Ministering: Pastor Shola Awobajo.
Text: Judges 7:1-8.
” 1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, the people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, this shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, this shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise, everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 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. 8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.” KJV
If any Man truly prospers, it could only have been by God’s will. For any person to be breathing, it is at God’s Will! What is God’s will? God’s will is revealed in His thoughts. Jer. 29:11 tells us His thoughts towards us are always good thoughts. His plan is always to take us to the next level. Every good thing we have received is always at His will and for His pleasure.
Realize God controls every segment of harvest. Every season (Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring) is at His command. Daniel 2:21 says “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise. And knowledge to those who have understanding.” Recognize you are in the Season of harvest; God is ushering you into an unforgettable glorious season.
From our above text, Gideon and the people of God were going through torments from the enemy (the Midianites) because of their sins against God. This account is a picture of the impoverishment many Christians are experiencing today – invasion of the enemy at the time of harvest. God will arise for you in this season and deliver you from every “Midianite”.
Despite all the odds, God gave Gideon success over the enemy. That same God is interested in you overcoming every situation you are facing. It does not take time to fulfill destiny, all it takes is an encounter with God. God by His word can do in a split of second what men cannot do in a thousand years. God usually delivers by sending His word but unfortunately many have not embraced and ran with His word. Isaiah 55; lays credence that God’s Word never returns to Him void for as many that take Him at His word.
The Angel told Gideon that he was a man of valor, though Gideon saw himself as a weakening. As a child of God, always see yourself in Christ for that is where your true strength and identity is. In your weakness, Christ’s strength is made perfect.
Like the widow, many of us keep saying there is nothing in our house except a “jar of oil”, but God does not need much to do much. It is not the size of what you have but the size of your faith in the Mighty God. Gideon gathered 33,000 to confront the enemy but God reduced it to 300 soldiers so that no man should share His glory. The size of the enemy is never a problem with God, He can crush a million soldiers just as easy as He can annihilate an ant!
Lessons from Judges 7:1-8
- Absolute trust in God and His word – Luke 5:5-6
- God wants to take His glory for everything you have achieved. Self-glory must die. John 9:3
- You cannot do in the flesh what God wants to do in the spirit. Zech. 4:6
- God wanted to divinely reposition Israel to Himself so that no enemy can dominate them again.
- God is still in the business of answering prayers. When Israel cried, God hearkened to them.
- God can still bring something out of nothing.
In closing, many experiences we go through in life are tests in disguise tailored to divinely reposition us back to God.
God bless you!
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