6 Gideons faith

Gideon and the Assurance of God’s Presence

Bible Passage: Judges 6:33-40

What is it like becoming a great leader?

It is scary

It is not comfortable.

Others may question your motives.

Certainly enemies will arise.

Yet God can call anyone of us to become a great leader.

So we will look at the great leader Gideon as his faith is reassured.

Let’s look back at what has happened before.

Remember the Midianites had conquered the Israelites because they worshipped the false god Baal.

For 7 years the people of God had been oppressed, raided, burned out and starved into the hills.

But Gideon has been called of God to lead the nation back to God.

Gideon worshipped as He recognized the God of the Universe calling him to service.

He was tested by calling his own family back to the faith.

Now Gideon’s faith needs a little reassurance.

Judges 6:33–40 NASB95

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel. 34 So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. 36 Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, 37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.” 38 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” 40 God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.

1. God Grants Empowerment

Judges 6:33-35

Judges 6:33 NASB95

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel.

It is uncanny how enemies always seem to appear right after we make a decision to follow God’s leading!

It could be that we made a resolve to change our eating habits, but then soon after we find ourselves staring at the one food item that causes us to stumble every time!

Or we resolve to rise earlier to spend time with God, but then we proceed to have the worst night’s sleep we have had in years.

Or, we resolve to give more of our funds to the Lord’s work, and then our car’s transmission breaks down.

Or, we begin a new ministry in our church, and suddenly critics complain of the additional expense.

You can count on it; if you proceed with God, fresh new challenges will soon be crossing the border into your life!

It was easy for Gideon to agree with God that he should be a deliverer, as long as the enemy was safely on the other side of the river!

But when the enemy drew near, that was when Gideon’s faith was sorely put to the test.

His faith would no longer be in theory, but in reality.

Have you faced any challenges since you committed to do what God asked of you?

Did they catch you by surprise? It shouldn’t have!

The forces of darkness stand perpetually opposed to anyone serving the Light.

The only unknown is how you will respond.

Judges 6:34 NASB95

34 So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him.

At first glance it might seem bewildering why our Lord allows opposition to come against us so fiercely when we are trying to obey Him.

Shouldn’t God make life easier on those who serve Him?

Shouldn’t God make obedience to Him as attractive as possible?

Yet He does not.

Often, in fact, life becomes more difficult after we pledge ourselves to His service.

God does not remain indifferent to our plight.

He gives us one gift of inestimable value that more than compensates for any problem we might face. His presence.

God’s answer for Gideon was not more soldiers or chariots, but more of Himself.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon or clothed Gideon

Have you ever been clothed by the Spirit of the Lord?

He covers, He protects, He provides, He is glorified.

Once Gideon had the Holy Spirit filling Him, he had more than enough resources to defeat his fiercest enemy.

As time would prove, the Holy Spirit led Gideon to embrace an unorthodox strategy never attempted before or since.

God’s Spirit worked to bewilder Gideon’s enemies and to make Gideon’s efforts succeed.

Gideon learned experientially that when God is for us, it matters not who is against us (Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” ).

In all of your calculating of how you will overcome your obstacles, never minimize the glorious reality that God goes with you.

Judges 6:35 NASB95

35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them.

Throughout history, God has always chosen to use leaders.

If He chose to, God could send an angel and disperse His enemies much more efficiently.

But in His sovereign wisdom, God often decides to raise up ordinary people to do His bidding and thereby give Him the maximum glory.

The land had been oppressed for seven years.

All that time the oppressed people had ample warriors with which to resist the enemy.

What it lacked was godly leadership.

In most cases, people are waiting for someone to lead them to overcome their nation’s problems.

As soon as Gideon had been transformed by a divine encounter, people began to recognize an authority in the young farmer they had never seen before.

People who were earlier prepared to kill him for destroying their altar, were now strapping on armor prepared to put their lives on the line for him.

If you are presently struggling to have your people follow you as their leader, perhaps you first need a fresh encounter with God. Do your people clearly recognize God’s hand on your life?

2. Gideon’s Genuine Request

Judges 6:36-38

Judges 6:36–37 NASB95

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, 37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.”

Sometimes leaders need to regain their spiritual bearings.

We can become so involved in the frenzied activity of getting things done, that we lose sight of who we are doing it for.

Gideon’s life had been swept up in a whirlwind since his first encounter with God.

His life had been threatened,

his father had taken a bold stand against his neighbors,

thousands of soldiers were mobilizing and looking to him for leadership,

and his nation’s fiercest enemies were on the move.

At times life can move at blinding speed for a leader!

But that was also when Gideon needed to be reassured that what he was doing was God-orchestrated.

Gideon knew full well that he had no power to deliver anyone from oppression, let alone his entire nation.

Gideon also knew that busyness often causes us to forget or mistake what God said earlier.

So Gideon asked for a sign.

Asking for a sign is not an act of faith.

But it may well be necessary if we are going to obediently march forward with confidence.

Is your faith wavering?

Have you lost your confidence that God can and will provide for your need?

Perhaps you need to take time to rebuild your faith so you are prepared for the victory that is coming.

Judges 6:38 NASB95

38 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water.

God is an expert at building our faith.

He knows that without faith, our lives cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” ).

So God has a plethora of ways to strengthen our trust in him.

We might be quick to dismiss the timid Gideon for requiring yet one more sign from God before he marched into battle.

After all, he had already met face to face with the angel of God,

had heard God speak to him,

and had watched his sacrifice miraculously consumed by fire.

Nonetheless, at this critical juncture in his nation’s history, the timid farmer was determined to make sure he was in the center of God’s will.

There was too much at stake to make a mistake.

Too many people would lose their lives if Gideon led on his agenda instead of God’s.

God was patient with Gideon.

He knew how much hung in the balance for His people.

God wanted Gideon to succeed more than Gideon did!

Ultimately Gideon became convinced he was in God’s will.

And, once the farmer knew he was doing what God had asked, and that God would go with him, he was unstoppable. 

3. God’s Graceful Reassurance

Judges 6:39-40

Judges 6:39–40 NASB95

39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” 40 God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.

God, in His grace, gave His hesitant servant more than enough evidence to be assured he had heard his divine summons correctly.

Yet Gideon still desired more.

There are times when we need to make absolute sure we heard from God.

However, once we have clearly heard, it is time to move forward.

At times God’s work is left wanting because we keep asking for further proof that He has spoken.

Sometimes our request for assurance is merely delaying our obedience.

We cannot keep asking for proof and move forward in obedience at the same time!

God will not always enter into a prolonged conversation with His hesitant servants.

He did with Moses, but ultimately God became angry with him.

God also graciously gave Gideon the further evidence he requested.

God demonstrated grace and patience with Gideon not only because He loved him, but also because He loved His people.

God often must demonstrate infinite patience with us in order to get us to the place where we are of service to Him.

Could it be that it is time to talk less, and to act more?

Conclusion

How much evidence do you need before you act on God’s commands?

It is ok to seek reassurance.

It is not ok to question God to the point of disobedience.

When you seek to follow God opposition will arise.

Get your reassurance then Act on the word of God.

316 Jesus is Tenderly Calling

1.    Jesus is tenderly calling thee home, Calling today, calling today; Why from the sunshine of love wilt thou roam Farther and farther away? (Refrain)

2.    Jesus is calling the weary to rest, Calling today, calling today; Bring Him thy burden and thou shalt be blest; He will not turn thee away. (Refrain)

3.    Jesus is waiting; O come to Him now, Waiting today, waiting today; Come with thy sins; at His feet lowly bow; Come, and no longer delay. (Refrain)

4.    Jesus is pleading; O list to His voice, Hear Him today, hear Him today; They who believe on His name shall rejoice; Quickly arise and away. (Refrain)

Refrain: Calling today, Calling today; Jesus is calling, Is tenderly calling today.