From Fear to Courage
“If enemies are encamped within your heart, there is no need to live occupied!”
Judges 6:33-35 (NKJV)
Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
Reflection
The Bible is full of thunderous accounts of triumph, and the story of Gideon beating an army of 135,000 with an army of 300 is one that has thrilled Christians for ages.
BUT… I’m not leading Israel and neither are you. What do we do with this story?
How does Gideon influence us?
My thought is Gideon impacts us because he is us.
He hates the realities of his life but feels powerless.
We do, too.
How many times have we felt as though we are up against an army of 135,000?
135,000 failures
135,000 disappointments
135,000 rejections
135,000 sicknesses
135,000 betrayals
135,000 bills
135,000 anxieties
135,000 losses
135,000 tears
135,000 mistakes
135,000 griefs
135,000 impossibilities
Our world is full of aches and plunder. But our enemies don’t ride horses and throw spears. Our enemies stealthily slide from our ears and eyes, to our brain and into our heart, where they pillage and loot and set up occupation.
We live under emotional occupation as surely as the Israelites lived under physical occupation.
Internal enemies erode and corrode and paralyze life right out of us. The result is that the mechanisms of peace and growth clank and lock up.
Bitterness, hate, deceit, envy, greed, arrogance, slander, resentment, unforgiveness, competition, and laziness mount a debilitating takeover and we are under siege from within.
But courage!
Courage comes to us the same way courage came to Gideon.
“But_____ the Spirit of the LORD_____came upon Gideon!”
All of Israel was miserable in their disobedience and lifestyle choices, but only one was willing to accept the courage God would provide to experience victory.
Gideon was desperate for God’s solution. Desperation is a great motivator; it is our friend. I love Gideon’s authenticity! He was real about his fears, he sought clarity three times, and he kept in conversation with God. He never went silent on God...even when he felt totally confused about the solution God was laying out. Gideon submitted to God’s wild plan and the result was freedom.
Bible stories aren’t for memorization, they are for inspiration, and God has a wild plan for you IF freedom is your insatiable desire.
Is it?
If enemies are encamped within your heart, there is no need to live occupied!
Buy into God's radical plan to give you divine courage, because there is nothing as peaceful as dead enemies of the heart.
Action Steps
Below are some facts about Gideon. Check the ones you have in common.
It’s encouraging, isn’t it?
Accept the hope.
Progress from fear to courage!
Prayer
(Based on Joshua 1:9)
God…You have commanded that we be strong and courageous. You could only command that because You freely offer strength and courage. Help us not to be afraid or discouraged, and remind us that You will be with us wherever we go and whatever we face. You are where our courage is found. Thank You. Amen.
Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
Reflection
The Bible is full of thunderous accounts of triumph, and the story of Gideon beating an army of 135,000 with an army of 300 is one that has thrilled Christians for ages.
BUT… I’m not leading Israel and neither are you. What do we do with this story?
How does Gideon influence us?
My thought is Gideon impacts us because he is us.
He hates the realities of his life but feels powerless.
We do, too.
How many times have we felt as though we are up against an army of 135,000?
135,000 failures
135,000 disappointments
135,000 rejections
135,000 sicknesses
135,000 betrayals
135,000 bills
135,000 anxieties
135,000 losses
135,000 tears
135,000 mistakes
135,000 griefs
135,000 impossibilities
Our world is full of aches and plunder. But our enemies don’t ride horses and throw spears. Our enemies stealthily slide from our ears and eyes, to our brain and into our heart, where they pillage and loot and set up occupation.
We live under emotional occupation as surely as the Israelites lived under physical occupation.
Internal enemies erode and corrode and paralyze life right out of us. The result is that the mechanisms of peace and growth clank and lock up.
Bitterness, hate, deceit, envy, greed, arrogance, slander, resentment, unforgiveness, competition, and laziness mount a debilitating takeover and we are under siege from within.
But courage!
Courage comes to us the same way courage came to Gideon.
“But_____ the Spirit of the LORD_____came upon Gideon!”
All of Israel was miserable in their disobedience and lifestyle choices, but only one was willing to accept the courage God would provide to experience victory.
Gideon was desperate for God’s solution. Desperation is a great motivator; it is our friend. I love Gideon’s authenticity! He was real about his fears, he sought clarity three times, and he kept in conversation with God. He never went silent on God...even when he felt totally confused about the solution God was laying out. Gideon submitted to God’s wild plan and the result was freedom.
Bible stories aren’t for memorization, they are for inspiration, and God has a wild plan for you IF freedom is your insatiable desire.
Is it?
If enemies are encamped within your heart, there is no need to live occupied!
Buy into God's radical plan to give you divine courage, because there is nothing as peaceful as dead enemies of the heart.
Action Steps
Below are some facts about Gideon. Check the ones you have in common.
- He was human
- He was real with God about his fear
- He was inexperienced in war
- He was from the weakest clan
- He turned to God for courage
- He sought God’s opinion only
- He did not come from wealth
- He needed repeated reassurance God was with him
- He was fearful of family and friends’ anger
- He came to understand that victory is to manifest God's power, so we don’t take the credit
It’s encouraging, isn’t it?
Accept the hope.
Progress from fear to courage!
Prayer
(Based on Joshua 1:9)
God…You have commanded that we be strong and courageous. You could only command that because You freely offer strength and courage. Help us not to be afraid or discouraged, and remind us that You will be with us wherever we go and whatever we face. You are where our courage is found. Thank You. Amen.
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