gideon

Gideon : God and my IFs and BUTs
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you

have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

Judges 6:14

The Book of Judges is filled with UNLIKELY LEADERS. It is in many ways a catalogue of God's surprises.

It was certainly a surprise to Gideon when God assumed control of his life and turned the unlikely and uncertain man into a champion of His cause and a leader of God's people into unexpected victory.

We are familiar with his story : and it is likely that we can identify with many of Gideon's problems - the greatest of which was Gideon himself!

It is a remarkable demonstration of divine PATIENCE against a background of vacillation and doubt. It should remind us of the way God deals with us.

Gideon is .. an Old Testament Nicodemus - so much happened to him at night :

an Old Testament Thomas with so many ifs and buts!

Here is the transforming work of God ....

*Forcing him to break away from his background

*Challenging him to take a stand for God against apostasy

*Dealing with his doubts and uncertainty.

A. Break away from your background

Gideon was very much a product of his age. He was profoundly influenced by the views that surrounded him - and before God could use him God had to show him that with God these factors could be set aside.

Verse 1-10 set out the background - and show the extent to which the people were demoralised by the Midianite attacks - it was all summed up in the prophet's rebuke :

you have not listened to me v 10

Like the people of the land Gideon was demoralised too.

V.13 shows us that Gideon was influenced by his background :

If the Lord is with us why has all this happened. Where are all the wonders

the LORD has abandoned us ...

If we are not careful the world around us will shape us in its mould and we shall show similar signs of spiritual demoralisation

with words like :

IF ... WHY

WHERE ?

ABANDONED

To use this doubting servant God has to free him from this influence of failure and apostasy

v14 ...

Go in the strength you have and save Israel... AM I NOT SENDING YOU?

There was some residual bravery in Gideon - but THAT was not the strength he had. The strength he had was altogether of God.

"How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest ... and I am the least in my family."

That's good : now the Thomas of the OT is becoming more like the John Baptist of the NT recognising GOD's INCREASE and his DECREASE.

The strength Gideon has is given him by God - it enables him to break with the spirit of the age.

Are we willing to break with the spirit of this age that casts doubt upon :

*God's presence

*God's power

*God's grace ? (as in verse 13)

B. Challenged to take a stand.

That same night the LORD said to him "Take the bull ... tear down the altar to Baal .. build a proper kind of altar."

v25

Well now, for a fairly ordinary sort of potential leader there wasn't much time to think about it was there ? What Gideon needed was a means of commitment to God's cause - one that would leave no doubt in anyone's mind about his spiritual allegiance.

To his credit he did as he was told

But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town he did it at night rather than in the day time.

Nevertheless everyone would know that Gideon stood for the LORD alone and had not time fro Baal!

Against our own background of apostasy and demoralised spiritual living God calls on us too to break with with our background and TAKE A STAND - not in the indefinite future - but "that same night".

C. Dealing with doubt and uncertainty

You will find the evidence for that in :

* 6 20-24

* 6 34 & 35 and

* 6 36-40

Now we usually think of this repeated asking for a sign as a sign of weakness - he's a bit like Thomas isn't he? but in reality I believe that it is more important to see the GRACE and PATIENCE of God in all of this.

It is more of GOD dealing with Gideon than Gideon failing to come up to God's standards.

* When Gideon first asked for a sign (6,17) the Angel of the LORD waited for the meal to be prepared and revealed His power and His PEACE (v23)

"Jehovah shalom " in v 24 - a very important part of God's work in dealing with our doubts and fears

AS with the disciples - and Thomas - Jesus came with the greeting "PEACE be with you.!"

* The second way was the direct EMPOWERING OF THE SPIRIT (v34)

"Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon and he blew a trumpet ... "

* The third work of God in dealing with Gideon's doubt was to cede to his "strange" requests

for signs with the fleece.

(vv36-40)

He understands the weakness - and gives a definite sign.

I would like to be able to say that that was that - and now Gideon is cured - but it isn't so : he will need FREQUENT ENCOURAGEMENT and in His goodness God will provide that as well. (7 10 -)

God dealt with Gideon challenging him effectively to :

Break away from your background trusting God

Challenged to take a stand. now committed

Dealing with doubt and uncertainty His peace

In this way God can deal with my IFS and BUTS.