Moving From Rejection To Dominion

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah... So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?”...Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.-Judges 11:1-11

Jephthah, who rose to fame from unlikely background because of his refusal to give up in life, should be a source of encouragement and inspiration to every believer that, no one can stop you if you do not stop yourself.

Despite the circumstances that surrounded his birth, (Jephthah) and the trial and persecution he faced, the grace of God on his life moved him from grass to grace; from a rejected bastard to a celebrated leader and captain over those who rejected him.

Here are some lessons we need to learn from the life of JEPHTHAH:

1. Jephthah was mighty with a BUT. He did not allow his ‘BUT’ to stop him. We should learn from our past that the secrets of every glory are in their history, never allow your past to frustrate your glorious future. Nobody will ever advance or make progress haunted by his past i.e. background, culture and circumstance you find yourself. Your better days are ahead of you in Jesus name.

2. Jephthah did not accept his fate or blame his mother or father for the circumstances of his life. He accepted what he could not change and decided to prove the enemies wrong by determination to succeed where others have failed. He went forward. When you stop moving, you start dying in life (Luke 12: 16-20). Arise, shine for thy light is come. it is our attitude that defeats us not problems of life. God will rather have you to be a movement than a monument. Monument stinks

3. You can never be as great as you should be if you live and rely only on inheritance. The brothers of Jephthah were not known because nothing challenged their faith. They lived in the comfort of their environment. Jephthah had nothing to inherit but trusted in God and not in gold or inheritance

4. Your problem is a tool in the hand of God. Your greatest success is found in your greatest area of your struggle. No war, no victory, victors, or champions are made in the battle front. The challenge of your life is a platform for your rising to greatness (e.g., David and Goliath and Joseph from prison to palace)

5. You must be strong and wise. Jephthah was strong and wise. He was a good negotiator and not an opportunist. We should have a good sense of business. He. Jephthah learnt from the past before going into business with the elders. If you do not learn from your past, you will repeat negative history.

6. Give people your terms. Jephthah told the elders of Israel what he wanted from his assignment. Let people know where you stand and don’t be neutral in your value.