“There is something about war that sharpens the senses “There is something about war that sharpens the senses... You hear a twig snap or the rustling of leaves and you are in attack mode. Someone coughs and you are ready to pull the trigger. Even after days of little of no sleep, war keeps us vigilant. “

Colossians 2:6-10 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. Judges 17:6 6 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

Judges 3:12-31 12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms. 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years. 15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

Judges 3:12-31 16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way the men who had carried it. 19 At the idols near Gilgal he himself turned back and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." The king said, "Quiet!" And all his attendants left him.

Judges 3:12-31 20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

Judges 3:12-31 24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house." 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead. 26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

Judges 3:12-31 28 "Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not a man escaped. 30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years. 31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

WAR AGAINST THE CYCLE OF SIN: First stage is SIN Judges 3:12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.

WAR AGAINST THE CYCLE OF SIN: First stage is SIN Second stage is SERVITUDE Judges 3:12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. Judges 3:14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

WAR AGAINST THE CYCLE OF SIN: First stage is SIN Second stage is SERVITUDE Enemy Years of Bondage Judge Deliverance and Rest Scripture Mesopotamia 8 Othniel 40 3:7-11 Moab 18 Ehud 80 3:12-31 Canaan 20 Deborah 4:1-5:31 Midian 7 Gideon 6:1-8:28 Ammon Jephthah 6 10:6-12:7 Philistia Samson 13:1-16:31

WAR AGAINST THE CYCLE OF SIN: First stage is SIN Second stage is SERVITUDE Third stage is SUPPLICATION Judges 3:15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

WAR AGAINST THE CYCLE OF SIN: First stage is SIN Second stage is SERVITUDE Third stage is SUPPLICATION Last stage is SALVATION Judges 3:15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer - Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy Sin can grow to an obese state Judges 3:17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes Judges 3:15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes Isaiah 53:2-3 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes 3. Ehud had unreserved FAITH in and RECOGNITION of the ability and resources of God. Judges 3:20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, "I have a message from God for you."

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes 3. Ehud had unreserved FAITH in and RECOGNITION of the ability and resources of God. Judges 3:28 "Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross over.

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes 3. Ehud had unreserved FAITH in and RECOGNITION of the ability and resources of God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. Our responsibility is RESPONSE to God’s ABILITY

HOW EHUD MADE WAR: 1. Ehud wasn’t AFRAID to confront the enemy 2. Ehud ACCEPTED his potential in God’s eyes 3. Ehud had unreserved FAITH in and RECOGNITION of the ability and resources of God. "God is sufficient for God’s work…God chose me because I was weak enough. He trains someone to be quiet enough and little enough, and then he uses him." Hudson Taylor

HOW WE SHOULD MAKE WAR: First, Confront SIN! Second, See our VALUE in Christ! Third, Remain HUMBLE!