Sermon # 19 - Go In God's Strength Series

We read in Judges 6:13-14, “Sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, 'The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites. Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!" (NLT)

The people of Israel were going through a period of distress and discouragement, and Gideon was also experiencing the mood of gloom and doom that seemed to hang over their heads. That is precisely the reason why Gideon questioned the Angel of God who appeared to him, as he could not understand how they could be in such a predicament, if the Lord was with them. Gideon’s mind was filled with questions for which he had no answer, and he felt the sense of being abandoned by God.

Many believers who have been in much prayer for our country too are deeply disappointed. The question in many a heart is, ‘why did Lord not answer our prayers in a way that we expected Him to?’ There are many others who in their personal lives also are disheartened and discouraged that their prayers are still unanswered, and their deliverance seem distant. If like Gideon, we too are in state of mind that is confused with many unanswered questions, faced with situations that seem overwhelming, we can be assured that we have a God who has answers for all our questions, clarity for all our confusion, and can deliver us from all our difficulties.

It was at this juncture that the word of God came to Gideon, encouraging him to go forward with all the strength he had, as the Lord promised Gideon that He would go with him, and would rescue the Israelites from the hand of Midianites.

The four aspects of God’s word to Gideon in Judges 6:14, were;

1. Go

2. With the strength you have

3. Rescue Israel

4. I am sending you

Jesus’ invitation to come

In Matthew 9:9 we read, “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's desk and told him, "Follow me." So he got up and followed him. (ISV)

Matthew was a tax collector by profession, sitting at his work desk, but when Jesus beckoned him to come and follow him, he immediately left it all, and decided to follow Jesus.

In Mark 1:17, we read, “Jesus told them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishermen of people!" (ISV)

The above mentioned verse, describes the call that Jesus gave to Simon Peter, and his brother Andrew, to leave their nets and their fishing, and to follow Him, so He could make them fishers of men. Here again both of them left their all and followed after Jesus.

In Matthew 11:28, we read "Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest. (ISV)

Here the invitation from the Lord is for everyone who is wearied and burdened with worries and cares to come to Him, and He promises rest for all who comes to Him, a rest that He alone can give.

Most of us are jubilant when invited or welcomed by someone special, but the greatest invitation that should make us ecstatic, is the one we have received from the Lord who has called us to be His children, and be a part of His family. The reason God invites us is to grant us rest, lighten our burdens, heal us, and strengthen us, so that we can go out in His strength, to fulfil His purposes for our lives. Many of us are satisfied with the thought that the Lord has called and blessed us, but have forgotten the fact that the main objective for God’s calling, is to send us out as His ambassadors to bless others.

Jesus commands us to ‘Go’

As Gideon stood discouraged and dejected, the word of the Lord came to embolden Gideon to go out with the strength he had, to save and deliver the people of God.

God is calling His people to go out and share His love with those around. We do not need to fear governments that oppose us, or anyone who threatens, because there is no authority that is higher than the Almighty God who is the King of Kings.

When praying also we must remember to seek the will of God in everything, and not desire to have our prayers answered the way we think it fit. Even Jesus when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed in total submission to the Father and His will, when He said ‘Father if you are willing, take this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.’ Luke 22:42. If we do not submit to the will of God, we will be depressed, for often His response to our prayers may not be in keeping with what we expect or think appropriate, but one thing we can be assured of, is that it will always be for our good.