God is with You.

God is with you.

Judges 6:11-27

11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.

21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.

23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

25 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

26 And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

Notes:

Judges 6:13

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

· Judges 6:13 - Gideon thought God left him because of his circumstances. No matter how challenging the present situation may be, it does not mean that God has left you. He is there bringing you through the trial and out of the storm.

· Gideon thought God wasn’t with him because of the things that were happening to him (Judges 6:13) God reminds him that He is surely with him.

Judges 6:14-15

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

Note: Judges 6:15 - Gideon didn’t see how God could use him to save Israel. Even when the situation doesn’t look like its going in our favor, we must trust God at his word. Our God makes rivers in the dessert (Isaiah 43:19). How will we see the miracle of a river, if we don’t first see the dessert? When things look bleak, we must remember that Jesus has all power and all authority (Mathew 28:18), and nothing is impossible with God (Mathew 19:26).

Judges 6:16

16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

· God reassures him saying surely, I will be with thee. God gives us reassurance that He’s with us and constantly reminds us He is there in His word. (Joshua 1:5,1:9, Hebrews 13:5). God will repeat what He has said to reassure us his word will not return back void (Isaiah 55:11). Listen to His reminders. Remember and believe God’s word.

6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

· Gideon still doubts and is not sure so he asks God for a sign that He is speaking to Him.

6:21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the Lord departed out of his sight.

· The bread that Gideon set on stone was consumed by fire.

· God is a consuming fire. He consumes and burns up our fleshly desires and refines us in fiery trials to make us pure gold. Many times in the Bible, we see how God will send fire to consume offerings and show his mighty power that no one can replicate. Here we see miracles signs and wonders that only God can do. Witnessing God’s great power gave Gideon another boost of faith. Gideon then had more assurance God was there.

Judges 6:23-24

22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.

23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

· Gideon was fearful. He thought going to war would risk his life; however, he learned to trust God for the victory.

24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

· Jehovahshalom- The Lord is Peace. When Gideon heard from the Lord that he would not die, he had peace and no longer fear.

· Have you ever received an answer to something you thought about? God knows our thoughts and our hearts. He speaks directly to us calming our spirit wiping away all our fears, giving us great peace. Gideon had great peace when the Lord said peace be unto thee and let him know that he would live. Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). When we trust him at his word, believe, and don’t doubt we will have peace in the midst of our storms, trials, and circumstances. Take God at his word, keep your mind stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3) and you will experience more peace.

Trust God

· God commanded Gideon to thrown down the altar of Baal and build an altar for the Lord the true and living God (Judges 6:25-26).

· The Lord used Gideon to put an end to false idol worship.

Judges 6:27

27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

· Gideon begins to be obedient without doubt and question. Remember all that God has spoken to you. Remember his word and you will be able to take a leap of faith at God's command.

· The Lord confirmed His word to Gideon many times.

· He sent his word through an angel

· Fulfilled the sign that Gideon asked for

· Allowed Gideon to hear a dream interpretation confirming Gideon would have the victory against the Midianites.

Judges 6:36-40

36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

· Gideon doubted again and had asked for another sign. God confirms His word several times and Gideon knows what the Lord has told him. It was up to Gideon to believe the word of the Lord and walk in faith not fear.

Judges 7:7 KJV

And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

· God tells Gideon again that he has the victory in this fight.

Judges 7:9-15 KJV

9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

What can we learn from Gideon’s story?

· God reassures us that He is with us.

· We have the victory in Jesus.

· Believe God the first time when he says the battle is already won.

Judges 8:22-23

22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.

· When God delivers you, stick with Him, keep your focus on him and do not become ensnared in things of the world.

Judges 8:27

27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

· Gideon became ensnared in riches even after victory over his opponents (The Midianites).

· The people began to worship the ephod (linen garment worn by priests).

· Gideon became very focused on wealth after the victory. Did he pause to give God thanks?

· Remember that it is the Lord who gives us victory. Do not become ensnared with wealth and pride. Remember to give thanks, honor, and praise to God. All glory belongs to the Lord.

Don’t Doubt God’s Presence

· Know that God is with you, for certain. Don’t doubt He is there. He said he will never leave us nor forsake us. All power is in his hands he is with us even until the end of the age.

· Just because of hard challenges or situations, grief, loss, or circumstances doesn’t mean God is not with us. Gideon thought that because of all he was going through that God had forsaken him. This is when we must pull out the sword of the spirit- the word of God and remember and believe God’s word that He is always with us and will never leave nor forsake us.

· Don’t let the enemy make you believe God has left you when you have a relationship with Jesus and serve him. God knows whose are His and will never leave his saints. He will never leave his sheep without a shepherd.

· God loves us and gives us reassurance that He is here. Job went through testing, but God was there and when he came out, he came out as pure gold and received more blessings than he ever had imagined. He received double for his trouble.

Scriptures

Matthew 28:18 King James Version

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Isaiah 26:3 KJV

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Joshua 1:5 KJV

5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Joshua 1:9 KJV

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

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