Opening illustration: A mother asked her 5-year-old son to go to the pantry to get her a can of tomato soup. But he refused and protested, “Its dark in there.” Mom assured Johnny, “it’s okay. Don’t be afraid. Jesus is in there.” So Johnny opened the door slowly and seeing that it was dark, shouted, “Jesus, can you hand me a can of tomato soup?”
This humorous story of Johnny’s fear reminds me of Gideon. The Lord appeared to Gideon, calling him a “mighty man of valor” (Judges 6: 12) and then telling him to deliver Israel out of Midian’s hand (v. 14). But Gideon’s fearful reply was, “My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (v. 15). Even after the Lord told Gideon that with His help he would defeat the Midianites (v. 16), he was still afraid. Then Gideon asked the Lord for signs to confirm God’s will and empowerment (vv. 17, 36-40). So, why did the Lord address fearful Gideon as a “mighty man of valor”? Because of whom Gideon would one day become with the Lord’s help.
Introduction: Though we expect Him to say, "You are getting what you deserve," the Lord works through weak people to bring about liberation. Do not miss in these chapters the heart of the matter: the Lord taking action in spite of us! If He did not assert Himself in our lives we would all go the way of rebellion. I was reminded of this recently as I heard someone publicly expressing universalism. This person pictured a God for everyone regardless of faith and obedience. I thought of just how appealing this was to the human mind in rebellion against the God of holiness and law. And then I thought further of the mercy shown to me by His divine "intrusion" into my wayward life with the gospel of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ! The Lord asserts Himself so mercifully in our lives. He does not have to do so. He is not obligated to pursue sinners to deliver us from our sin and turn us from our way to His way. He could justly - fairly - leave us in our sin to face His righteous judgment. But thankfully, He shows mercy. This is what strikes us in this text. In mercy, the Lord raises up a reluctant deliverer for an obstinate people.
How to fight your fears?
1. … The Lord is with you (vs. 12-13a, 16)
Gideon started his career as somewhat of a coward (Jdg. 6), then became a conqueror (Jdg 7:1-8:21), and ended his career as a compromiser (8:22-35). But more space is devoted to Gideon in the Book of Judges (100 verses) than to any other judge; and Gideon is the only judge whose personal struggles with his faith are recorded. Gideon is a great encouragement to people who have a hard time accepting themselves and believing that God can make anything out of them or do anything with them.
"Valiant" (hayil/chayil) conveys that has the basic idea of strength and influence.
"Warrior" (gibbor) is an adjective meaning brave, strong, mighty and is used in a description of God Himself (El’ gibbor" usually rendered as the Mighty God (see Isaiah 10:21; Jer. 32:18).
"Valiant warrior" frequently had a military connotation. In the present context it appears that these name by the Angel of Jehovah anticipated Gideon’s role as a warrior and was intended to inspire confidence. It is possible that the phrase simply identifies Gideon as a prominent citizen in his town which is how it is used of Boaz.
It does appear that God called Gideon what he would become, certainly not what he was at the time of this encounter.
God came to an old childless man named Abram and said I will make you a father of many nations.
God came to Cephas and said you will be Peter (Rock).
The promise is that the Midianites will be defeated as if they were only one man but this Word from the Lord was still not sufficient for Gideon and he wanted a sign, some proof that this summons from God was authoritative. And so we too have been commissioned and charged and encouraged that His presence will be with us in the battle for disciples
Our God is an awesome God ... while others look at us and see our flaws and failings; God looks at us and sees our possibilities (in Christ). Don’t sell yourself short for what God can or will do in and through your life if you are willing to submit to the Refiner’s purifying fire and the Master’s touch! Remember that God does not save us and use us for what we are but for what by His great mercy and grace we may become.
In short, God recognizes in Gideon something that Gideon does not see himself. God sees our potential. God sees us for what we can become, as He works in our lives. He is in the business of taking "nobodies" and transforming them by His presence in their lives. He begins with us where we are, be it in the winepress or on some mundane job, etc. He knows our weaknesses, our faults, our shortcomings but He does not say "If you get those things out of your life, then I’ll be able to use you." He takes our inadequacy and transforms it into His adequacy. God has a way of seeing beyond our fears and frailty. God does not save us and use us for what we are but for what by His grace we may become. Amen.
2. Reminder of God’s past testimony (v. 13)
How like all of us to question the presence of God because of our present circumstances. But to do so is to doubt the Word of God and that is sin for it is not faith (Romans 14: 23). Now it is obvious though that at this point Gideon did not recognize the Holy One Who addressed him but he did use a term of respect similar to Abraham.
When first we see Gideon he cuts a pathetic figure of unbelief (6: 11-23). He is a furtive, nervous young man secretly threshing wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the marauding Midianites. What pathetic exclamations of unbelief escape his lips when the Lord suddenly appears ... He gasps - "Oh, my Lord, if Jehovah be with us why then is all this befallen us? And where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of, saying: Did not Jehovah bring us up out of Egypt? But now Jehovah hath forsaken us ..." A rather dismal reception this! - "Oh! ... if ... why? ... where?... but ..." Verse 14 continues, "And Jehovah looked upon him and said: in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?" These were strong and reassuring words, but Gideon can only moan, "Oh, my Lord, wherewith shall I have Israel ...?" The Lord replies still further, "Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man." Yet even this only evokes another stammering "if" - "If now I have found grace in Thy sight, then show me a sign." To be sure, in these replies of Gideon we have a fair sample of the vocabulary of unbelief. In his successive exclamations and lamentations we have the skeptical surprise of unbelief, then its uncertainty and its questioning and its complaining and its false humility and its resourcelessness and its persistent dubiety and its seeking for signs. Unconverted Gideon presents a sorry picture of the paralysis which always accompanies unbelief.
3. Commissioned by God (v. 14)
What a look was that which the Lord gave to Gideon! He looked him out of his discouragements into a holy bravery. If our look to the Lord saves us, what will not His look at us do? Lord, look on me this day, and nerve me for its duties and conflicts. What a word was this which Jehovah spoke to Gideon! “Go” He must not hesitate. He might have answered, “What, go in all this weakness?” But the Lord put that word out of court by saying, “Go in this thy might.” The Lord had looked might into him, and he had now nothing to do but to use it and save Israel by smiting the Midianites. It may be that the Lord has more to do by me than I ever dreamed of. If He has looked upon me, He has made me strong. Let me by faith exercise the power with which He has entrusted me. He never bids me “idle away my time in this my might.” Far from it. I must “go,” because He strengthens me. What a question is that which the Lord puts to me, even as He put it to Gideon! “Have not I sent thee?” Yes, Lord, thou hast sent me, and I will go in thy strength. At thy command I go; and, going, I am assured that thou wilt conquer by me.
He is not saying "Gideon, gird yourself up like a man ... you can do it." Relying on his own strength made Gideon hide in a winepress. "This is your strength" is the strength that God has given by His promise of His presence (Judges 6: 12, 16, cp Php 4: 13-note). God’s answer to discouragement is NOT positive thinking (mockery of God) but rather the promise of His presence.
Hudson Taylor emphasized that ... "All of God’s great men have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them; they counted on His faithfulness."
The strength-giving power of a look from the eyes of Christ! Gideon was weak enough. He said, quite naturally, “My family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6: 15, r.v.). But from the moment of that look, accompanied by that summons, he arose in a strength that never afterwards faltered. How truly “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”
4. Finding God’s Favor (vs. 17 …)
A Hebrew idiom which means to be an object of another’s favorable disposition or action or to be a recipient of another’s favor or kindness. The favor shown may be deserved or at least prompted by the object’s character or actions as was Boaz’s kindness bestowed upon Ruth in return for her kindness to her mother-in-law had prompted him to reach out to Ruth and meet her needs. Mary was favored amongst all women to be the mother of our Lord … Abraham and Sarah was favored to become the father and mother of kings, priests and nations but did they ever get to see it? They just had to believe and trust God. Remember Esther …!
Now what about you? Why did you get the promotion instead of your co-worker? Is there such a thing as "luck of the draw"? Hardly! You too experienced His favor.
Favor is undeserved access or blessing from God, but it’s a principle that’s rarely taught in churches today. It’s simply too difficult for us to comprehend why God would give us something we do not merit. But if we are to do God’s bidding, we need His help. Favor is like traveling downstream; it’s the current that moves you from your present situation to the destiny God has for you. It puts you in the right place at the right time to meet the right people. It takes you from ordinary to extraordinary!
So how does God choose whom He will favor? The answer is in Proverbs 8: 35: "For whoever finds me [Wisdom] finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord" (The Amplified Bible). In other words, godly wisdom puts an individual on the pathway to divine favor. The world defines wisdom as common sense or good judgment, but there are atheists who possess those traits. We must seek wisdom, goodness and knowledge from God by exhibiting reverence to be eligible for His favor. But how do we fear Him without being scared of Him? Fearing God requires a lifestyle change.
The purpose in your heart is to pursue wisdom and Godly things. Continually renew your mind and spirit in order to place yourself in position to receive God’s favor! We must continually die to our personal desires and allow Him to transform us into the men and women He has created us to be. The Fear of God, Self-denial and Obedience align us with His will and make us ready us for His favor.
Illustration: Hannah Hurnard, author of Hinds’ Feet on High Places, was once paralyzed by fear. Then she heard a sermon on scarecrows that challenged her to turn her fear into faith. The preacher said, “A wise bird knows that a scarecrow is simply an advertisement. It announces that some very juicy and delicious fruit is to be had for the picking. There are scarecrows in all the best gardens ... If I am wise, I too shall treat the scarecrow as though it were an invitation. Every giant in the way which makes me feel like a grasshopper is only a scarecrow beckoning me to God’s richest blessings.” He concluded, “Faith is a bird which loves to perch on scarecrows. All our fears are groundless.”
Application: We too may doubt our own abilities and potential. But let us never doubt what God can do with us when we trust and obey Him. Gideon’s God is the same God who will help us accomplish all that He asks us to do.
We can fight and face any fear when we know the Lord is with us.
