I. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
A. Text: Judges 6:1-25
B. So make the situation clear, I want you to notice that, at the beginning of our story, we find Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress!
C. Now, why would he thresh wheat in a winepress? Shouldn’t he just thresh wheat on a threshing floor? The text tells us that he is in the winepress in order to hide from the enemy, the Midianites.
D. Now, you need to understand that in those days wine presses were generally dug into the ground, so that if you got inside a wine press you’d be out of sight.
E. Many have defined Gideon’s character as being one of shy, timid and somewhat indecisive.
F. But something changes all of that.
II. A Timid Warrior?
A. Now, notice verse 12. The Angel of the Lord comes and appears before this timid, hiding man and says to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
B. Now, just to make this even clearer for you, I want you to know that the word ‘valor’ means courage, bravery, and fearlessness! It is the complete opposite of who Gideon was --- a coward! By the way, his name means ‘the tree feller.’
C. You can just imagine the thoughts that went through Gideon’s mind. “Hey, I think you’ve got the wrong guy, fella! I’m no fighter!”
D. If you know anything about Gideon, you know that he was the youngest of his family. And his family was known as the weakest of his entire tribe.
E. Gideon’s response? “Hey! If God is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracles our forefathers told us about?”
F. Does this sound familiar? The word of the Lord comes to us telling us of the great exploits we will do for the Lord, under His mighty power and strength, and yet all we see, in ourselves, is weakness. Then, we begin to question whether or not God has even been with us along the way!
G. The people of God needed another savior. They needed another deliverer. And, this shy, timid, weakling of a man would be the next one in line. This sounds almost as impossible as when God called Moses out! J
H. God did have a plan for the Israelites, and Gideon was it!
III. What’s the Plan?
A. The Lord’s response to Gideon’s questioning is found in verse 14. Isn’t it like God to respond positively when we question everything in sight?
B. He said to Gideon, “Go in this great power of yours and set Israel free from the hand of the Midianites.”
C. WOW! What a mission!
D. As with Moses, Gideon makes his excuses. Verse 15 says, “How can I save Israel? My family is the weakest of the tribe and I am the youngest of the family!”
E. For some of you today, God has recently called you out of your winepress, or as I like to call it, my place of whining! He has called you out of hiding, out of the closet to do something awesome and great for Him, and yet, you are asking Him, and yourself, ‘how can I do this?’ The pastor called on you to teach that class; or, in prayer God told you to start a neighborhood Bible Study; or God has anointed you to head up the outreach ministries of the church; whatever the task, right now, it seems impossible for you. The first thing I want you to know is this: if it is impossible for you to do on your own…then, chances are, God is definitely in it!
F. So, how do I know if I am being called? There are a few steps that you will take. Gideon took each of these steps. Let’s look at them.
IV. Step #1 ~ A Personal Encounter With God
A. In order to recognize your calling, you must first remember when you were called.
B. What was the circumstances surrounding you when you heard the call?
C. Did you hear that still, small voice?
D. Did God give you an inner peace that you can’t seem to explain or understand?
E. In other words, did you have a personal encounter with God?
F. Let me just say, in looking at every person in Scripture, and throughout history, that God used, each person, without doubt, had some type of encounter with God at the point of their calling!
G. Here are just a few Biblical examples:
1. Moses and the burning bush.
2. David in the field with his flock
3. Abram being called to another country
4. Mary at the point of the conception of Christ
5. And many more
H. We must remember what Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:27.
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty…”
V. Step #2 ~ A Personal Cleansing From God
A. Look with me at verses 25-27
B. Before Gideon can go out and begin the work of defeating the Midianites, he must first cleanse his own household!
C. When God calls us out for revival, He first calls us to repentance!
D. We must go to the altar of God and sacrifice the idols that are in our lives that have come between God and us!
E. God will not have a warrior or a servant who is divided in his/her heart!
F. God will not share you with your other ‘duties’ in life! Too many times we set up for ourselves other idols that we begin to worship without even knowing it!
1. Family
2. Work
3. Sleep
4. Sports
5. Television, you name it!
G. God said, the first thing you must do, is get rid of those idols immediately! No questions asked!
H. God will be first in your life, or He will not be at all!!!!!!
I. You might ask yourself, how can I know if God is first in my life? I will help you answer that with the following questions:
1. Do I find myself preoccupied with other things when it’s time for God?
2. Is my prayer and Bible study time always put on ‘the back burner’ in order to do other ‘busy’ things?
3. Is church attendance and corporate worship an option to me? Or is it a necessity?
4. Would I rather watch my favorite television program than read the Bible or pray?
5. Have I found excuses not to be involved in regular church activities or in personal evangelism?
6. If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, then you’re too busy for God! And…If you’re too busy for God, then you’re too busy!!!!
J. As you may have noticed with Gideon, when he did go and tear down the altar to Baal, he did it in the black of night so that no one would see him. Don’t you imagine that Gideon is the type of person who, if God called him to witness to a certain neighbor, he would do so by simply putting a tract in the person’s mailbox? J
K. So, we go from a ‘Personal Encounter With God,” to a “Personal Cleansing From God,” then to…
VI. Step #3 ~ A Personal Equipping By God
A. Leadership ‘gurus’ will tell us that in order to be a great leader, one must have the best training. Or, one must be born with leadership traits that simply a part of one’s character. However, the Word of God shows us the many times God called out those who did not fit the ‘warrior-leader-type.’
B. Most of the men and women used mightily by God in the Word were not your above-average, well-educated people!
C. Always remember this: God does not call the equipped. He equips the called!!!
D. Look at verses 33-35. This timid, hiding little man now, under the anointing of God, is blowing a trumpet and 32,000 men come out to follow him and fight with him.
VII. Step #4 ~ A Personal Assurance From God
A. This is perhaps the best-known part of Gideon’s story, known as ‘laying a fleece before God.’ (Verses 36-40)
B. Now, before we get too far into it, let me assure you, to ‘lay a fleece’ before God will show your faith-level. As you grow in the Lord, you will no longer need to ‘fleece your faith,’ as it were!
C. Gideon’s character, at this point in his life, was such that he needed more proof. Apparently an angel appearing before him and his ability to round up 32,000 people to fight just wasn’t enough proof of God’s calling! J
D. This is the only incident in Scripture where this ‘fleecing’ took place. So, let’s not make it a model for daily practice shall we? After all, this also took place prior to Pentecost. We now have the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us and ennoble us accomplish great feats for God!
E. Also, many would say that you should ‘lay a fleece before God’ if you want to find out God’s will for your life. That’s not true. Gideon didn’t even do that! As you know by our text, Gideon already knew the will of God; he just wanted some reassurance of God’s power and might! In actuality, Gideon’s ‘laying a fleece’ was a sign of his weak faith!
F. There is nothing wrong with receiving an added assurance from God, but we must receive it, when He offers it. We shouldn’t have to ask Him for it! Rather, God would have us take Him at His Word! Everything He’s promised has been promised to us in writing! We’ve got His Word on it!
G. And, one of His promises is found in Acts 1:8 when Jesus told us that we would receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon us!
VIII. Step #5 ~ The Personal Empowering of God
A. Chapter 7. Now, Gideon is ready. God has reassured him and he’s got 32,000 people to fight with him. But something happens as he goes out to fight.
B. Look at 7:1-3. God stops him to tell him that if He allows Gideon and his 32,000 fight and become victorious over the Midianites, they would just take the credit for it because of their size. God should know by now how those Israelites think.
C. So God tells him to stop everyone and make this one statement: “Everyone who is afraid and fearful, you can leave now.” And, 22,000 of the 32,000 left!
D. He was left with only 10,000 people! Things aren’t looking too good for this timid warrior! Just imagine what he’s thinking right now!
E. But, God doesn’t stop there. {Read verses 4-7} Next, He says, “You know, Gideon, I think 10,000 people are still too many! I’ll let you take 300 men in!”
F. 300! Against an innumerable amount of people? 300? From 32,000?
G. Remember, the first part of chapter six declares that the people of Midian and the Amalekites were so many that they looked like locusts. It said that they were innumerable.
H. So, Gideon goes to fight this innumerable amount of people with only 300 people!
I. God had anointed Gideon to fight. But, you must understand something about God – God doesn’t just anoint us to do battle! He anoints us to WIN!!!
J. God hasn’t just called you out of your casual situation to do a great work for Him! He has called you, He has equipped you, and He has anointed you to be victorious and accomplish that which He has called you to do!!!!
K. Remember His own words: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
L. If God sent word to you that you are going to do great exploits for Him, He will accomplish it!
M. Paul wrote: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 )
In order to do a great work for God you must follow the same steps Gideon followed:
1) You must have a personal encounter with God!
2) You will then have a personal cleansing from God!
3) Then, you will have a personal equipping from God!
4) And, you will receive a personal assurance from God!
5) And, finally, you will be personally empowered by God!
What Step Are You On?
Have you been called?
If so, have you been cleansed?
Or, are you committed to doing the work He has called you to do?
Remember, our faith grows by the Word of the Lord! Romans 10:17 reminds us, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” When He calls you, His Word will build your faith. BUT…
James wrote, “Faith without works is dead.” (2:20, 26)
James reminds us: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)
If you hear it, and your faith is increased, you must do it! Like the slogan of the Nike shoe – “Just Do It!”
