trusting God for the impossible

Speaker: Rev Patrick Kelley

Originally Recorded 27 Dec 2015

1 Samuel 14:1-14 NIV

One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father. Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the lord's priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba. Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the lord from saving, whether by many or by few." "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." Jonathan said, "Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the lord has given them into our hands." So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. "Look!" said the Philistines. "The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in." The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson." So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Climb up after me; the lord has given them into the hand of Israel." Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Thoughts

Jonathon did something that didn’t seem to make much sense

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Thoughts

Jonathon didn't see what couldn’t be done, he saw what could be done.

Thoughts

Jonathon’s focus was on the Lord.

Prophetic Word

When you walk in His wisdom, hope is a natural byproduct.

Proverbs 24:14 NIV

Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Big Idea

God is simply looking for someone who is going to trust Him.

Closing Thought

You’re going to have to make some changes so God can make some changes.

What got you here, won't get you there.

#DoSomethingDifferent