Mark 9:14-30 (NIV)

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” 30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,

INTRODUCTION

Recap Series ?

Last week we looked at Gideon and learned that the incredible potential God sees in you (which he sees in every person) is realized through faith in Him. This week we?re looking at the story of Barak. Chronologically, Barak comes before Gideon and so I probably could have spoke on Barak first last week and then Gideon this week but I am simply following the order in which they are found in Hebrews 11:32

When I undertook my study of Barak in preparation for this message I began to wonder why he was listed in the hall of faith! After all the story of Barak has always been for me more the story of Deborah a prophetess. Certainly as we look at this story today it would appear that she has more faith than Barak. Nevertheless there is still much to learn from the story of Barak about faith.

Read Judges 4:1-17

pray

If Barak were here today I believe he would draw attention to the different levels of faith in the midst of life?s complications. Certainly Barak faced a rather sticky complication in his life?

If Barak were here today, there are probably many things he could say but here are some observations I feel he would make about the faith found in the main characters of his story.

SISERA?S FAITH WAS WORTHLESS

Judges 4:12-13 (NIV)

12 When they told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera gathered together his nine hundred iron chariots and all the men with him, from Harosheth Haggoyim to the Kishon River.

These 900 iron chariots figure prominently in this story ? they are mentioned repeatedly. They are the Abrams Tanks of their day ? the best warfighting equipment known to man, foot soldiers were simply run down like rabbits on the highway ? ordinary mounted cavalry was not even close to a match for the iron chariot and even ordinary chariotry was no match for it ? like the outdated Russian tanks of the Iraqis facing the modern force of the Americans during the War on Iraq.

Yet in the end Sisera?s sophisticated technology not only didn?t save him, it spelled his army?s doom as the heavy Iron Chariots sunk in the mud of the flooded river valley.

Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Today we might say some trust in their money, their career, their education, their intellect but now as then the only trust that?s ultimately worthwhile in the mud-pit of life?s battlefield is trust in the Lord our God. Faith in anything less is worthless faith.

There?s only one cure for those who have a worthless faith ? and that?s to realize that the only one who you can trust is God. The only one whom you can place your faith is God. Everyone and everything else will let you down.

Next I believe Barak would draw our attention to some characters who don?t figure prominently in the account of the battle but who are mentioned in Deborah?s song about the battle in Chapter 5. These are the tribes of Israel who don?t make it to the battle?

The Tribes of Reuben, Gilead, and Dan had a Waiting Faith

Judges 5:14-17 (NIV)

14 Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s staff. 15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, rushing after him into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. 16 Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. 17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves.

The text doesn?t tell us as much as we?d like to know about these folks. In fact, Deborah asks the same questions we might: Where were they? Why didn?t they come?

I don?t? know, but there?s enough information for an educated guess. We?re told at the beginning of Chapter Four, that Sisera and his chariots had been terrorizing the Israelites for 20 years. It seems likely that these folks ? thought I?m sure they waited anxiously for good news ? weren?t ready to put their lives on the line against a proven enemy with an unproven leader on the say-so of a woman. So they waited on the sidelines.

On life?s battlefields today the choice is still a tempting one ? to sit on the sidelines and hope for a positive outcome, but to never commit to wage the battle. Whether it be going out to share Christ with those who are lost, following God?s call on your life to the ministry, or simply stepping up to fill the role that God has prepared for you in this local body of believers, until you commit your faith is still a waiting faith?

Again, the issue with waiting faith is an issue of trust. Many people with a waiting faith simply have a lack of trust in God. In the case of these tribes their fear of Sisera overcame their faith in God and God?s anointed. Fear is often the crippling agent today as well.

Next, Barak might draw attention to himself and describe his faith?.

MY FAITH (BARAK?S) WAS A WAVERING FAITH

Judges 4:8-9 (NIV)

8 Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” 9 “Very well,” Deborah said, “I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh,

Interestingly enough, the woman who had the victory of Sisera was not Deborah. Sisera escaped the battle on foot and another woman, Jael, takes his life.

Now there is something to be said for wavering faith, God can work with it. Like Jesus did with the father of the demon possessed boy who said “I believe, but help my unbelief.” But as Barak found out, wavering faith doesn?t always get God?s best.

We can experience this kind of faith too ? sometimes with those first tentative baby steps of faith as we step out into ministry, or as we (in the midst of our doubt and unbelief) reach out to God in the hard times in our life saying, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief” And that?s okay but it?s not where we should stay.

It is in these times of wavering faith where it is good practice to draw those around us who have a solid faith in God like Barak did. When you?re not sure where you?re trust level is in God it is good to lean on their trust level.

I find it interesting that even though Barak had a wavering faith ? he is still listed in Hebrews 11 as a “witness” of faith. Friends, wavering faith is better than worthless and waiting faith. Wavering faith has the greatest potential to lead to the next level of faith. A level that I believe Barak reached that is found in the example of Deborah. This is the place of faith that the Lord means for all of us to get to?

DEBORAH?S FAITH WAS WILLING

Judges 4:6-7 (NIV)

6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

Deborah?s faith is so strong that she hears God?s voice, knows it is Him, trusts His word and tells it to others.

We don?t know anything about Deborah beyond these two chapters, but to me that sounds like practiced faith. A faith that comes from having heard and answered God?s voice before, a faith that comes from experiential knowledge that God is faithful. A faith that knows beyond a doubt that we can cast our cares on Him because He really does care for us.

What about us? Can we get there? To a place where faith isn?t just wavering but willing? I believe we can, and we get there by trusting today, trusting in the midst of our distrust or fear or anxiety, trusting and finding He is trustworthy?

CONCLUSION

There?s an important point to be made here about changing your level of faith?

Judges 4:1-3 (NIV)

1 After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the LORD. 2 So the LORD sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the LORD for help.

Just because you may have been trusting in worthless things or your faith may have been on hold or wavering, doesn?t mean you have to stay that way.

Some people think that its hypocritical to reach out in faith just because you?re facing a crisis, but throughout the pages of Scripture I see God using crises as a way to get his people to renew their faith in Him?

?Or to reach out to him for the very first time. So this morning if you?re facing a crisis, or if you know that you?re faith has been misplaced in the things of your life or that it hasn?t been where it should have been, NOW, this morning is the time for you to call out to the Lord with a WILLING faith.