What is a cycle?

A cycle is defined as a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.

Judges, chapter 6, Israel were in a deadly cycle. For 7 years the enemy was doing what the enemy does best: Steal, Kill, and Destroy. Here’s the sad thing: they allowed the enemy to do that. Through disobedience, walking away from God, they opened up that door.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10 NKJ)

• Jesus came to not only break that cycle but to give you abundant life!
• Jesus came to restore your true identity

God finds Gideon hiding in a hole and reminds him of his true identity: Gideon – Destroyer- Cycle Breaker. God gives him his marching orders into the battle in verse 14:

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “GO WITH THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE, AND RESCUE ISRAEL FROM THE MIDIANITES. I AM SENDING YOU!” (Judges 6:14 NLT)

God has His own rules of engagement when it comes to breaking the cycle.

#1 LET GOD SET THE STAGE

Break the cycle starts when you let God set the stage

Don’t try to control the circumstances for the battle. Let Go and Let God.

• Lead with humility and not fear
• Be teachable.

So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the SPRING OF HAROD. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the HILL OF MOREH (Judges 7:1 NLT)

• A teachable/ humble moment for Gideon
• Harod means Fear.
• Moreh means Teacher.
• Fear, doubt and unbelief can become the best teachers in life.
• Will you still trust me? Even when the odds are against you.

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. (Judges 7:2 NLT)

• Here’s the teachable moment for Gideon and his army: humility!

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. (1 Peter 5:6 NLT)

• When we humble ourselves before God, we open ourselves to teachable moments.

Trusting in God are moments where we have to by-pass our natural understanding.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 NLT)

• When you let God set the stage to break the cycle, you cannot rely on your own understanding.
• In the midst of all of that confusion, Gideon became aware of a dream where his army won the battle. Gideon did not how to react except to worship.

#2 SPEND TIME IN WORSHIP

You break the cycle when you spend time in worship.

And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that HE WORSHIPED. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “ARISE, FOR THE LORD HAS DELIVERED THE CAMP OF MIDIAN INTO YOUR HAND.” (Judges 7:15 NLT)

• Worship brings confidence in what God can do!

#3 USE GOD’S WEAPONS

You break the cycle when you use God’s weapons

They held the blazing TORCHES IN THEIR LEFT HANDS and the HORNS IN THEIR RIGHT HANDS, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” (Judges 7:20 NLT)

• Gideon broke the cycle and defeated the enemy not with conventional weapons of the time…but with a torch in the left hand and a trumpet in the right hand

• THE FIRE represents – HIS PRESENCE
• THE TRUMPET represents- HIS GLORY

All you and I need to break the cycle is His presence and His glory

You break the cycle by using God’s weapons

WE USE GOD’S MIGHTY WEAPONS, not worldly weapons, TO KNOCK DOWN THE STRONGHOLDS (to break the cycle). (2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT)

CONCLUSION

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?