Michael Koelling: Epic Moments

Epic-a long story generally centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is told: heroic; majestic; impressively great.

1.This months series is all about epic stories.

• I love to hear epic stories.

• I love to hear a heroic story that was built upon the shoulders of an amazing human being.

• Stories of difficulty, impossibilities, improbabilities, stories of final moments coming to a life altering clash.

• Battles of great warriors, men and women alike that through courage and faith they rose above their situation to accomplish the very thing that was to be unachievable.

• I can't wait to hear of a Phoenix rising from the ashes to take their rightful place.

• Men and women like:

Samuel 23:12 “…Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field and defended it…”

I’ve given all I’m going to give up, I’ve seen him take too much already and my conviction is to stand and if I die I’ll die standing for what’s right and if I die I’ll die fighting but I won’t go down without a fight.

“There was a spiritual principle here it wasn’t that it was precious; it’s that it was pivotal.”

2. Genesis 32 The wrestling match. Jacob.

But there must be that spirit of Jacob that says I am so desperate for God to heal my home.

For God to give me my purpose.

For God to cause me to go to the next level, that I will not be content and casual about my journey, or about my life but I will wrestle, and I will weep, and I will fight, and I will struggle my way through to a victory, to a breakthrough.

3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were men of courage.

They were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to Obey God.

Daniel 3:12 (NLT) "But there are some Jews-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up."

Refuse to serve the gods of this world.

They said, there is power and strength in numbers, "God is able to rescue us but even if He doesn't we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue you have set up."

4. David killed a lion, Killed a bear, Killed a giant.

1 Samuel 17:34-37 (NLT)

But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, [35] I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. [36] I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! [37] The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the Lord be with you!"

David said,

1 Samuel 17:46-48 (NLT)
"Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! [47] And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord's battle, and he will give you to us!" [48] As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him."

5. Abishai-killed 300 warriors by himself.

1 Chronicles 11:20 (NLT) "Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three."

6. Beniah-chased a lion down, into a pit, on a snowy day and killed him.

1 Chronicles 11:22-23 (NLT)

"There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. [23] Once, armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 7 1/2 feet tall and whose spear was as thick as a weaver's beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with it."

Wrenched a spear out of his enemies hand and killed him with it.

7. Gideon defeated thousands with only 300 men.

“Judges 6:16 “The LORD said to him, "I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites, every one of them."

God loves to show the world that He can and will use a willing vessel to accomplish His purpose and plans through His grace, mercy, and power.

Then throughout all of Gideon’s victories and conquests, he never forgot his dependence on God and that God was always with him.

8. Other leaders who fought along David's side:

1 Chronicles 12:14 (NLT) "These warriors from Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could take on a hundred regular troops, and the strongest could take on a thousand!"

What a testament to the power of God through leadership and discipleship.

The bible taught how David had a band of misfits.

Judges 4:1 “After Ehud's death, the Israelites again did evil in the LORD's sight. 2 So the LORD turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. 3 Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. 4 Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time.

9 "Very well," she replied, "I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the LORD's victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 At Kedesh, Barak called together the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him. Deborah also went with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite, a descendant of Moses' brother-in-law* Hobab, had moved away from the other members of his tribe and pitched his tent by the oak of Zaanannim near Kedesh. 12 When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, "Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you." So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. 15 When Barak attacked, the LORD threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. 16 Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera's warriors. Not a single one was left alive. 17 Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber's family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don't be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 "Please give me some water," he said. "I'm thirsty." So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again.

20 "Stand at the door of the tent," he told her. "If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no." 21 But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died. 22 When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. She said, "Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for." So he followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead, with the tent peg through his temple. 23 So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king.”

God does not do ordinary!

What makes you think that His plan for your life is simply routine?

Have you ever asked Him what He desires for you or are you busy trying to plan your epic moment? Your 15 minutes of fame?

Power of perpetual prayer and praise.

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