Seven Cycles Of Backsliding And Thirteen Judges

In the book of Judges, we read of 13 judges whom God raised up in Chapter 3 to 16. The fourteenth judge was Samuel whom we read about in I Samuel. The names of most of these judges are not so well known.

The first judge was a man called Othniel who was the son-in-law and the nephew of Caleb (3:9). It says here that "And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel" (3:10). That occurred frequently in the book of Judges. The Spirit of the Lord (Jehovah) came upon Gideon and on Samson to equip them to lead God's people (6:34; 14:6). It was the Spirits anointing alone that enabled them to rule Israel. That anointing alone can help us to guide and lead God's people today, as well.

At our baptism, we were born again, and that is certainly the work of the Holy Spirit. But we must still know the Spirit of the Lord coming upon us and empowering us to serve the Lord. Don't be satisfied with some emotional experience that you got in some catholic charismatic meeting. Don't think that speaking in an "angelic tongue" or even in a scriptural understanding of an unknown tongue, that is a language one had not previously learned. You can speak in an unknown tongue without the power of the Holy Spirit. Don't ever be satisfied without the power of the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus who lived a perfect life for 30 years-Who was born of the Spirit,and who had lived in obedience to the Holy Spirit for 30 years-had to be anointed by the Holy Spirit before He went out to serve His Father. As He prayed in the river Jordan, the Spirit of God came upon Him. Follow His example