Overcoming Fear Series

Boldness: Confronting fear and insecurity

Judges 6 & 7

Fear is a thief. It steals the inner sense of tranquility and well-being that should be the constant state of each and every believer. It keeps us focused on our past and uneasy about our future. It renders our present un-enjoyable.

Cycle/circle drawing

How do we overcome our fears and live with boldness?

1. We must face our past with honesty. 6:1

Sometimes fears are tied to the failures of others

Sometimes fears are tied to our own past failures

Sometimes facing fear means seeking restoration.

Seeking forgiveness relieves fear

Granting forgiveness relieves fear

2. We must see ourselves with clarity. 6:12

3. We must see our future with security. 6:12, 14, 16; 7:9

“When fear knocks on the door—let Faith answer.”

Fear and insecurity. This is a double edged sword that cuts through and cuts off our peace of heart and mind—and keeps us from living a confident, bold, victorious life.

Fear is a thief. It steals the inner sense of tranquility and well-being that should be the constant state of each and every believer. It keeps us focused on our past and uneasy about our future. It renders our present un-enjoyable.

Turn to Judges 6. We continue our series entitled, “Freeway: stories on the path to freedom.” We’re studying some of the great stories of the Bible that God preserved for us so that we can walk in the freedom Jesus purchased for us with Hi blood.

This morning we’re going to examine the story of a young man by the name of Gideon. It’s a familiar story to some; but to others, maybe not so much.

The setting of the story is important. Israel has been back in the promised land for less than 100 years at this point. Despite Yahweh’s redemptive act at delivering them from the slavery in Egypt, His provision of manna and water during the wilderness wanderings, His supernatural empowering them to overcome Jericho and other cities in the promise land, they drifted away from God. They began to worship the idols of the Canaanites, most prominently Baal and Asherah.

So God raised up what are called Judges. Not judges like we think of today. These were men and women who called the Israelites back to their devotion to the one True God, Yahweh. There was a cycle that took place over and over again: They would drift from devotion to God & pursue false gods; God would allow the enemies to steal & pillage & harass the Israelites; They would call out to Yahweh for deliverance; God would raise up a judge, a leader, who would deliver them.

(can we show this in a circle, with arrows moving clockwise thru these 4 positions on 4 slides sequentially?)

Gideon was one of those judges. Here’s his story. One day Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine vat. Normally wheat would be threshed out in the open, with ox treading on it or pushing pole that would grind the grain in a container. (pic) So he has this wooden object beating the wheat to separate it from the stalk and chaff. Apparently this vat was behind a structure and hidden.

Why was Gideon hiding? There was a group of bad dudes called the Midianites who were stealing, pillaging, and harassing the Israelites and taking all their food. So Gideon is hiding this so they don’t see him and steal the grain.

While he’s doing this, the Lord shows up. “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12 Here’s Gideon, hiding, and God calls him a mighty warrior. As you’re going to see, Gideon sees himself as anything BUT a mighty warrior.

Gideon says, “Well, if the Lord is with us, why are the Midianites kicking our backside all the time?” “The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:14

Gideon’s looking around: “Wait. What? You talking to me? My family is the smallest in Israel… and I’m the youngest in my family…and, and, I’m afraid.” God said, ““But I will be with you, and you’ll be victorious.”

Now you’d think that would be enough for Gideon, right? God Himself has shown up in some kind of physical form. But no. Gideon asks for a sign. Before it’s all over, Gideon asks for a sign 3 times. The first time, Gideon prepares a sacrifice, puts it on a rock, not on wood, and God touches the rock and fire consumes the offering.

After this first sign, Gideon says, “OK, what do you want me to do?” God said, “Take your father’s young bull and a second bull seven years old. Then tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Build a well-constructed altar to the Lord your God on the top of this rock. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” Judges 6:25-26