Paralyzed with Fear

Paralyzed with Fear

Midian, Gideon, & God

(Judges 6-7)

Introduction:

1. One of the great things about the Bible is the honest way in which it evaluates its heroes.

2. It records the good along with the bad and ugly.

3. While we often characterize Gideon as a great man; a mighty man of valor

(Judges 6:12), he also had some rather serious flaws he needed to work through.

Judges 6:12 NLT

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

I. He Doubted the Word of God

A LITTLE DOUBT

The whelk is a this little ocean creature can ruin an oyster’s day. The whelk has an appendage that works like an corkscrew, With which it can bore a small hole in the top of an oyster’s shell.

Then through this very small hole a whelk can devour an entire oyster, It simply sucks it out little by little until the oyster is gone.

A little doubt can do this to a person, as well.

A. (Judges 6:36). 36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Judges 6:36 NLT

Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised,

39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

B. Who has the nerve to say to God... “If you will do what you said you will do...?” The Nerve of Gideon to question God.

C. (1 Thessalonians 5:24). 1 Thessalonians 5:24

1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLT

God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

New International Version

24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

D. Do you ever doubt the word of God?

1. Our confidence is wrapped up in our trust of God’s word.

II. He Discounted the Sign of God

A. (Judges 6:37-39). He doubted God sign

Judges 6:37–39 NLT

prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.”

B. Not only once, but twice (Judges 6:17,21).

Judges 6:17 NLT

Gideon replied, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me.

Judges 6:21 NLT

Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and bread with the tip of the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.

C. How often do people discount the will of God?

1. “But God wants me to be happy” (Luke 11:28). Luke 11:28

New International Version

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

2. “We prayed about it and feel this is what God would want.”

D. (Matthew 16:21-23).

Matthew 16:21–23 NLT

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Matthew 16:21-23

New International Version

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

II. He Distrusted the Power of God

We have all seen God moving on our behalf. Salvation, Grace, and Mercy. Restoration

A. (Judges 7:10-11). Judges 7:10-11

New International Version

10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.

Introduction: Phurah, Gideon’s servant, is only mentioned twice in the entire Bible—here in this passage—but what he did certainly speaks volumes.

Text, Judges 7:9-11, KJV: 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

Some background information: Gideon and Phurah lived during a time when Israel had forsaken the One True God. Israel was under severe oppression by the Midianites and the Amalekites (Judges 6:1-6) and after seven years of this finally cried out to God for deliverance.

Gideon was God’s choice to deliver Israel from this oppression, even though he didn’t think he was the man for the job! Judges 6:11 and the following verses detail Gideon’s journey from defeat to doubt to dedication. Eventually he gathered an army and was ready to fight against the enemy forces nearby.

Now here’s where Phurah enters the picture. When he became Gideon’s servant is never specified and we’re told nothing else about him. Even so, when God told Gideon “Take Phurah along if you’re too afraid to go to the Midianite camp by yourself”, Phurah went along with Gideon. If nothing else, this speaks of Phurah’s loyalty to his supervisor.

Then when they got to the Midianite camp, Phurah seems to have stayed behind or perhaps followed behind Gideon. Verse 13 tells that Gideon, not Phurah, heard the dream of the Midianite soldier. When Gideon heard the dream and its meaning, that was enough for Gideon to worship and to proceed with his strategy for the battle.

And the LORD did indeed give victory, for Gideon and for Israel—and for Phurah. This man was faithful, even to the point of spying on the enemy camp. Gideon had to trust him with his very life—Gideon had no way of knowing he would return alive from his “mission”. But Gideon did return, and even though Phurah is never mentioned again, his loyalty and faithfulness are qualities worth following in every generation.

B. The reduction of the size of the army was unsettling to Gideon.

C. There were 135,000 of the enemy and were described in (Judges 7:12).

Judges 7:12

New International Version

12 The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

D. God knew he was afraid and needed strengthening.

Judges 7:14-18

14 His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

Conclusion:

1. Let’s us learn, both from Gideon’s mistakes as well as his obedience. It was his obedience to God that allowed him to get to victory. Many times, we as individuals are so afraid that we become paralyzed, and we paralyze those around us with the same fears and anxiety.

2. Let us learn to commit ourselves to God and trust him, and live a victorious life. Let us Pray