The Warrior Gideon
Judges 6:14,15
The one thing I want to start off with a challenged being issued and Gideon’s initial response is doubt. To me this is usually the natural response for most of us. When we are challenged with something that WE believe is undo-able, we start to pick ourselves apart with our own flaws and weaknesses. This was Gideon’s first reaction: Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.”
Judges 6:16
Then The Lord replied with: “Ah, but I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.”
But that statement alone wasn’t enough for Gideon. Gideon wanted and needed proof that The Lord is specifically speaking to him. Needless to say The Lord proved Himself.
Gideon built up his courage and accepted the challenge that God issued. Gideon assembled 32,000 men to take down the Midianite’s army. But God didn’t want Israel to brag as if they won the fight alone. God shrunk the ranks from 32,000 to 300 men. Now everyone will know that if 301 men (including Gideon) defeated the whole army of Midianite, was because it was God’s will. So The Lord gets the deserved glory over the victory.
So Gideon going from doubting his ability to going into battle with an army with only 300 men is a huge step up in faith. Gideon was at his strongest when his faith in God was at its strongest. We all can learn from this story.
~ Eddie Oliveras
The King's Men 