.
I’ll be talking about this and more TONIGHT on theLab Broadcast!
See you there, and be sure to check in and use the chat room!
Characteristics of prophetic people
God has a new heart for us that cannot be offended, an “unoffendable” heart. Beloved, possessing an unoffendable heart is not an option or a luxury; it's not a little thing. Consider: Jesus warns that, as we near the end of the age, a majority of people will be offended to such a degree that they fall away from the faith.
I have been casting a very costly vision for revival in Detroit. I have a great friend in Ireland who was with me in Colorado Springs when Secret Prayer was functioning. Like we are beginning to do now in Detroit, we prayed in a different church every Friday night in Colorado Springs from 10pm to midnight. It was a powerful movement. Strangely, after dealing with the topic of offense the last few days here, my friend just so happened to mention it as he was encouraging me in this new city prayer strategy:
Expect a good offended carnal Christian sorcerer's curse to fly your way, but just cancel it and move on. If they're really seeking God's power, they'll eventually repent and come back. If they don't then they're not seeing themselves properly within the context of the Body at large, and won't be able to support the necessary ministry to the whole body that the Spirit's going to stir up.
Offense is one of the primary issues that pulls people out of position. It’s a very serious issue. When the challenge increases, when the prophetic message strikes a nerve, a soft heart will respond in joy while an offended heart will often respond quite differently. A prophetic call is actually holy communication, it’s a message that has attached to it the expectation of response.
What often happens first when a heart is offended is that the enemy will fight this call to action, this holy communication, with silence. Dialogue, discussion, prophetic response, revelation, etc. will cease as it gives way to an underground movement of murmuring. The Absalom spirit is often awakened right at this point.
Of course, silence isn’t always indicative of offense taking root. Some people are simply wired differently, or are slower to respond, or need additional time to process the call. However, I do believe you can look at the broader picture and if the large scale communication drops at the point of prophetic communication, it would do you well to gather the intercessors and to pray against that spirit.
There is a desperate cry from a remnant for the bar to be raised, for the prophets to step up and unapologetically call the body to the cross and into a culture crashing reality. Just today, someone said to me (slight paraphrase), “John, you just have to go! Lead in the fullness of your mandate, you have to be released and not held back.”
I want to exhort you to move with great passion, from a place of extreme challenge and full of the Spirit of God. To continue doing what we have been doing while expecting a different result is insanity. We must have reformation in the structure of the church—and the cost will rock us to our very core.
Note that this is a prophetic call, a prophetic ministry, a prophetic movement and it’s led by prophetic people. To run a race like this one requires that you understand the characteristics of prophetic people. This will help with understanding the call and what the focus and flavor of the mission is.
Definition of a prophetic movement: People who are uniquely called as spokesmen for a cause; advocates; a vehicle to advance a movement
Characteristics of Prophets/prophetic people:
l. Strong Personality Innately the prophet has a strong personality. I have nevermet a true prophet who didn't have, in secular terms, a type Apersonality. Prophets are usually intense about most things andare always intense about their walk with God. That is whyprophets often have difficulty understanding those who are lessthan 100% committed to the Lord. 2. Direct - Issue Oriented A prophet is very issue oriented and sees things in black orwhite. For him there is very little gray and most things areeither right or wrong. Hence, a prophet will not easilycompromise on an issue. Nor does a prophet have a lot of mercyfor those who can't or won't measure up to the austere standardsof God as he sees them. Again, the mature prophet has love andcares about God's people. But does he have mercy? Not much! Ialways visualize Amos holding the plumb line as God'sstereotypical prophet. (Amos 7:7-9). The plumb line isrepresentative of God's righteousness on any given issue and, tothe prophet, all things relating to that issue are to be measuredagainst that plumb line. 3. Strong in Prayer The prophet is given to much prayer. The true prophet has areal burden, not only for God's will, but for His people as well,both those saved and those not yet saved. This inevitably leadsto a strong intercessor's prayer burden for people and issues.Remember, the prophet is intense and this intensity flows overinto his or her prayer life. 4. Outward Life in Order The prophet generally has his outward life in order. Sincethe prophet sees matters in black or white, he is much lesslikely to become ensnared in outward sins such as adultery,cheating on his taxes, etc. However, there are two big, covertsins with which a prophet must continually battle. They are prideand judgementalism. As God matures His prophets, this pride andjudgementalism gradually diminishes, but they are always apotential snare for the prophet. These two sins are Satan's mosteffective weapons against the prophet. 5. Authority and Power A prophet, when moving in the prophetic call, will move withgreat authority and power. When God delivers His word through a prophet,it is God's power and authority that is manifested, not theprophet's. Those who have a discerning spirit will know when the Lordis delivering His word through someone be it spoken forcefully or givenin a whisper. 6. Prophets are Poor Long-Term Counselors Prophets generally do not make good long-term counselors.They lack the patience and mercy necessary for this kind ofcounseling. A prophet is much more inclined to spend some timewith a counselee, give that person the word of the Lord, thenbecome impatient if the counselee continues to drift in his sinor shows a lack of commitment to correct a failing. 7. Spiritual Gifts Accompany a Prophetic Call The mature, called prophet will exercise many of thespiritual gifts enumerated in I Corinthians, chapter twelve.Though the prophet may operate all of these gifts at some time inhis or her ministry, the gifts most often manifested are theprophetic word, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and thediscerning of spirits. The prophet often is the first to spot ademonic presence in a person or circumstance. Further, signs andwonders such as healing, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, andthe breaking down of demonic strongholds are often seen in theprophetic ministry.From: http://www.hundredfold.org/articles/91mar.htm
Let’s discuss this tonight on theLab. www.revivallab.com.
Exciting new traveling prayer movement
theLab “phase two” has begun! Join us every Friday in a new location for fiery intercession for Detroit!
theLab “phase one” was and is our weekly online radio show. In fact, the next one is TONIGHT at 8:30pm!
The goal is for every revival minded person IN THE WORLD to listen in, and call in, every week. Just head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/thelab tonight at 8:30pm EST and listen in. You can c
all (323) 679-0954 and listen in on your phone and/or call in and participate.
Check out the latest video podcast on the 2011 vision at http://video.johnburton.net.
BRAND NEW!!! THIS AND EVERY FRIDAY from 10pm to midnight theLab will be on the road in the Detroit region praying with people from all over the region to advance revival.
The new site isn’t up yet… but will be soon. Every Thursday or Friday you can check www.revivallab.com for the place we’ll be praying that Friday night.
You’ll see a map and the address. All you do is show up… others from around the region will be converging there too. We’ll pray in the Spirit for an hour and a half and read scripture for a half hour.
God spoke to me about raising up 1000 intercessors for Detroit. Send this email EVERYWHERE YOU CAN… let’s see God start a movement of revival minded prayer warriors. Interestingly, after I received the call for 1000 Detroit intercessors, Cindy Jacobs and Chuck Pierce gave a call for 10,000 intercessors state wide! Wow! In fact, you can listen to this vision on a conference call TONIGHT at 8pm.
Conference Call – Monday, January 3rd – John Benefiel “A Call to Raise up 10,000 Intercessors in Michigan”
CALL NUMBER: 712.432.3100 CONFERENCE CODE: 940350
When I was in Colorado Springs, I was giving leadership to a similar movement and it rocked the city! We ended up praying in over 100 churches there. No teaching. No preaching. No personal agenda. Just a lot of people praying in tongues together!
THIS FRIDAY we’ll join with another prayer meeting at Dearborn First Assembly. We’ll gather together and pray as they lead!
If you have questions about this new ministry movement, just email me at [email protected]!
Audio and notes : A must hear message : A spirit of insignificance
Last night’s service was simply indescribable—freedom reigned as spirits of insignificance were broken off!
Man, I have to tell you—if you make a habit of skipping out on the services at Revival Church, change your habits! You are missing a lot!
God was moving in dramatic fashion all night last night! The prophetic was ramped up and lives were rocked! Aaron Crider brought us into a place of encounter through worship and I delivered a message that people are already requesting so they can listen again and share it with ministry teams and friends.
The sermon is now ready for you to stream or download!
Head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching and listen to A Spirit of Insignificance.
PLUS—I’ll be discussing this topic further LIVE online TONIGHT on theLab radio show at 8:30pm EST.
Go to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/thelab tonight and listen in OR call in and listen at (323) 679-0954.
Here’s the notes from last night’s teaching, A Spirit of Insignificance:
A Spirit of Insignificance
I. The Gathering
a. A massive mission requires a massive response
i. Key moments in history require two things:
1. Gathering together
2. Prayer
ii. Acts 2
iii. Gathering and praying in the garden (vs. sleeping)
1. Joe Sazyc- The mosque was packed at 6am, and he went to his prayer meeting where there was one person.
2. The major issue I’m seeing right now is the lack of the prayer fueled corporate gatherings.
3. Exhortation- the churches must be full! A weak person’s simple prayer on a night like tonight can be what it takes to launch revival!
a. I’m calling the church of Detroit to be in position… we are declaring that we don’t participate based on what we get out of it… the church isn’t there to entertain us… we must work! We must understand the tactical needs… we need everybody in church all the time. The vision is huge, and we’re awaiting an army.
b. Pastor Loudermilk- we need you in church!
c. IHOP- every day
d. Brownsville- 5pm-1am every day! 2000 in line by 7am every morning!
iv. This call to gather, the call to the 24/7 church is being fought against by the enemy incredibly.
1. My thought was that due to the hunger of revival in Detroit, it would be easy to sound the alarm and gather a desperate army.
2. However, the hunger is overshadowed by a variety of issues.
v. People are kept from the corporate mission for many reasons
1. Distraction
2. Business
3. Apathy
4. An inability to look past personal struggles to focus on the city
a. The church is inundated with fixing people’s problems instead of the people coming together and fixing problems.
vi. Today I want to hit on the issue of insignificance
1. It’s common to feel that our participation, our attendance, our prayer, our response isn’t important.
2. We’ve discussed the definition of religion quite a bit.
3. A spirit of insignificance will cause us to believe that we have no hope of bringing anything to the mission, so we default on participating based on what the mission can bring to us.
II. Insignificance
a. Judges 6:1-2 (ESV) 1 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.
i. We see the enemy scattering the church.
ii. The power of unity and corporate advance was diluted to the point of having no effect as they separated and hid in caves.
b. Judges 6:3-6 (ESV) 3 For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. 4 They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in. 6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian…
i. Step one: In the time of desperation, it’s time to cry out.
1. Verse 6: And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD.
c. Judges 6:7-8 (ESV) 7 When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites, 8 the LORD sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage.
i. Step two: God sends a prophet with instructions and encouragement.
d. Judges 6:9-10 (ESV) 9 And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 And I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.’ But you have not obeyed my voice.”
i. Step three: Obedience
ii. Enter- Gideon!
e. Judges 6:11-13 (ESV) 11 Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
i. Gideon was complaining that things were bad, that things weren’t changing, but he didn’t realize that he was the reason! It was his fault and the fault of the Israelites that things were bad… and it is him who must turn things around.
f. Judges 6:14 (ESV) 14 And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”
i. God spoke to Gideon based on his true identity, not his perceived identity.
g. Judges 6:15-16 (ESV) 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
i. Those who perceive themselves to be insignificant are but a moment away from initiating a move of God that will be felt throughout the city!
ii. Moses felt insignificant… he stammered. One of the greatest stories in history was in front of him.
iii. Gideon remembered that God delivered them from Egypt… what he didn’t realize was that someone with the same insecurities as himself was the deliverer.
h. As the story unfolds we see God continue to advance his plans through seemingly insignificant means.
i. An insignificant man, Gideon, is now called to lead an insignificant army against a city.
i. Judges 7:2-7 (ESV) 2 The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’ ” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. 4 And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7 And the LORD said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”
i. The least and the weakest is leading 1% of the army available to him.
ii. Now, an insignificant man with an insignificant army was to attack with an insignificant method.
iii. Remember David, an insignificant man with an insignificant army (none) used an insignificant method to defeat Goliath. Joshua used an insignificant method to take down Jericho. Let’s see what Gideon did.
j. Judges 7:15-18 (ESV) 15 As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand.” 16 And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. 17 And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’ ”
i. It makes no sense!
k. Judges 7:19-22 (ESV) 19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” 21 Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. 22 When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled…
i. You are significant!
ii. A small army is significant!
iii. A strategy of prayer is significant!