Men Who Beat the Odds

God want you to start my leg.

Dr. Tony Evans says the Lord has preloaded us with the resources we need to pull victory out of defeat something that he wants to grab you or give glory and the good of other. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans sponsored speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative driven sales.

If your situation is serious and the odds are stacked against you. Good God has a track record for showing up when the chips are down, especially when we practice and principles will learn about today. Let's turn to Judges chapter 5 as he begins with chapter 5 verse six that during the days of God. Nobody was traveling along the highway. They went in a roundabout way and admit wanted to go somewhere people wanted to travel. They had to go. Roundabout ways. They had to go on the dirt roads. They had to go on the side road space. They couldn't go on the main therapy. See the book of Judges talks about God's people in a failed scenario. Judges 21 verse 25 said that there was no king in those days, and every man that which was right in his own there was no governing standard that governed every body so people made up their own rules, leading to cultural chaos. So when you read the book of Judges is one chaos after another chaos that's family chaos and community chaos that national chaos is all kind of violence that is all kind of scenarios that was tearing people apart. It was a calamitous situation in Israel because there was no standard in those days.

Enter the Philistines. The Philistines were the enemies of Israel when they saw the chaos in the society. They took that as an invitation to take advantage of a disintegrating culture since the folk can get along with everybody else is making a bill rules since last chaos everywhere we look we have the Philistines are going to invade Israel.

So you've got major cultural collapse in the midst of the crisis where 22 words. Judges chapter 3 verse 31, 22 words about amending Shep God, now the first thing I want to know about sin.is what he did before he became a judge because he says he's a little 600 Philistines went out to board so that tells us what his job was before he became a judge over Israel. He's a phone cousin go is a 8 foot pole with a sharp metal tip on one in and a flat chisel area. On the other. The shop in of the arts gold was used to grow the acts and keep them pulling the plow whenever they slow down with Prickett Prickett and forgets what would pick back up for completing the following responsibilities. The chisel on the back in the flat surface of metal on the back in was for the farmer to dig up roots and to dig up things that were obstructing the process of tilling the soil so that he could plant to see so this was a very important tool in the hand of a farmer, farmers and goats so we find out about Shandong that you start off as a judge he starts off as a phone know why you need to know that you need to know that because the first thing you and I need to do is start where you you know start when you want to be you start where you are a lot of awake until I get more money for education position more notoriety before they do anything start out as the big name in Scripture on this planet is doing is plowing his field. Unless you are willing to let God use you where you are that you will keep him from doing with you ultimately want you to go. Shep God was dissatisfied, but he sees that he can travel down the main highway now the main highways are blocked caravans of Philistines are stopping me from my produce from the farm is not good at stopping me from being able to go to the straight line down the highway because he these evil people have taken over my neighborhood, my community and now I gotta find a roundabout way to go because those were the days and is all because there was no standard in the land inviting the enemy to take over because he's a man of vision.

It dawns on him. I can use this ox goad for morning from I can use this act goad to make this a better place to live were playing raise a family that I can use this tool that I thought was only for my economic prosperity I can use this tool to do something. God want you to start right where you guess what else you want you want you to use what is already given for fees are added act goad. He's already got that right in his head just never knew it could be used for board involvement until it dawned on him one day when already have what I need to do to get what God wants me to do.it says that he's little 600 Philistines with the ox goad as 600 Philistines against one God will only have one tool he flew 600 Philistines with one explored because when you take what you have in God to get a hold of it right, you will be amazed at what he could do with it.as Moses.

Moses, what is that in your name Moses have shepherds hook stick with a hook on God to throw it down.

He throws it down and all of a sudden it becomes a snake so Moses runs as a poisonous snake. Then God says Moses pick it up by the tail skews me pick it up would be a problem but picking up from the tail is a big problem that leaves the mouth is exposed to light, you, because when God wants to show you all what he can do with what you already have. He may ask you to do something that doesn't make no sense at all because that makes absolutely no sense, but Moses obeys the ridiculous.

He obeys the ridiculous because sometimes God will ask you to demonstrate your faith by asking you to do something opposite to your logic, Moses picks it up by the tail, it becomes a shepherds again. Only now he can use it for more than leading sheet because now he can go to Pharaoh and say God said, let my people go to get your water in the blood he can get lights to come down to conduct fraudulent interest income to the Red Sea and hold it up in the Red Sea opens up the baby could stand on the belt and while they were fighting in the Valley. It says whatever he El Dorado God's people would prevail when the rod came down God's people would lose laugh because it was now no longer called the rod of Moses. It was now called the rod of God. David had was a stone as Ali had. But he also had one thing he said you come to me with all that equipment Goliath. I come to you in the name of the Lord. So let's see what he does with this stone when I let it go.

Holy Ghost took the stone drawing until Goliath had Goliath said that hey all, in other words, all he needed was what he had just had to get sanctified by God so that he could now do something bigger than he could ever do on its own.

Sampson had was the jawbone of a donkey thousand Philistines came against him. He put himself in the crevice of the rock in the Bible says when the spirit of God came on him is 1000 Philistines of the jawbone of a donkey. Why because it was no longer just the jawbone of a donkey got a hold of that fee and get something bigger with that then Sampson could ever do on is all the little boy had was sardines and crackers. A couple of patients involved in those.

But Jesus turned it into a Moby Dick sandwich, but he only turned it into a Moby Dick sandwich. When the little boy gave sardines attractive to Jesus Christ and when he gave it to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ prayed over it and it did something bigger that what the boy could ever do on its own. What I'm trying to say to you is that if you will allow God as a man to give you a vision for what he wants to do with your life will blow your mind as to how we can take a little and doing that with Elijah was one-man and there were 450 prophets who were threatening him or denouncing him because of his standing with God. He overrode what 450 could do. Getting had started thousand soldiers. God says I can use all of them because a lot of the snowflakes I can use all of them because a lot of them are chunks I can use all those men because a lot of them are punks give me 300 give me 300 of the right man. I can do wall with 300 of the right man than 30,000 of male C. God can't find the right guy we can find the right guy.

So as a result, the community collapses the families collapse society collapses in the enemy the devil can come in and have his way so that we can live in peace walk in peace BMPs. So how do we turn things around.

Dr. Evans will have some answers just a moment. First, as we been learning men these days have been lied to and misled. It's time for the truth. You'll find it and Dr. Evans powerful book kingdom men rising in it he squares off against today's mangled view of manhood and presents a whole new game plan for overcoming temptation recovering from past failures leading your family and building a legacy of faith and godly influence is time to man up God's way. So we like to send you a copy of kingdom men rising is our way of saying thanks when you make a contribution toward the ministry of the urban alternative as a special bonus will send it to you along with all 12 full-length messages in Tony's hard-hitting audio series, part of which we been hearing today. Get both of these kingdom men rising resources before the special offer runs out by visiting Tony Evans.org or let one of our friendly team members help you with your request. When you call her 24 hour resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222. I would Peter contact information after part two of today's lesson here is Tony so the question on the floor now is how you defeat 600 when is only you and all you have is not code you do that well you don't do it all at one time it sits on the committee one time they cut off all the roads on the highways, which means they weren't all in one place at one time to spread out among the different highways, so he had a bunch of gangs he had to deal with may have 25 year, 50 year ox goad and said this could be a Tomahawk missile shop on one side only of the site and I know how to use it is on the phone with this thing for years. All Serena Williams has is a racket show that one thing all Lebron James has is a basketball. Ali got but what they have done if they have dominated an environment because they good with it. God has given you something every man go. You may not even know what it is now, but if you are a man or you are a Christian back of your Christian woman or man, especially as a man you have been God has given you something that he wants to grab and use for his glory and the good of others the way you did was to pick them off of you because they shut down all the highways so they are spread out and he is so good. You remember Rambo Rambo. He got all these people, but not at one time it was just so good at what he did. From special forces training that he was able to pick up. I don't know how much Mr. you have come at you but if you ever let God get a hold of what he has given you pick off this problem with a pickup that with kickoff. This will take off the pickup to pick him up one the time about a time you look up and saved a bunch of I want you to have a bigger vision. You must stop what you are.

You must use what you have and that you do a little here and a little bath the way you get victory is like you eat an elephant one bite at a time. UAC 600 and you say my problems are too big to work is to be defined as the two big family problems are too big big big big big yes too big for you is just too big for you.

Second Chronicles 16 nine.

Since God is looking for somebody he's searching for somebody who he can use to show himself strong through God wants to show off his problem is finding somebody he's had problems finding somebody and as we saw with other scriptures, especially finding a man because there's some things he only wants to do through man. Not because women are critical important strategic but there are some things he wants to get men to do but until Amanda is willing to humble himself and to say that God you have your way with me. He says he is looking for somebody. Matthew 2214 says, many are called but only if you are chunks that all lot of folks who play football, but now only a few drafted just because you in the vicinity don't mean you will get drafted the play in the pros. And just because you in charge don't be God to do something. Many are called but only few can be chosen because only a few can be trusted to handle what God is giving you.

God's way for God's glory starting where you are walking by faith.

Why does not God leapfrogged you from where you are to where I want you to go because he wants to train you to walk by faith was shown God's secret what was the key that shifted his life so that he became a judge and one man, save the whole nation, we have to understand how you got to be a judge.

Initially the first judge chapter 3 verse 10 the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged it. Israel became a judge. God took over your life as you begin the judge. The spirit of the Lord came in the spirit of the Lord grabbed the man and now empowered him to do stuff out of the ordinary. When the spirit of the Lord came, God came upon him. He got consumed by God's presence.

He wants to. All you man oh man oh man.

He wants us to cultivate such a dynamic relationship with him all the time so that he owns your thoughts all your decisions all your feelings all your perspective so that he can overrule you because you you save my wife won't submit to me while God said the sooner you submit the me I get how to submit the I want to hold you and sell this idea of our relationship with God gets to a place of ownership until we cultivate our relationship with God that the spirit of God can come upon us and consoled us we will not see God's transformation power consoled our lives and been anything we touch with, one man gets rid of 600 Philistines, and he saved the whole nation get ready to fall apart here. Meaning if Jesus Christ comes back tomorrow were about was happening around nation. But if you come back for another 200 years, you better worry about what's happening in our nation and God needs submit what some spiritual explodes will step up to the spiritual plane will make a relationship with him the number one driving force in their lives who will operate underneath his rule so that he can sanctify the acts go and do things that will blow your mind as he starts laying things that are try to get rid of you means is going to give you. You got close enough to hear his voice, see if you have a long distance relation regardless most of the morning on if you'd eventually like you not going God wants to give you new ideas. As a man you brainstorm new initiative new ways to use all talents like the notes got all that stuff he wants to go speaking you want to make time for God. You want to make of the dark about making time for you that's giving them the right to give you new thoughts and visions by what he wants to do what you all men will dream dreams. So when you get all you not supposed to be called Bob for coming up with new fonts and new ideas and new visions and new expectations. One is much as I do every day that I Dr. Tony Evans will have some final advice about starting where you are when he comes back in a moment to read about this lesson, he calls men who beat the odds.

Stay with us. How do you share the gospel with confidence. Once God's plan for our communities.

Why does the Old Testament matter to your faith today. Those are just a few of the questions you get answered when you enroll in the Tony Evans training center and interactive online study experience with Dr. Tony Evans you can grow in your knowledge of God's word and learn to advance his kingdom agenda in your life. Visit Tony Evans training.org to get started today.

That's Tony Evans training.org before 20 comes back to wrap up today's lesson I want to encourage you to take advantage of that special double offer. I mentioned earlier is powerful kingdom men rising book and a 12 lesson kingdom men rising audio series CD and digital download both yours is our gift for a limited time. When you make a contribution to help keep this broadcast coming your way each day all the details are waiting for you online that Tony Evans.org or by calling one 800 832, 22, a resource center never closes. So call us anytime again that's 1-800-800-3222, we learn by watching examples.

Some we want to follow, and others. We want to avoid tomorrow. Dr. Evans will introduce us to one of each.

When he tells us a tale of two men right now though his back with his final word of encouragement. So if you be on the phone right now you're trying to say. No nation you can say go black you still on the phone right okay just thought we got use what you have and you do what you can, walking in faith and watch God, movement, twist things and change things up with things that you want to blow your mind. And then wife comes along and says how can I support I cannot help how can I infuse because I see you going somewhere safe. God taking you somewhere I see you moving somewhere and so I want to get into what God is doing with you wherever you are on you stop when you and you pursue God's presence and his ownership so that he can show you what he wants you to the alternative with Dr. Tony Abbott is brought to you by the made possible by the generous contributions of listeners like