Gideon:Mighty Warrior
Gideon was hiding in a winepress when God called him a mighty warrior. See why God answered his weakness with His presence, and then shrank his army.
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You hide, and God calls you brave.
Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress, hiding his harvest from the Midianites. That is where God found him, and the first thing God said was not a rebuke. It was a name.
The LORD is with you, mighty warrior
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”Judges 6:12 · NIV
God called Gideon by who he would become, not by who he felt he was. The name came before the courage.
The least in my family
Gideon answered with his résumé: the weakest clan, the least in his family. God did not argue with any of it.
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”Judges 6:15 · NIV
The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”Judges 6:16 · NIV
God never argued with Gideon’s weakness. He answered it with His presence.
Then God shrank the army
Gideon gathered 32,000 men. God sent all but 300 home, so no one could say their own strength had won.
The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’Judges 7:2 · NIV
A prayer for the unqualified
Lord, like Gideon I feel like the least. Thank You that You call me by who I am in You, not by my fear. I’ll go in the strength I have, because You are with me. Amen.
Pray it before the step you’ve been avoidingGo in the strength you have
- Come out of the winepressName the place you’ve been hiding from what God is asking.
- Hear your new nameWrite down what God says about you, not what fear says.
- Take one stepDon’t wait to feel mighty. Obey with the strength you have today.
Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?Judges 6:14 · NIV
Where are you hiding from your calling?
Name the winepress you have been hiding in. Then take one step this week with the strength you have.
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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.