He was an average person, smuggling food and hiding it from the Midianites to ensure his family had something to eat. Because they used to come and destroy everything. However, his name was mentioned by St. Paul when he counted the men of faith that God worked through their life. So, what is his story?
Despite being an average person, God called him a mighty man of valor. Why did God choose him and give him that title? Well, God looks into the hearts of people. Gideon’s heart was full of wonder about God. He wondered where all the miracles that their fathers had told them about were. He also wondered why God forsaken all his people. He was thinking not only about himself.
Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” (Judges 6:13).
God witnessed a heart that will fight for His cause and protect His followers. Gideon had a selfless heart, thinking about others as well. But just like everyone else, he was confused and shaken. He was unsure of where to begin or how to overcome a large army. He even questioned his own worth, saying, “Who am I? I am nothing.”
So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15).
The greatest battles are fought within.
Then God wanted to teach him to fight big, starting with what he knew – his house. He instructed Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. However, Gideon was still afraid of his father and the people, so he did it at night while everyone was sleeping.
So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night. (Judges 6:27).
However, when the men woke up the next day, they were filled with anger. They searched and inquired, eventually accusing Gideon, the son of Joash, of being responsible for the act. The men of the town demanded that Joash bring out his son to face death for breaking down the altar of Baal. Joash, however, stood his ground against those who opposed him. Joash said “If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down”.
Now, this is the work of God. He changed the heart of his father, who had actually built an altar to Baal. Instead, his father acknowledged Baal couldn’t help himself. God also instilled confidence in Gideon, strengthening him in the eyes of his followers. Many men joined Gideon in his fight. However, the story doesn’t end there. Gideon’s fame spread, which didn’t sit well with the Midianites. They wanted to challenge him in a battle.
Gideon urged the surrounding Israelites to join the war. In a moment of victory, he doubted God and asked for a sign. God, being patient and loving, granted him a sign. Despite this, Gideon lacked confidence and doubted again the next day, asking for another sign. It’s amazing how patient God is with us.
God knows our weaknesses. He will deal with it one step at a time.
The Sign of the Fleece
So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said — look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” And it was so. When he rose early, the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground. (Judges 6:36-40).
In Gideon’s war, the Midianites had 135,000 soldiers, while Gideon had only 32,000 Israelites. The difference in numbers was significant. However, God wanted to show Gideon, the Israelites, and all of us that victory in war comes from the Lord. So, God began reducing the number of soldiers through tests. First, from 32,000 to 10,000, and finally to 300.
Now Gideon has to face 135000 Midianites with 300 Israelites.
Gedion had a strange and unsettling night. He couldn’t sleep because he was worried. He hesitated to ask God for another sign to comfort him. His troubled heart was heavy. But God, who knows our hearts, had compassion on him. He woke Gedion up in the middle of the night and gave him another sign. Gedion didn’t even ask for it. That night, God spoke to him.
It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah, your servant, and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” (Judges 7:9-11).
You can read about the story of Gideon in the Bible, specifically in Judges 6, 7, and 8. It’s fascinating to see how he emerged victorious. We can’t ignore God’s involvement in Gideon’s story. Gideon, who was initially hiding food to keep his family alive, was transformed by God into a courageous warrior facing with 300 soldiers an army of thousands.
Not only that, the plan for those 300 was amazing.
They would raise their torches with one hand, shout, play the trumpet with the other hand, and God took care of the rest, they won.
They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” And every man stood in his place all around the camp; and the whole army ran and cried out and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled. (Judges 7:20-22).
Porn has us chained as a powerful opponent, leaving us unable to break away. We can’t seem to break free from its trap, no matter how hard we try. Once more, we’re forced to do things against our will, becoming hostages to the situation. Similar to Gedion’s experience, we might be warriors, but we’re exhausted from the daily struggle to survive while weighed down by the chains of porn.
The Enemy Soldiers
We often view explicit images and thoughts as many enemy soldiers trying to defeat us, but God wants to shift your focus to lift you up.
Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. (2 Kings 6:16).
God wants to focus your mindset on Him because, my dear warrior, you can truly win this battle. It’s the weight of your burden that’s making it hard for you to see God’s hand in your life. But if you hold on to him, he will save you, just as he saved Gideon and his 300 soldiers from the entire Midianite force.
Oh God, here I am, reaching out to you, my faith unwavering. You proved your might by enabling Gideon to win with only 300 Israeli soldiers, and I am convinced that you can help me achieve victory as well, despite my limitation. This is all I can offer, this fragile hope, that I will try to pray, to draw closer to you. Please accept my sincere effort, as I can’t assure you I will stop watching pornography.
If I stumble and return to it, I ask for your forgiveness. You came for sinners like me, not the pure and spotless. This gives me the strength to approach you. You are holy and reject sin, but also patient and loving, like a caring father. May my humble prayer be like a flickering candle, lighting up my darkness. Just as you empowered Gideon and his 300 soldiers, I believe you can transform me and ease my struggles.
He can help us win our inner battles and change our hearts. You don’t need to be a warrior or pray all day like a monk. You don’t have to fix yourself, he just wants your heart.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. (Proverbs 23:26).
Allow him to enter, tap into the power within you. He has the ability to help you emerge victorious in this struggle.
Keep praying so that you can conquer this challenge.
WinThisBattle
