Gideon – From Fear to Faith
Wednesday, February 25
Gideon – From Fear to Faith
And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” – Judges 6:12, NKJV
In the providence of God, no matter what generation we are born in, or how many millions of people there are on the planet, I truly believe that God has arranged a divine appointment for each one of us in a way that is perfect for each individual.
When we meet Gideon, he is hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat in secret hiding from the Midianites, an invading enemy which impoverished the nation of Israel at that time. Suddenly, on what seemed to be a very ordinary lacklustre day, devoid of hope, he had an encounter with an angel. The angel calls him, “Mighty man of valor.”
While what Gideon was doing was functional and needful, that wasn’t his destiny, and he felt anything but courageous. On that particular day, however, God met with him in a meeting which turned out to be pivotal to both Gideon and the nation of Israel. The angel revealed Gideon’s God-given identity and unveiled his true purpose in life. When Gideon acted on it, the whole nation was lifted out of defeat and poverty, as God worked on their behalf and vanquished their enemies. What a difference a day makes!
Gideon’s flaw? Fear and insecurity. He questioned God repeatedly. He asked for signs. He doubted his ability. Yet God reduced his army from 32,000 to 300 men so that the victory would clearly belong to Him. Gideon learned that purpose is not about confidence in self, but confidence in God.
Today you may feel inadequate. But know this, God calls you based on who you are becoming, not where you are hiding.
Prayer for today: Dear God, I know that You call me mighty even when I feel weak. You see valor in me when I feel vulnerable. Forgive me for the times I have doubted Your voice or questioned my ability. Teach me to trust You even when the numbers shrink and the odds look impossible. Reduce my dependence on self and increase my dependence on You. Turn my insecurity into confidence not in who I am alone, but in who You are through me. And with that use me according to Your will. I step out of hiding today. I accept Your calling. In Jesus’ name, Amen.