God uses people of faith who keep surrendered to Him
As we come to this story God’s chosen people have come out of bondage and by the leadership of Moses and Joshua were in the land God promised them. We come to verses that should disturb us, Judges 2:10, 12 “Another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done. They forsook the lord God of their fathers …and they provoked the Lord to anger.” The bible goes on to say that the Lord God delivered them into the hands of their enemies. When they cried unto the Lord He sent judges to set them free. There are 12 judges mentioned in this book. We are going to look at one of these judges and gain spiritual insight in our daily living for Christ. When we open chapter 6 we read “The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.” There had been five judges. The problem with these people is that they would not remain surrendered to God in living how He had told them to. If today you have chosen to follow Christ yet it seems that you are still given to sin could it be that there is something in your life that you have not surrendered to Him? We can choose how we live. God let these people do evil but He also let them suffer for a wrong choice by letting them be under bondage to the Midianites. 6:1-6. These people would come into the land and camp to destroy the crops that were growing and the animals. This army was 135,000 strong and Israel had no match for them. They cried out to God. As a church we need to be crying out to God for the forces of evil are great and without His help we have no hope.
Let us not what God can do.
I. God calls us. I know that if He waited until we cleaned up our lives then none of us would ever be able to serve Him. “Well you are such a good person I want you to be part of my family.” The Bible says that we are all born with sin in our heart. No matter who we are we are not worthy of heaven. The Midianites are a type like the devil in that they came on the Israelites with speed and ease. Te devil comes to kill and destroy.
A. Gideon was hiding in place where he could thresh wheat where he could not be seen and all at once and angel came to him.
B. We would say that Gideon was not good material to be used by God at this time. In his Society, Gideon was a nobody and His family was the weakest in his tribe he is the least in his family. Gideon is saying, “Hey God, I can’t be used. God, you have got it wrong. You must not know who I am. God, you must have me mistaken for someone else. I am a nobody. Do you ever feel like Gideon? We need to learn is to focus on who God says we are instead of what Society says we are. God does the choosing and I am sure that like me you might think that God has used and unlikely vessel to put His Holy Spirit in. At His Word, the light shines, the world spins, the winds cease, the demons flee, the mountains fall, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the blind see, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised and heaven is open for you and me.
C. When He called Gideon He did not choose him for what he was but what God wanted him to be. Judges 6:12 “The Messenger of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, brave man."
II. God knows best how to change us.
A. He might not send us angel but He knows how to speak to us. There are stories that have come to us from Muslim countries of people being encountered by God despite they do not allow preaching. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is in the world today to convict us of sin and reveal our Savior. Gideon heard “The Lord is with you mighty warrior.” When he heard this he had done nothing to make him a mighty warrior. God deals with us to make what He wants us to be. Gideon would be considered to be a coward at this time of his life. What does God have planned for your life? What does God have planned for this church’s life? God is in the transforming business. I read this: “I don’t want to know Him according to what some says He might be like or thinks He might be like or was taught what He might be like or guesses what He might be like or even wishes He might be like. I want to know Him as He wants me to know Him.
B. When God spoke to Gideon at first he was not a man of faith. He said to God, if you are with us why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracles our fathers told us about? But the Lord has abandoned us.” How important it is that we pass our faith along to the family God has given us.
C. God met him where he was as he said, “How can I save Israel?” Do you question God as to how He will use you? God said to Gideon and to us today, “I will be with you.” We also read in the Bible with God we can do all things.
D. God called Gideon to trust Him. He would give him the victory. God told him to take his father’s second best bull and sacrifice it with the wood from the false God that was in the town. When he did this it stirred up the town and they wanted to put him to death. His father stood up for him when he said to the town people if their false god was so great then let it put Gideon to death by its power. It could not and Gideon received a new name “Let Baal contend with him.”
E. Gideon blew a trumpet for all to come and join him to fight the enemy and 32,000 responded. Now it would be 4 to one in the battle.
III. God tests us.
A. The Lord told Gideon that 32,000 men were too much so he stood before the men and said if there were any who filled with fear they could leave. 22,000 picked up their bags and left. Gideon did not waver in his trust in God. Now with 10,000 the force was 13 to 1.
B. God said their needed to be one more test. Gideon was instructed to take his men down to the water to get a drink. The enemy was not far away. This was a test of discipline. Only those who cupped their hands and lifted the water to their mouths passed the test. Now 9,700 men left the battle scene. 300 men were left but they gave their best. God puts us through tests to make us better. God wants us to give our best all the time. Only a surrendered life can do his best for God.
C. God gave Gideon assurance that he could win with the 300. That night he and his servant went down close to the enemy camp and he heard this: Judges 7:13-14 “When Gideon got there, he heard a man telling his friend a dream. The man said, "I had a strange dream. There was a loaf of barley bread rolling around in the camp of Midian. When it got to the command post, the loaf of bread hit that tent so hard that the tent collapsed, turned upside down, and fell flat." His friend replied, "That can only be the sword of Gideon, son of Joash, from Israel. God is going to hand Midian and the whole camp over to him."
D. Judges 7:15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped the Lord. Then he went back to the camp of Israel and said, "Attack! The Lord will hand Midian's camp over to you." We can worship God even in the midst of our enemies.
IV. God’s plan is best.
A. Have you spent time with God to ask Him what His plan is for your life. God gives each one the talents and gifts they need for His work. I believe that God has place for everyone in the church and a job to do. What is your job in this church?
B. The 300 men were outnumbered 450 to 1. The enemy was heavily armed with weapons to kill with. Gideon’s men left behind their weapons for war and carried a pitcher with fire inside and a trumpet.
C. They were divided up in three groups and surrounded the enemy camp. Gideon gave them instructions and out they went to battle. As Gideon blew his trumpet they blew theirs. Then everyone broke the pitchers and the fire was visible and they shouted “A sword for the Lord and Gideon.” When this happened the Midianites turn on each other with their swords. The ones that were not killed ran away and Gideon and his men won the battle.
Closing: Gideon was able to win the battle because he surrendered to the Lord and His way. 2 Cor. 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” I know that we battle with an enemy that that out numbers us and is stronger than us. With God we will win.
God does not need a great person but a person with a willing heart. God holds the highest position in the universe forever. If He says I love you. He loves you. If God says you are forgiven. You are forgiven. If God says you are His child. You are His child. If God says I will give you eternal life. You have eternal life. If God says His Holy Spirit lives with you. The Holy Spirit lives in you. If God says you have power to overcome. You have power to overcome. If God says your life has eternal significance. Your life has eternal significance. If God says I will welcome you in heaven. He will welcome you in heaven.
