Judges 6: Blinded By Fear.
You are sons and daughters of the living God, adopted into the family of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and now you are His servant to accomplish His purposes in the most challenging times of your life.
To be successful, you must make seven resolutions.
"The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 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. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help."
Judges 6:1-6 (NIV)
1. God will use my difficulties to build my faith
"Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help."
Judges 6:6 (NIV)
Gideon is going to be used by God to accomplish a great victory and to expand God’s kingdom upon the earth.
"When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’"
Judges 6:12 (NIV)
"The LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. . . .’"
Judges 6:14a (NIV)
"The LORD answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.’"
Judges 6:16 (NIV)
Before God can use Gideon to overcome incredible odds, he must build his faith in God’s faithfulness!
"Gideon said to God, ‘If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor…’"
Judges 6:36-37a (NIV)
God is patient with you as He builds your faith and trust.
God will take advantage of every opportunity to build our faith and every opportunity to demonstrate His faithfulness to His word!
2. God will often require us to do what seems unreasonable.
"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 for me to deliver Midian into their hands…’"
Judges 7:1-2a (NIV)
Test One: Fear Test
135,000 vs. 32,000: 4 to 1 odds
10,000 vs. 135,000: 13 to 1 odds
"But the LORD said to Gideon, ‘There are still too many men…’"
Judges 6:4a (NIV)
Test Two: Fervency Test
135,000 to 32,000: 4 to 1 odds
135,000 to 10,000: 13 to 1 odds
135,000 to 300: 450 to 1 odds
Our response to seemingly insignificant tests will often be the determining factor of what God will do in our lives.
3. God will always lead us to do that which gives Him the most glory.
"The LORD said to Gideon, ‘You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her…’"
Judges 7:2 (NIV)
When you feel weak—that is when you are at your strongest point! When success comes, it can only be from God.
If God truly loves you, He will not sit on His hands while you glorify something that can never satisfy.
In this way, God is a jealous God: He wants you to hold Him in the highest regard because only He can deliver.
4. God will usually strip us of everything we depend upon other than Himself.
God releases the power of the Holy Spirit through us and in us to the degree we are totally, helplessly, and completely dependent upon Him!
5. God will send us encouragement when we grow fainthearted.
God knows we need encouragement.
"During that night the LORD said to Gideon, ‘Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp…’"
Judges 7:9-11a (NIV)
Dream:
A loaf of barley bread came crashing down, hit this tent, threw it up in the air, and the tent came crashing down!
Judges 7:13 (paraphrased)
Interpretation:
"His friend responded, ‘This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.’"
Judges 7:14 (NIV)
In one great act of kindness God demonstrated His:
Gideon receives encouragement because he is in proximity to God and the people of God.
Whose burden are you bearing?
Who is bearing your burdens?
6. God is always working on the other side of the camp to accomplish His purposes.
With the supernatural power of God comes the wisdom of God and the instructions from God that lead you to your greatest victories.
"Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. He said to the men of Succoth, ‘Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.’ But the officials of Succoth said, ‘Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops?’ Then Gideon replied, ‘Just for that, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.’ From there he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Succoth had. So he said to the men of Peniel, ‘When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.’"
Judges 8:4-9 (NIV)
7. God will always give us the wisdom we need to experience the victory.