The Equipping Spirit

Scripture

READ: Judges 3:1-11

The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

Judges 3:10

Observe

This is a dark time in Israel’s history. In this period after Joshua’s leadership and before Saul’s kingship, known as the period of the Judges when the people were caught in a cycle of idolatry and sin.

Despite being told to drive all the Canaanites out of the land and establish the land as their own (a kind of temple cleansing process in readiness for the presence of God) the Canaanites still occupied much of the region - as did the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites and the Jebusites! The effect that these nations had on the fledgling nation of Israel wasn’t good. In verse 6 we read the state of things:

And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons and they served their gods.

Israel were a people devoted to God, a people of his own choosing and a people belonging to him. They were different from every other people group on the planet because God lived among them. Every nation on earth was living in opposition to God except for Israel, except that Israel didn’t like being different. They didn’t celebrate their difference or prize their difference but instead wanted to be like the other nations around them. The other nations had kings to rule over them, Israel wanted a king. The other nations worshipped and served idols and so, tragically, Israel served and worshipped idols. 

God would then rescue them by appointing a leader (a Judge - hence Judges) and they would enjoy a period of prosperity before once again being seduced by the nations around them. On and on the tragic cycle would go, down and down the spiral of depravity would go; it’s a tragic read but one that many of us can relate to in our own lives. 

In chapter 3 of Judges we meet Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother and a man described as a deliverer of the people of Israel. The Spirit of God was on him and he judged Israel and defeated many of their enemies. 

Apply

Notice this: what makes a person effective for God is the presence of God with them. The Spirit of God gives Othniel both victory in his battles and competency in his leading. 

The phrase ‘the Spirit of the Lord was upon him’ seems to be an expression used to show the favour of God on someone. The Spirit of the Lord being upon someone is the equivalent to saying ‘God was with him’ or ‘God empowered her’ or ‘God enabled him.’

As we’ve noted many times already in these studies, what was true for particular individuals in the Old Testament is true for every believer now. Pentecost has happened, the Holy Spirit has come and has been poured out upon and poured into the hearts of every believer. Othniel was able deliver his people from peril, judge wisely and lead successfully only because the Spirit of God was upon him.

In doing so Othniel was a picture of the one who was to come. Jesus would one day deliver not just the people of Israel, but all people every where from the power of sin and death. Jesus would one day come and judge wisely and lead successfully. Of the increase of Jesus’ government and of peace there would be no end. Jesus would then send the Spirit of God on all of his people, enabling each one of them to know the enabling and empowering potential that comes from him. 

You, if you’re a Christian, have the Spirit of God on you. YOU have been and will go on being equipped by the Spirit of God. YOU can be used by God to set people free, deliver them from harm, lead them with wisdom and have success over the Enemy himself. YOU CAN because HE HAS delivered and rescued you, and YOU CAN because HE IS living in you.

Prayer

Thank you Father that you do not abandon us. Thank you that even when your people were in a mess of their own making like in the book of Judges you still delivered them. You sent your Spirit to help lead them and you have sent your Spirit to live in me also. Please fill me with your Spirit and let me know a fresh strength and empowering from him. Amen.