Brazil Mission Trip Sermon

Introduction

What’s up everyone.

My name is Josh Baker, and I’m a pastor from Lynchburg, Virginia. It’s a real honor for me to be here in Brazil with you this week

When I was praying about what to talk about, the story of Gideon kept coming to mind.

I love Gideon’s story because it’s a great story of courage and leadership. Many people would say Gideon was a great warrior and leader. God used him to lead Israel to incredible victories.

Gideon’s Strengths as a Warrior and Leader

Strategic Wisdom in Battle Judges 7:16–22 — Gideon used an unconventional strategy: torches, jars, and trumpets. He created confusion in the Midianite camp until they turned their swords on each other.

Faith in God’s Power Over Numbers Judges 7:2–7 — God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 down to just 300 men so Israel would know the victory came from Him. And Gideon obeyed.

Encouragement and Motivation of Others Judges 7:17 — Gideon said, “Watch me… follow my lead.” He led by example.

Persistence in Pursuit Judges 8:4 — “Exhausted, yet keeping up the pursuit.” Gideon and his 300 men didn’t quit until the mission was finished.

Refusal to Seek Personal Glory Judges 8:23 — When Israel asked Gideon to rule over them, he said, “I will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

We’re Drawn to Stories Like This

People are naturally drawn to stories of great leaders and heroes.

Think about some of the greatest soccer players in the world — players like Pelé, Neymar, and Lionel Messi.

People admire them because of their skill, confidence, and ability to perform when the pressure is high.

Young players grow up watching them and thinking, I want to be like that someday.

In a similar way, when we read the story of Gideon, we admire the courage and leadership he showed.

And I think deep down, many of us want to be people God can use in that way.

Maybe in some areas of your life you feel confident and strong.

But if we’re honest, in other areas we struggle.

Fear and doubt can creep in — especially when it comes to our faith.

The Challenge

So here’s a question for you today:

What is God calling you to that you’ve been afraid to step out and do?

Maybe God is calling you to talk to a friend about Jesus.

Maybe He’s calling you to take your faith more seriously.

Maybe He’s calling you to encourage or help someone who is struggling.

But sometimes fear and doubt can hold us back.

That’s why the story of Gideon is so powerful — because when we first meet Gideon, he doesn’t look like a brave hero at all.

God Equips the Ones He Calls

Yes, Gideon eventually became a great leader.

But his leadership didn’t come from his own strength, power, or wisdom.

It came from God’s presence and power.

When we first meet Gideon in the Bible, he doesn’t look like a mighty warrior.

Judges 6:11–12 tells us Gideon was hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat so the Midianites wouldn’t steal it.

And the angel of the Lord appears to him and says:

“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Think about that.

Gideon is hiding. He’s afraid. He’s just trying to survive.

Throughout the book of Judges we see a pattern: Israel turns away from God, their enemies oppress them, they cry out to God, and God raises up someone to rescue them.

That’s what is happening here.

So when the angel calls Gideon a mighty warrior, it almost sounds surprising.

Because Gideon doesn’t feel mighty at all.

In verse 15 Gideon says:

“How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest, and I am the least in my family.”

And honestly, many of us can relate to that.

Sometimes we feel like we’re not good enough, not talented enough, or not strong enough for God to use us.

But Gideon didn’t believe he was mighty either.

Yet God called him mighty.

Why?

Because God doesn’t call the equipped — He equips the called.

That means God can use anyone who is willing to trust Him — no matter their background, fears, or insecurities.

God Is with Us in Our Fear

Later in Judges 6:25–32, God gives Gideon a clear and risky command. He tells him to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it — symbols of idol worship that had infected Israel. Then God tells him to build a proper altar to the Lord and offer a bull as a sacrifice using the wood from that Asherah pole.

That was a bold move of obedience — but notice how Gideon does it. Scripture says he did it at night because he was afraid of his family and the people of the town.

So yes, he obeyed — but he obeyed afraid.

And that’s something we need to remember: Courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear — it means obeying God even when you’re afraid.

Sometimes we think we have to feel brave before we can step out in faith. But Gideon reminds us that faith often looks like shaky knees and a pounding heart. God isn’t waiting for perfect confidence; He’s looking for willing obedience.

And what happens next?

When the people wake up and see that the altar of Baal is destroyed, they want to kill Gideon. But his father, Joash, who had built that altar in the first place, steps forward and defends him. He says, “If Baal really is a god, let him defend himself.”

That moment is so powerful — because Gideon’s obedience didn’t just tear down an altar; it broke a generational curse in his family. His act of faith turned his father’s heart back to God.

Don’t miss this:

When you obey God, even when you’re afraid, it doesn’t just change you — it can change your entire family line.

Maybe you come from a long line of addiction, anger, or spiritual apathy. Maybe your father, grandfather, mother, grandmother didn’t lead you spiritually. But by the grace of God, you can be the Gideon in your family — the one who tears down the old altars and builds a new one to the Lord.

Gideon’s obedience broke the cycle of idolatry in his home. And God can do the same in yours.

Even though Gideon was still afraid, God used his small, trembling faith to begin turning a whole nation back to Him.

But even after this, Gideon continued to wrestle with fear.

In Judges 6:36–40, Gideon asks God for a sign.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Gideon asks God for a sign — first making the fleece wet, then dry — just to make sure God is really with him.

And God graciously meets him there.

Let’s be honest — we’ve all been there. We’ve all prayed something like, “God, are You really with me in this? Can I really trust You?”

But here’s the truth: we have something far greater than a wet fleece.

We have the cross. Jesus Christ died and rose again to prove, once and for all, that God is with us — not just in our victories, but in our weakness and fear.

Closing Challenge

So let me challenge you with this today.

God wants to use your life.

You don’t have to be the most talented person. You don’t have to be the most confident person.

You just have to be willing to trust Him.

Maybe God is calling you to be bold about your faith. Maybe He’s calling you to encourage someone. Maybe He’s calling you to start following Him for the very first time.

And maybe tonight you realize something.

Maybe you don’t have that peace that comes from knowing that God is with you no matter what.

And the reason might be because you’ve never accepted Jesus as the Lord of your life.

But I want you to know something tonight:

You can.

I noticed tonight that many of you are wearing sports jerseys.

When you put on a jersey, it represents the team you belong to. It shows who you follow and who you represent.

But spiritually, a lot of people walk around wearing a different kind of jersey — a jersey of fear, doubt, guilt, or shame.

And those things can make us feel far from God.

But the good news of the Gospel is this:

Through Jesus Christ, you can take off that old jersey.

You can take off the jersey of fear. You can take off the jersey of doubt. You can take off the jersey of guilt.

And you can put on Jesus’ jersey by accepting Him as your Savior.

The Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again so we could be forgiven and have a relationship with God.

And when we trust in Him, He forgives us, gives us new life, and promises to be with us.

So tonight, if you’ve never accepted Jesus as your Savior, you can make that decision.

You can say to God,

“God, I know I’m a sinner. I believe Jesus died for me and rose again. And today I’m choosing to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him.”

And when you do that, your life changes.

You’re no longer defined by fear or doubt.

You belong to Jesus.

And just like Gideon learned, when God is with you, everything changes.