Empowered by Faith: God’s Purpose in Adversity

Devotional

Day 1: God Uses Youth for His Glory

Our students are not just the future of the church; they are the church today. God can use them mightily, no matter their age. We prayed for them to have courage, wisdom, and protection as they navigate their academic environments, trusting that God will use them to make a significant impact. [27:14]

1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV): "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

Reflection: Think of a young person in your life. How can you encourage them today to see their potential in God's kingdom and support them in their spiritual journey?

Day 2: Opposition Produces True Followers

God allows opposition to exist to test and refine our faith. Just as He allowed various nations to remain around Israel to test their obedience, He allows challenges in our lives to produce genuine followers who choose Him willingly. This process is essential for developing a real relationship with God. [42:15]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: Identify a current challenge you are facing. How can you view this opposition as an opportunity for God to refine your faith and draw you closer to Him?

Day 3: God Uses the Enemy for His Purposes

Even the most heinous acts and difficult circumstances are under God's sovereign control. He uses them to accomplish His divine purposes, turning what the enemy meant for evil into something good. This truth is a source of comfort and assurance that nothing is wasted in God's economy. [50:10]

Genesis 50:20 (ESV): "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."

Reflection: Reflect on a past situation where you faced significant opposition or hardship. How did you see God use that situation for good, and how can that experience strengthen your trust in His sovereignty today?

Day 4: Crying Out to God Brings Deliverance

When we find ourselves in desperate situations, our response should be to cry out to God. He promises to hear us and deliver us. This pattern is evident throughout the book of Judges and is a reminder that God is always ready to save those who call on Him. [55:08]

Psalm 34:17 (ESV): "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles."

Reflection: Think of a current struggle or burden you are carrying. Take a moment to cry out to God in prayer, asking for His deliverance and trusting in His promise to hear you.

Day 5: God's Ultimate Victory Over Evil

The detailed and graphic account of Ehud's victory over King Eglon serves as a reminder that God will ultimately and spectacularly defeat all evil. This assurance allows us to live as people of hope, joy, and peace, knowing that God's justice will prevail. [01:01:55]

Revelation 21:4 (ESV): "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

Reflection: How does the assurance of God's ultimate victory over evil impact your daily life and outlook? What steps can you take to live more fully in the hope, joy, and peace that this promise provides?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, church! Today is Back to School Sunday, a special time when we gather to pray over our students and educators as they embark on a new academic year. We believe that our students are not just the future of the church but are an integral part of it today. God can use them mightily, no matter their age. We prayed for courage, wisdom, and protection for our students, asking God to use them as His instruments in their schools and communities. We also extended our prayers to teachers, administrators, and homeschool parents, recognizing the significant role they play in shaping young lives.

We then transitioned into our study of Judges 3, exploring the perplexing question of why a good God allows evil to exist. The book of Judges reveals a cyclical pattern where the Israelites experience God's blessings, fall into idolatry, face oppression, cry out to God, and are delivered by a judge. This cycle repeats to show that God allows opposition to produce true followers. He uses the enemy to accomplish His purposes, and He saves His people when they cry out to Him.

We delved into the story of Ehud, a left-handed judge who delivered Israel from the oppressive King Eglon of Moab. This graphic and detailed account serves as a reminder that God spectacularly defeats our enemies. The story underscores that God is in control, using even the most unlikely circumstances and people to fulfill His purposes.

In conclusion, we are reminded that God is sovereign over all things, including the existence of evil. He uses opposition to refine us, to draw us closer to Him, and to accomplish His divine purposes. We are called to be people of hope, joy, and peace, standing firm in our faith, knowing that God is always in control.

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Key Takeaways

1. God Uses Youth for His Glory: Our students are not just the future of the church; they are the church today. God can use them mightily, no matter their age. We prayed for them to have courage, wisdom, and protection as they navigate their academic environments, trusting that God will use them to make a significant impact. [27:14]
2. Opposition Produces True Followers: God allows opposition to exist to test and refine our faith. Just as He allowed various nations to remain around Israel to test their obedience, He allows challenges in our lives to produce genuine followers who choose Him willingly. This process is essential for developing a real relationship with God. [42:15]
3. God Uses the Enemy for His Purposes: Even the most heinous acts and difficult circumstances are under God's sovereign control. He uses them to accomplish His divine purposes, turning what the enemy meant for evil into something good. This truth is a source of comfort and assurance that nothing is wasted in God's economy. [50:10]
4. Crying Out to God Brings Deliverance: When we find ourselves in desperate situations, our response should be to cry out to God. He promises to hear us and deliver us. This pattern is evident throughout the book of Judges and is a reminder that God is always ready to save those who call on Him. [55:08]
5. God's Ultimate Victory Over Evil: The detailed and graphic account of Ehud's victory over King Eglon serves as a reminder that God will ultimately and spectacularly defeat all evil. This assurance allows us to live as people of hope, joy, and peace, knowing that God's justice will prevail. [01:01:55]
### [61:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:36] - Students Called Forward
[25:32] - Purpose of Back to School Sunday
[27:14] - Prayer for Students
[30:19] - Prayer for Educators
[32:29] - Importance of Children in Church
[33:41] - Thanking Church Staff
[35:24] - Opposite Solutions
[36:53] - Reconciling God's Goodness with Evil
[38:54] - Cycle in the Book of Judges
[40:37] - Judges 3: God's Good Purpose for Your Enemy
[42:15] - God Allows Opposition
[50:10] - God Uses the Enemy
[55:08] - Crying Out to God
[61:55] - God's Ultimate Victory Over Evil
[68:05] - Next Steps and Baptism Celebration
[75:24] - Staff Changes and Farewells

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What cyclical pattern is described in the book of Judges, and how does it relate to the Israelites' relationship with God? ([38:54])
How did God use Ehud to deliver Israel from King Eglon of Moab? Describe the details of this event. ([58:25])
According to Romans 8:28, how does God use all things for good? What does this imply about His control over circumstances?
In Genesis 2:15-17, what choice did God give Adam and Eve, and what were the consequences of their decision?

Interpretation Questions

Why does God allow opposition and challenges in the lives of His followers, according to Judges 3:1-4? How does this refine their faith? ([42:15])
How does the story of Ehud and King Eglon illustrate God's sovereignty and His ability to use unlikely people and circumstances for His purposes? ([58:25])
What does Romans 8:28 teach us about God's sovereignty over both good and bad events in our lives? How can this be a source of comfort?
How does the choice given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:15-17 reflect God's desire for a genuine relationship with His followers?

Application Questions

Reflecting on the sermon, how can you encourage and support the youth in your church to be bold in their faith and recognize their role in the church today? ([27:14])
Have you experienced a situation where opposition or a challenge strengthened your faith? How did you see God working through that situation? ([42:15])
In what ways can you remind yourself of God's sovereignty and control when facing difficult circumstances? How can Romans 8:28 be a source of comfort for you? ([50:10])
When was the last time you cried out to God in desperation? How did He respond, and what did you learn from that experience? ([55:08])
How can you live as a person of hope, joy, and peace, knowing that God is in control and will ultimately defeat all evil? What specific steps can you take to cultivate this mindset? ([01:03:18])
Think of a current challenge or opposition you are facing. How can you trust that God is using this situation for His purposes? What practical steps can you take to seek His guidance and deliverance? ([42:15])
How can you apply the lesson of Ehud's story to your own life, recognizing that God can use you, no matter how unlikely it may seem? What specific actions can you take to be available for God's purposes? ([58:25])

Sermon Clips

1. "Like, God can use you no matter how old you are. And sometimes I think God wants to and can speak through kids better than adults. Adults, would you give testimony to the most influence on your kids' lives or other kids? Yeah, yeah, God can use you. And so we want to pray over you just like we do missionaries, that God would grow you, use you, open doors for you, and protect you." [27:14] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "A church without kids is a dead church. You understand that, right? And I tell you this all the time. We love kids in our services because that's the sound of life. That's the sound of church. And so we love it when they are in here." [32:29] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "How many of you have ever noticed in your life that sometimes solution to problems can be the opposite of what you expected? You ever realize that? It's like if you're having a hard time figuring out a problem, sometimes just doing the opposite thing will like bring about the solution. You ever tried that? Like a golf swing. Like if your golf swing's bad, like do the opposite thing and it'll fix it for like two swings. It will, and then you'll do something else wrong." [35:24] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "How many of you would believe? How many of you agree with this statement that God is good? How many of you believe and agree with that statement? And then if that's true, how do you reconcile the existence of God? How do you reconcile the existence of such an opposite thing in this world known as evil and the enemy? How do you reconcile in your mind the seeming intention of a good God with the existence of evil, Satan, and the enemy?" [36:53] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "God allows opposition in order to produce true followers. God allows it. Let's just pull that band-aid. God allows opposition in order to produce true followers. If you've ever wondered why He allows those things to exist, that is why. Look in Judges 3 again. God intentionally allowed multiple nations to stay in and around Israel, and He said exactly why He did it. It's highlighted. To know. Why? To know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord." [42:15] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "God wasn't creating robots. He was creating people in His own image to have a relationship with children to relate to their father. God has set it up this way from the very beginning. Take a look at the second chapter of the whole book, Genesis chapter 2, of how He set it up with Adam and Eve right there at the beginning. It says, the Lord God took the man, put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, you may surely eat of every tree. Of the garden. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat." [42:58] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "God uses the enemy to accomplish His purposes. I know I've lost some of you now, because you're like, I don't like that. This seems too much to wrap our heads around. I want to take you back into the cycle that we were talking about earlier, those six steps. And I want you to recognize that step by step through that cycle, do you know who's in charge? God is. He knows. He knows how the cycle's going to go. He knows where they're going to go on the next step. He knows how it's going to end up. And He allows that, no, He even uses that for His purposes." [49:17] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "We know that for those who love God, how many things work together for good? How many? All things. Is that only the things that I can see that are working for good? Is that only the things that seem like they're good to me? How many is it? All things. Don't you praise God? He uses all things. He's in control of it all. What does that mean? It means there's never been a circumstance in your life or in this world or anywhere that was not sovereignly being used for His purposes. Not one." [50:10] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "God spectacularly and in detail defeats our enemy. Did you know that? This story in Judges 3, while very graphic, reminds me of the details we're given about how He is going to defeat the enemy of our soul, Satan. God promised it all the way back in Genesis 3 at the beginning. He reminded us in Romans 16 when He said, the God of peace will soon crush Satan underneath your feet." [01:01:55] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "So where does that leave us as believers? It ought to leave us as people of hope, people of joy, people of peace, people who are not tossed in back and forth by the waves of today but people who are standing firm on the foundation of our sovereign God who misses nothing and is in control today full of faith that God never fails and I can trust that true of you today." [01:03:18] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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