I WILL BE BACK

I WILL BE BACK

Judges 11:1-3 – Jephthah  (Jeff-tha)

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.  Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.”  Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.

We may be at the point in the story of the fall – rejection – financial collapse – loss – failure – BUT THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE!

I MAY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN OUT – BUT I’M COMING BACK

Coming back from injustice, sin, failure, crises, rejection, false accusation

Jephthah – story of coming back from rejection & things beyond our control

• never chose who born to / rejected by his brothers – yet came back to led them

Let’s look at 4 principles to coming back:

Principle # 1 – TO COME BACK REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE THE BEST WHERE YOU ARE AT – Do something while in the ash / pit of life / constructive not destructive

• yes financial collapse
• yes marriage ruin
• yes suffer at the hands of injustice – beyond our control
• BITTER OR BETTER
• OFFENDED OR STRENGTHENED – John Baptist or Paul/Silas prison
• In life we will all have opportunities to be offended, bitter, depressed,
• What are we doing right now- in the pit – not what going to do when get out- great example in addition to Jephthah is Joseph
• Don’t have to make sense – not our own understanding – don’t have to be fair –   (John manager Colusa boy’s adoption story)

2 Cor. 4:8-9

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; perplexed, but not in despair;

Hab 3:17,18

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Principle # 1 – TO COME BACK REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE THE BEST WHERE YOU ARE AT

Principle # 2 – UNDERSTAND COME BACK IS NOT PAY BACK

– Jephthah –not say you get what you deserve

• Joseph – rejected, pits, slave, false accusation, betrayal – MADE THE BEST WHERE HE WAS AT – slave – convict — God’s favor — gave mercy & life not PAYBACK
• Comeback demands forgiveness

Come back from injustice, rejection, things beyond our control

Principle # 1 – TO COME BACK REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE THE BEST WHERE YOU ARE AT

Principle # 2 – UNDERSTAND COME BACK IS NOT PAY BACK

Principle # 3 – COME BACK GRIPS HOPE IN GOD’S BLESSING NOT MAN’S APPROVAL      (they collide in life)

• Joseph – stole my coat but not my dream / reputation but not my testimony or integrity
• David – driven out by envy & jealousy – leader (Joseph was family)
• Cave of Adalum – band of misfits – rejects – but followed principles # 1 – # 2 – #3
• not brave from cave of isolation – do something
• A faith that fights for us / let go of vain imaginations
• Nervous breakdown – panic attack – strongholds

Principle # 1 – TO COME BACK REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE THE BEST WHERE YOU ARE AT

Principle # 2 – UNDERSTAND COME BACK IS NOT PAY BACK

Principle # 3 – COME BACK GRIPS HOPE IN GOD’S BLESSING NOT MAN’S APPROVAL      

Principle # 4 – COME BACK REQUIRES A SECOND CHANCE 

• Golf – mulligan / do over
• Jephthath – try this again
• come back from sin – Samson (lust problem – women) – end of life
• Come back from failure – Moses – failed to deliver own strength – 40 years wondering –80 yrs old – word of Lord – DO OVER!
• Willing to try again –in spite of past failure

– Never to late – not gone to far

Ps. 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps

He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the LORD

He gives hope to the hopeless. Direction to the directionless. Help to those who need help. God is always good, all the time, and God’s plans will always prevail, even when our plans don’t.

God already knows what the solutions are. No matter what kind of disappointment or grief or pain or trouble or heartache you encounter, God always offers a new beginning, a change of heart, or a powerful spiritual turnaround. God offers the way forward, and his pathways are always good.