Gideon was a mighty warrior yet fear had crippled him to the extent that he had forgotten who he was "Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds" (Judges 6:2). Fear masked his potential so much so that he even had to hide in the winepress to thresh wheat "
The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:11-12
Gideon's attention had to be called for him to recognize his strength and valor.
1 Why did this happen? It happened because "The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. (Judges 6:1)" Sin exposes us to all the wiles and plans of the enemy. The enemy begins to ravage and plunge us when we move out of the covering of God due to disobedience to His word. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God the realized they were naked. Sin exposes our nakedness and makes us vulnerable to all kinds of attacks form the evil one. When the protective covering of God departs from you, you become an easy target of the devil.
"Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it." Judges 6:5-6
I challenge you today to remain under the umbrella of the Lord Almighty.
David said that "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra, you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91
"Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it." Judges 6:5-6
I challenge you today to remain under the umbrella of the Lord Almighty.
David said that "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra, you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91
There is peace under the governance of God. There is joy in the presence of God. There is no fear when the Lord is on your side, is with you, and in you. You always dwell in safety because you are covered inside and outside as well. "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8)." A child of God has no need to worry about the devil if he/she knows his/her position in Christ.
How can you dwell in safety? To dwell in safety under the shelter of the Most High, you must hide His word in your heart and purpose not to sin against Him. David said, "Thy word have I hid in my (spiritual) heart, that I may not sin against Thee" Proverbs 23:7
"But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil" Proverbs 1:33
In fact, God's promise to His people is that His "people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" Isaiah 32.18
The Lord provided safety in the ark for Noah and his family while terrible things were happening around them. The Bible says that it was the "Lord who shut them in." (Genesis 7:16). Unless the Lord shuts you in, who can never escape the terrible things around you.
"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Psalm 127:1-2
The song writer, Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr., wrote:
- Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. - Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest. - Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found. - Peace, perfect peace, ’mid suffering’s sharpest throes?
The sympathy of Jesus breathes repose. - Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus’ keeping we are safe, and they. - Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne. - Peace, perfect peace, death shad’wing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its pow’rs. - It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus calls us to Heav’n’s perfect peace.
Peace and safety can be found if you rest in the bossom of Jesus. The storms will come, the surges will rise, but only in Jesus can you find solace and calmness.
With Jesus in the boat, you can smile at the storm!
Gideon had to refocus on his destiny. He had to reclaim his valor to possess the land.To do this, he had to pull down some strongholds and altar that had been built by his father for his small god. This altar was a hindrance to Gideon's progress.
This has to be pulled down before his destiny could be achieved. What altar have you built in your life? What altars have your parents built that is affecting you? Is it sin, inferiority
complex, old ways of doing things, laziness, fear, poverty, racism, idiosyncrasy, hatred, etc. Make it your aim today to go and destroy these altars and make an altar for the Lord. "So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it "The Lord Is Peace. Judges 6:24
Gideon's approach to reclaiming his destiny can be understood in the following points.
Factors to divine success
1. Obedience
to divine directives:
a) He was asked to reduce the number of his
military men. He obeyed.
b) Destroy his father’s altar. He obeyed.
c) Go to the camp of the enemy. He obeyed.
2. Have a
divine (personal) encounter: In Matthew 17, Peter’s ideas changed because
he had a divine encounter. Divine encounter gives:
a) Clarity of purpose
b) Moses had a divine encounter which changed his
visions and purpose. He changed from a shepherd to a deliverer and leader.
3. Divine fellowship and inspiration: This
is manifested in how you conduct yourself.
a) Prayer life
b) Bible study life
c) Having fellowship with other Christians
d) Witnessing with your life and evangelism.
4. Divine
strategy: Gideon followed the divine strategy given to him. He chose the
men by divine strategy.
You are destined to be great, fear not, thou mighty man of valor.
"Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others." Judges 7:1-7
5. Be careful of
the environmental noise: Do not be discouraged. Know that the Lord is with you. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9You are destined to be great, fear not, thou mighty man of valor.
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