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Filled with the Holy Spirit

Filled with the Holy Spirit 
Day 
Day 15

"Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah..."

Text: Judges 11:29

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

One of the most challenging things to consider carefully is how the Spirit of God would come upon certain people. Jephthah is one of the people who became a judge. The circumstances did not seem to favour Jephthah in any way. Nevertheless the Spirit of God came upon him.

THE BACKGROUND OF JEPHTHAH

The following text realistically describes the family background of Jephthah.

“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour,
but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.”
Judges 11:1

Gilead was married and had a family. When his sons grew up, they thrust Jephthah from their home (Judges 11:2). Jephthah grew up in the streets and became a gang leader of “worthless men” (Judges 11:3).

THE SPIRIT OF GOD UPON JEPHTHAH

The people of Ammon made war against Israel and the latter knew that they needed a strong leader to fight the Ammonites. They appealed to Jephthah to lead Israel into battle against the Ammonites.

“Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah,
and he passed Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead;
and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.

So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight
against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite
died and was buried in among the cities of Gilead.”
Judges 11:29, 32; 12:7

1. The background of Jephthah

a) The colourful background of Jephthah did not disqualify Jephthah from becoming a judge in Israel.
b) That his mother was a harlot should not cause Jephthah to be stigmatised.

2. The worthless men who joined Jephthah

a) He may have been in bad company.
b) He was not anointed by the Spirit of God then.
c) The sinful past does not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in any way.

3. The Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah

a) He did not stay in the company of “worthless men”.
b) He began to fulfil the role that God had called him to do.
c) The power of the Lord was obviously upon Jephthah.
d) He defeated the Ammonites.
e) He judged Israel for only a few short years.