Tag: Judges 6-8
Mighty Warrior!
Scripture reading for March 11th: Judges 6-8
Poor self-image and discouraging self-talk are common symptoms of a life out of touch with the Lord. It is so easy to focus on our lack and inabilities. We always seem to magnify our weaknesses, see only the flaws, and are quick to blame them on someone else. Sometimes, we simply rehearse them over and over and stew in the negativity.
For seven years the Israelites had been under attack by the Midianites. They cried out to God for help and He sent them a prophet. The prophet told them about God’s mighty power in delivering them from Egypt and His warning not to worship the gods of the Amorites. They had not listened to the Lord!
God then sent his Angel to Gideon and he found him hiding in a wine press, threshing grain. The Angel’s first words to Gideon: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” (Judges 6:12) Gideon’s first response was not one of faith. He believed that the Lord had abandoned them. This messenger sent Gideon on a mission to deliver Israel. (Judges 6:14) Gideon protested that his clan is the weakest in Manasseh and that he is the weakest of all!
The angel had told him to use the strength he had–little or great! God would be with him and that would make all the difference in the world. God sees each person as special and has a job that they can do. He specializes in taking weak people and infusing them with His strength. When they choose to believe His Word, nothing shall be impossible to them! (1st Corinthians 1:25-29)
As Gideon prepared to deliver Israel, he gathered an army together, but God reduced it from 32,000 to 300! He took away their weapons and gave them torches and pitchers! He told them to break the pitchers and wave the torches and shout! (Judges 7:13-20) Gideon won a great victory with 300 men and a healthy trust in God!
With God on your side, there are more for you than against you! “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!”
Mighty warrior!
Scripture reading for March 10th: Judges 6-8
Poor self-image and discouraging self-talk are common symptoms of a life out of touch with the Lord. We always seem to magnify our weaknesses, see only the flaws, and are quick to blame them on someone else. Sometimes, we simply rehearse them over and over to ourselves and stew in the negativity. Gideon was just such a man during the days of the Judges. The God we serve loves to use the weak and flawed and make them into mighty warriors, even in spite of themselves!
For seven years the Israelites had been under attack by the Midianites. They cried out to God for help and He sent them a prophet. The prophet reminded them of His warning not to worship the gods of the Amorites. They had not listened to the Lord!
An angel of the Lord finds Gideon is hiding in a wine press, threshing grain. His first words to Gideon: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” (Judges 6:12) Gideon’s first response is not one of faith. He was not sure why the Midianites were attacking them. He believed that the Lord had abandoned them. This messenger then sent Gideon on a mission to deliver Israel. (Judges 6:14) Gideon again protested that his clan is the weakest in Manasseh and that he was the weakest of all!
The angel had told him to use the strength he had–little or great! God would be with him and that would make all the difference in the world. God sees each person as special and has a job that they can do. He specializes in taking weak people and infusing them with His strength.
As Gideon prepared to deliver Israel, he gathered an army together. God reduced it from 32,000 to 300! He took away their weapons and gave them torches and pitchers! He told them to break the pitchers, wave the torches and shout! God sent him into the enemy camp to hear a prophetic dream about his victory. He obeyed and in the strength he had, delivered Israel from the Midianites! (Judges 7:13-20)
If you are struggling today with a poor self-image or have been engaging in negative self-talk, allow the Word of God touch your heart today! Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!”
Fire in the Pot!
Scripture reading for March 11th: Judges 6-8
God loves to use underdogs to accomplish great victories. He likes to win when the odds are stacked up totally against His people. One of the reasons for that is stated in the Book of Judges. God told Gideon that he had too many men to go out and fight the Midianites. If he won the victory, the army would begin to take credit for it themselves and swell with pride. (Judges 7:2) This pride would become their downfall.
Gideon, himself, was also a weak man. In his own estimation, he was the least of the least of his tribe. (Judges 6:15) He was cowering in fear of the Midianites as he threshed out some wheat to feed his family when approached by the Angel of the Lord. This angelic visitor greeted him with “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” God is a God of encouragement and He is able to see our true potential when we walk by faith!
After a series of reductions of Gideon’s forces, Gideon ended up with three hundred men who had lapped water like a dog. ( Judges 7:6-7) God promised that with these three hundred men he would deliver Midian into Gideon’s hands. Gideon divided these three hundred men into three companies and gave them trumpets, jars, and torches to place in the clay jars. He led them himself, and told them to do exactly as he was going to do. They were to encircle the Midianite camp and at the signal from Gideon they were to break the jars, wave the torches and shout: “For the Lord and for Gideon!” This shout was an act of faith that would bring victory to this small company! (Judges 7:18)
We know the story and the happy ending. As they shouted, the Midianites became confused and began killing each other. The power of God brought victory to Gideon and his small band of shouting warriors with fire in their pots! This story helps us to learn some simple lessons. God can use very weak and simple people. Numbers are not the most important thing in life, victory comes through God and obedience to His directions. Our weapons that are most powerful are our tongues when employed in obedient faith and the light of God’s presence shining forth from us. Take time today to ask God to use you!
“Mighty Warrior!”
Scripture reading for March 11: Judges 6-8
Poor self-image and discouraging self-talk are common symptoms of a life out of touch with the Lord. It is so easy to focus on our lack and the way we are made. We always seem to magnify our weaknesses, see only the flaws, and are quick to blame them on someone else. Sometimes, we simply rehearse them over and over to ourselves and stew in the negativity. Gideon was just such a man during the days of the Judges. The God we serve loves to use the weak and flawed and make them into mighty warriors, even in spite of themselves!
For seven years the Israelites had been under attack by the Midianites. They cried out to God for help and He sent them a prophet. The prophet told them about God’s mighty power in delivering them from Egypt and His warning not to worship the gods of the Amorites. This was their problem. They had not listened to the Lord!
God then sent his Angel to Gideon. We find Gideon hiding in a wine press, threshing grain. The Angel’s first words to Gideon: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” (Judges 6:12) Gideon’s first response is not one of faith. He was not sure why the Midianites were attacking them. He believed that the Lord had abandoned them. This messenger then sent Gideon on a mission to deliver Israel–in the strength he had. (Judges 6:14) Gideon again protests that his clan is the weakest in Manasseh and that he is the weakest of all! What a self-image problem! Or could it be that he is seeing accurately through his natural eyes?
The angel had told him to use the strength he had–little or great! God would be with him and that would make all the difference in the world. God sees each person as special and has a job that they can do. He specializes in taking weak people and infusing them with His strength. When they choose to believe His Word, nothing shall be impossible to them! (1st Corinthians 1:25-29)
As Gideon prepared to deliver Israel, he gathered an army together. God reduced it from 32,000 to 300! He took away their weapons and gave them torches and pitchers! He told them to break the pitchers and wave the torches and shout! Gideon’s faith was strengthened by supernatural signs that he asked for. God met him where he was. God sent him into the enemy camp to hear a prophetic dream about his victory. He obeyed and in the strength he had, delivered Israel from the Midianites! (Judges 7:13-20)
If you are struggling today with a poor self-image or have been engaging in negative self-talk, let this greeting from the Word of God touch your heart today! With God on your side, there are more for you than against you! Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!”