Gideon mighty warrior

good morning you amazing people it is great to be with you this morning. And every year I have this traditions where I do say, that it feels that summer is coming back, and then we have one intense week of winter. So here it goes it feels that summer is coming back. The weather seems to be getting better.

Today we are currently carrying on in our series call of duty, and we are looking at some heroes in the old testament, and we see how their stories shows us how to be battle ready in the faith. Our vision for the year is to raise an army and this story we going to look at, it literally about an army and how God used someone to actually win an enemy by an army and leader God has chosen. And the way God did it, shows us but also prepare us to be soldier in the God kingdom and army. I think sometimes when we look at armies, and soldiers, we think they look like this. Show Rambo and Arnold, but actually we saw a guy that God used, that in all essence looks like this.

I think we sometimes like this guy Have you ever had one of those moments where you felt like God was calling you to something... But everything in you was shouting back, “Not me, Lord. I’m not ready. I’m not enough.” Maybe you’ve felt: 1.Unqualified for leadership. Under-equipped to raise your kids well. Too young to make a difference. Too broken from your past to be used by God.

If that’s you, can I say something right up front? You are exactly the kind of person God loves to call.

You’re not alone in feeling that way. Ryan mentioned it last week. Throughout Scripture, God has a habit of calling people who don’t feel ready: Moses said, “I can’t speak well.” Jeremiah said, “I’m too young.” Peter said, “I’m a sinful man.” And today, we’re looking at Gideon — who was literally hiding in a hole when God found him.

I think some of us are still hiding. We’re hiding from responsibility. Hiding from ministry. Hiding from conversations we’re scared to have. Hiding from the call God has placed on our lives.

But I came to tell you this morning — God is calling you out of the winepress. He’s calling you to duty.

Not just to be a Christian who survives. But to be a follower of Jesus who steps into purpose, who fights for others, who builds His Kingdom — even while still feeling weak.Because here’s the truth: God doesn’t wait for you to feel ready. He calls you anyway. And His call is what qualifies you.

You see when the big idea is this When God calls you to duty, it’s not about your ability — it’s about His presence. Now let’s turn to Judges chapter 6, and meet a man named Gideon. Now his story is important : Israel was under oppression by the Midianites for 7 years. Gideon is called during a time of fear, famine, and failure.

He didn’t feel strong. He didn’t feel brave. He didn’t feel ready. But God saw something different in him We read in 'And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O brave man.” ' Judges 6:12— just like He sees something different in you. Let’s walk through his story… and learn what it means to answer the call to duty.

I want to show you 4 things we must do as Christians, to get ready to be armed and ready. Now I love that we do not have to do this in our own strength, but in the strength God give us. And the first thing we need to do is

Lay down your insecurity. We read this in 'But Gideon said to Him, “Please Lord, how am I to rescue Israel? Behold, my family is the least [significant] in Manasseh, and I am the youngest (smallest) in my father’s house.” ' Judges 6:15

Let’s be honest… Gideon wasn’t feeling confident. He didn’t stand up like a brave warrior. He didn’t say, “Finally, Lord! I’ve been waiting for my moment!” No — he basically said, “Who, me? You’ve got the wrong guy.” His response was full of insecurity:

“My clan is the weakest.”

“I’m the least in my family.”

Translation: “I’m nobody.”

Sound Familiar? Have you ever said things like:

“I’m not a leader.”

“I’m too broken to serve.”

“I’m not smart enough, spiritual enough, bold enough…”

“I’m not a preacher.” “I’m not good with people.”

“I’ve got too much baggage.”

That voice… that self-doubt… that feeling of not being enough? That’s insecurity.

And it’s one of the enemy’s favourite weapons — not to destroy you, but to keep you small. To keep you from stepping into your assignment. Because if he can’t take you out, he’ll settle for keeping you hidden in a winepress.

Why We Struggle With Insecurity We often carry insecurities because of three thingsWords spoken over us Maybe someone told you, “You’ll never be good enough,” or “You’re a failure.” And those words got planted like seeds that grew into shame.

Comparison We scroll online and think everyone else is more gifted, more confident, more called. We compare our behind-the-scenes to their highlight reel.Past failure – Maybe you’ve tried before and failed. – Now every time God calls, you hesitate because of the pain of last time.

But listen… God doesn’t define you by your past, your weaknesses, or your fears. He defines you by His purpose for you.

God’s Perspective Is Different When Gideon said, “I’m the least… I’m the weakest…” God didn’t respond with a pep talk. He didn’t say, “Come on Gideon, you’re better than you think.” No — God said, 'The Lord answered him, “I will certainly be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites as [if they were only] one man.” ' Judges 6:16 In other words: “It doesn’t matter how weak you feel. What matters is that I’m going with you.”

Identity vs Insecurity There’s a powerful truth here: Insecurity is based on what I feel. Identity is based on what God says

You might feel like:

You’re not good enough. You’re not ready.

You’re just a small part of a big crowd.

But when God looks at you, He sees:

A warrior, not a worrier.

A leader, not a loser.

A son or daughter, not an orphan.

A vessel, not a victim.

1 Samuel 16:7 – “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

So here’s the 1st challenge: Lay down your insecurity. Not because you feel strong. But because God is with you. You don’t have to wait until you feel confident to be obedient. Confidence comes later — after you step out.

You may not have much… but if you give God your “little,” He’ll show you it’s more than enough.REFLECTIVE MOMENT: Ask the church: What lie have you believed about yourself? What label have you carried that God never gave you? What insecurity has been keeping you in the winepress? Let’s take that today, and give it to God Let’s stop letting insecurity be the loudest voice in the room. Let God’s voice be louder — and let Him call you out of hiding.

Gideon could’ve stayed in that winepress forever… But God said something powerful: “Go in the strength you have.” He wasn’t looking for perfection. Just obedience. Let’s look at that next…

POINT 2: GO IN THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE. We read this in The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” ' Judges 6:14 Let’s pause on that verse for a second. God doesn’t say: “Go in the strength you wish you had.” “Go in the strength you used to have before life got hard.” Or “Go in the strength you'll have after the next course, after the next confirmation, after you feel bold.”No — God says: “Go in the strength you have.”

Now ask yourself here : What Strength? He Was Hiding! Remember where Gideon is — in a winepress, scared, uncertain, doubting. And yet God says: “Go in the strength you have.” At that moment, Gideon probably thought, “What strength? All I have is fear, excuses, doubt, and survival mode.”

But here’s the thing: God saw something in Gideon that Gideon couldn’t see in himself. And that’s exactly how God works with us. We Often Wait for More So many of us are waiting to feel stronger before we obey God. “When I have more confidence, then I’ll lead.” “When I know more Bible, then I’ll disciple someone.” When I’m out of debt, then I’ll be generous.” “When I’ve healed more, then I’ll serve.” “When I’m less broken, then I’ll say yes.” But God doesn’t tell you to wait until you have more — He says go with what’s already in your hands.

I love God's Pattern: Use What You Already Have Throughout Scripture, this is God’s pattern:

Moses said, “I can’t speak.” God said, “What’s that in your hand?” (It was just a shepherd’s staff — and God used it to part the Red Sea.)

David didn’t put on Saul’s armour — he took five smooth stones and used what he already had.

The widow in 2 Kings had only a little oil, but God multiplied it when she poured it out.

The boy in John 6 had five loaves and two fish — and Jesus fed a crowd of thousands with it. The miracle often happens when we act in faith with what little we already have.

Stop Waiting for Perfect Conditions If Gideon had waited to feel strong, confident, trained, and ready — he never would’ve left the winepress. And neither will you. At some point, obedience must come before clarity. Obedience often precedes confidence. Courage doesn't show up before you move — it grows as you move. “Go in the strength you have… Am I not sending you?”

God is reminding Gideon. and reminding us You’re not going alone. What Is the Strength You Already Have? Let me ask you: Do you have a prayer life, even if it’s not perfect? Do you have a story of how God rescued you? Do you have the ability to show up and be faithful with one person, one moment, one task? That’s your strength. Use it.

You may not feel like you have a lot — but when you put your “little” in God’s hands, it becomes more than enough. REFLECTIVE MOMENT: What is the “little” strength you’ve been underestimating? Maybe it’s your story. Maybe it’s your ability to listen. Maybe it’s just your willingness to say “yes.” God isn’t waiting for you to have it all together. He’s just waiting for you to take the next step with what you’ve got.

Faith isn’t about having everything figured out. Faith is about saying “yes” to God with what you have right now.

Now, here’s the catch… Just because Gideon obeyed didn’t mean everything got easier. In fact, what God asked him to do next made no sense from a human point of view. So let’s move to the third thing we learn from Gideon:

Trust God’s strategy, even when it makes no sense.

We read this.Then the Lord said to Gideon, “There are too many people with you for Me to hand over Midian to them, otherwise Israel will boast [about themselves] against Me, saying, ‘My own power has rescued me. Judges 7:2. I mean what, this guy gets the guts, the strength he is out of the hole. God is going to provide, and then God does what:

So Gideon finally steps out. He says yes to God. He blows the trumpet, calls for help, and 32,000 men show up. He’s probably thinking, “Okay, now we’re talking! I might actually have a shot at winning this!” But then God says something wild… “You’ve got too many.” “Send some home.” Wait… what? So now we From Bad Odds to Impossible Odds At this point, Gideon already knew he was outnumbered. The Midianite army had over 135,000 soldiers (Judges 8:10). Gideon had 32,000. That’s already 4 to 1 odds. Not great. But God says, “Too many.” So Gideon gives the first instruction: “If any of you are afraid, you can go home.” 22,000 soldiers leave. Just like that — more than two-thirds of his army disappears. Now it’s 10,000 vs. 135,000. Still bad. But God’s not done. God says, “Still too many. Let me test them.” So He gives Gideon a strange test at a spring, and only 300 men remain. That’s 450 to 1 odds.Humanly speaking — there’s no chance.

Why Would God Do That? Because this battle wasn’t about military might — it was about faith and trust. God knew that if Israel won with 32,000 or even 10,000, they’d take the credit. They’d say, “We pulled it off. Our strategy worked.” But God needed to make it obvious that this was His victory, not theirs. Sometimes God will reduce your strength to increase your dependence.

God’s Strategy vs. Human Strategy Let’s be honest — sometimes God’s instructions don’t make sense. We expect a promotion, and instead, we’re told to be still. We expect breakthrough, and instead, we’re asked to forgive. We want increase, and He tells us to give. We want answers, and He calls us to worship. That’s where trust comes in.

Faith isn’t just trusting God when the plan makes sense — it’s trusting God when the plan seems ridiculous. God Doesn’t Need the Odds in Your Favour

Sometimes we assume that “if it’s God, it will be easy.” And I believed it for many years But look at Scripture: Noah built an ark when there wasn’t rain. Joshua marched around walls instead of attacking them. Jesus fed thousands with one boy’s lunch.

None of it made sense. But it worked — because it was God’s strategy. What made the difference? Not the logic. Not the odds. Just obedience. Some of you are in a season right now where:

The numbers don’t add up.

The doors aren’t opening.

The plan God gave you feels… backwards.

You obeyed God, and things got harder.

You stepped out in faith, and the “army” got smaller. And you’re asking: “God, how is this supposed to work?” Here’s the answer: It’s not about what you can do — it’s about what God can do through you. God’s strategy will never make sense to the flesh — but it always aligns with His purpose. REFLECTIVE MOMENT:

What strategy has God given you that doesn’t seem to make sense right now?

Is He calling you to serve when you’re tired?

Is He asking you to forgive someone who deeply hurt you?

Is He asking you to tithe when you’re in financial stress?

Is He leading you to step down when everyone else thinks you should climb higher? Obedience might make you look foolish — but it positions you for victory. Because in the kingdom of God:Less is more. Surrender is strength. And faith, not logic, moves mountains.

Now, here’s the powerful part. Even after all the confirmations… Even after hearing God’s voice, seeing signs, and obeying… Gideon still felt afraid. But something happened that finally shifted his heart — and gave him the confidence to stand. Let’s look at Point 4:

Stand in your God-given identity.

'When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling a dream to his friend. And he said, “Listen carefully, I had a dream: there was a loaf of barley bread tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” And his friend replied, “This [dream] is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has given Midian and the entire camp into his hand.” When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down in worship. Then he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hand.” ' Judges 7:13-15

Let’s set the scene… Gideon has obeyed. He’s followed God’s instructions — even though they didn’t make sense. But deep down… he’s still scared. He’s about to go into battle with just 300 men against an enemy so vast, the Bible says their camels couldn’t even be counted. God sees Gideon’s fear — and instead of rebuking him, God graciously gives him one more moment of assurance. He tells him, “If you’re still afraid, sneak down into the enemy camp and listen to what they’re saying.” Gideon and his servant sneak in… and what he hears changes everything.

The Enemy Knew His Name A Midianite soldier says, “I had a dream… A loaf of barley bread came tumbling into our camp, hit a tent, and knocked it flat!” The other soldier responds: “That can only mean one thing. God has given victory to Gideon, son of Joash!” (Judges 7:14)Wait — what?!

How do these enemy soldiers know Gideon’s name? He’s not a king. He’s not famous. He’s not on any battlefield yet. But clearly, his name is already echoing through enemy territory. Because God had already gone ahead of him.

You Need to Hear What the Enemy Knows

What if you could hear what the enemy already knows about you?

That you’re dangerous when you pray.

That you’re powerful when you obey.

That you carry authority in Christ — even when you don’t feel like it.

That you’ve got spiritual weapons the enemy can’t touch.

That the Spirit of God lives inside of you.

The devil hopes you never figure that out. Because the moment you do — you become unstoppable. Gideon’s Identity Was Spoken Before the Battle

Remember way back in Judges 6? When the angel first met Gideon in the winepress, he didn’t say: “Hey you, coward.” He said: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

That was Gideon’s God-given identity — and it hadn’t changed, even though Gideon didn’t believe it at first. God called him “mighty warrior” before Gideon fought a single battle.Identity precedes activity. And the same is true for you. You are not what you do. You are not your weakness. You are not your worst season. You are not what people called you. You are who God says you are.

Identity Transforms Posture As soon as Gideon hears what the enemy says, something shifts.The man who was afraid now runs back to camp and shouts with boldness:“Get up! The Lord has given us victory!”

Notice: Nothing has changed on the battlefield. The enemy is still huge. The numbers are still 450 to 1. The odds are still against him. But what changed was Gideon’s posture — because he finally believed what God said about him.

He stopped seeing himself as “the least of the least”… and started acting like the warrior God said he was. The Power of Standing in Who You Really Are

Too many Christians are saved but still living in survival mode.

God calls you bold — but you still act timid.

God calls you free — but you still live in shame.

God calls you chosen — but you still chase approval.

God calls you a warrior — but you’re still in the winepress.

It’s time to stand.To rise up and say “I may not feel strong.

But if God says I’m a warrior, I’ll fight.”

“I may feel weak — but if God says I’m enough, then I am.” “I may be outnumbered — but if God is with me, then it’s already done.”

REFLECTIVE MOMENT:

Ask: What false identity have I believed about myself? What truth has God been speaking over me that I’ve been too afraid to receive? What would it look like if I fully stood in who God says I am?

CLOSING CHALLENGE: Gideon didn’t win the battle with swords. He won it with faith and obedience. He won it when he finally stood in his God-given identity. And so will you.

You’ve been called to duty. Not because you’re the strongest. Not because you have all the answers. But because the Lord is with you, mighty warrior. So don’t shrink back. Don’t hide in the winepress any longer. Stand up. Get up. Step out. You already have everything you need — because you have Him.

Final Transition to Closing/Altar Call: So what is God saying to you today? Have you been hiding? Have you been disqualifying yourself? Have you been living in insecurity instead of identity?It’s time to respond. Show pictures of how the battle was won

CONCLUSION: Gideon started in fear but ended in victory. The turning point wasn’t when the odds changed… It was when he believed God’s Word about him.

Call to Action: God is calling you to duty in your family, your church, your workplace, your generation. The question is not: “Do you have enough?” It’s: “Do you trust that He is with you?”

RESPONSE TIME / ALTAR MOMENT:Invite the church to respond:

What is your winepress?

What is the thing God is calling you to do but you feel too weak for?

Are you ready to lay your insecurity down and answer the call?

Pray:

“Lord, I surrender my fears, doubts, and excuses. I go in the strength I have, knowing You are with me. Use my 300. Use my little. Use my weakness. I say yes to the call. Amen.”