3.  The Lord worked for many Bible characters; will He work for you?  The Lord certainly worked for Jonathan! 1 Sam. 14:6  Jonathan bravely stepped forward and engaged the enemy setting a great example for all of God’s people: 1 Sam. 14:1-23  v. 23: “So the Lord saved Israel that day…” 3

4.  The commander-in-chief had “checked out” during a time of crisis: 1 Sam. 14:1-2  Contrast that with Jonathan taking the “bull by the horns.”  The Lord worked for Jonathan because he worked for the Lord.  Jonathan was part of the solution rather than part of the problem: Matt. 9:28-30; Isa. 6:8; 1 Sam. 3:9 4

5.  The Israelites were woefully outnumbered and out-gunned, but it didn’t matter to Jonathan: 1 Sam. 14:6  One faithful Christian plus God is a majority in any and every situation! Rom. 8:31-32; Eph. 3:20  The Lord worked for Jonathan because he worked for the Lord.  Our focus should not be on quantity, but on quality. 5

6.  Jonathan’s plans: 1) Plan A: fight them here, 2) Plan B: fight them there: 1 Sam. 14:8-10  No Plan C (cut and run); a plan we must eliminate from our thoughts!  There’s plenty of work to do! Jn. 4:35  The Lord will work for us if we work for the Lord: 1 Cor. 3:5-9 6

7.  The Philistines mocked Jonathan for good reason: 1 Sam. 14:11-12  Mockery is one of Satan’s most effective tools to discourage us from the work.  Faithful Christians will always face mockery, laughter, sneers, insults, criticisms…ignore it! Acts 26:24-26 7

8.  Jonathan worked hard to get to the enemy: 1 Sam. 14:13 8

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10.  Do we have Jonathan’s dedication and energy?  Taking the gospel to the lost involves hard work! Matt. 16:26  We also need to hold up the hands of those willing to do the work: Ex. 17:8-13; Phil. 4:14- 17 10

11.  “the Lord saved Israel that day” (v. 23). But how did He do it?  Without Jonathan’s faith the others would have remained faithless cowards.  Don’t stand back and wait! 11  One of the greatest things Jonathan did was to inspire his fellow soldiers to act.

12.  The Lord can and will work for you!  IF you will work for the Lord!  Get up, get out and get working for the Lord! 12