Judges 3:9
“And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.”
The common theme we see in the book of Judges is God's people consistently backsliding. It seems that these people never learned their lesson, and God had to constantly bring them to a point where they had to look up to Him in order to be delivered from their bondage.
Though this book primarily talks about the children of Israel, the principles for God delivering a nation can be applied to any nation. When you look at the world as a whole, nearly every nation seems to be in a state of spiritual decline. We see the acceptance of wickedness in every nation, and God will judge every nation for their sins. As I study the verse above I find three things are needed in order for a nation to be delivered.
The first thing that is needed for deliverance is a people with a repentant heart. You will notice in the verse above that the children of Israel “...cried unto the LORD...” This was not just a cry for deliverance, but it was also a cry of repentance. People can cry all they want to God, but unless they change their actions, God will not hear their prayers. Repentance always brings a change of actions. If God is going to deliver a nation, then that nation needs to repent of their wickedness.
The second thing that is needed in order for a nation to be delivered is a willing and available servant. Thank God, in the verse above, there was a Gideon who was living such a life that God would be willing to use him. I believe this is because Gideon had a willing heart and was available for God to use him.
God uses people to do His work. If God wanted to deliver a nation, yes, God can do it without us, but He has always chosen to use people. It would be sad if God wanted to deliver your nation, but there was no one who was available or willing to do God's work. Too many people today want someone else to do God's work, when what God wants is to use them. God will not deliver a nation when no one is available for God to use. God cannot deliver a nation when people are not willing to answer His call because they don't want to go where God wants them to go.
Lastly, if a nation is going to be delivered, then there must be a powerful God Who can deliver. Let me emphatically say that we do have a powerful God Who can deliver us and His name is Jehovah God. When you have a people who have a repentant heart, a person who is available and willing to be used by God and a powerful God, this combination will always bring about deliverance.
Let me bring this down to you personally. Are there some actions and sins that you have committed, or are committing, of which you need to repent? We can say people need to repent, but unless we do it, then no one will do it. Also, are you willing and available for God to use you if He needs to? God uses people like you, but He cannot use you if you are not available and willing for Him to use. Stop putting conditions on what you will do for God and just surrender to God for whatever purpose for which He want to use you.
We need our nation to be delivered. Let's do our part by repenting, forsaking our sin and making ourselves available to God for His use.
To contact Evangelist Allen Domelle, send an email to contact@oldpathsjournal.com.
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