"That night, God told Gideon: “Get up and go down to the camp. I’ve given it to you. If you have any doubts about going down, go down with Purah your armor bearer; when you hear what they’re saying, you’ll be bold and confident.” He and his armor bearer Purah went down near the place where sentries were posted. Midian and Amalek, all the easterners, were spread out on the plain like a swarm of locusts. And their camels! Past counting, like grains of sand on the seashore!" 7:9-12
Gideon was facing a little fear. He was converging upon an army of nearly 15,000 men, with only 300 of his own with him. God understood his fear. God knows every thing about us. But, his fear didn't excuse him from his task. And God was talking him through the whole thing....already telling him, "Hey, mighty warrior, I have ALREADY GIVEN IT TO YOU, just be bold and go take it!" We have to take that first step, after you obey and go forward, courage and boldness bubble up from the deep waters within us, that drown out the fear underneath.
"Gideon arrived just in time to hear a man tell his friend a dream. He said, “I had this dream: A loaf of barley bread tumbled into the Midianite camp. It came to the tent and hit it so hard it collapsed. The tent fell!” His friend said, “This has to be the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite! God has turned Midian—the whole camp!—over to him.” When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he went to his knees before God in prayer. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up and get going! God has just given us the Midianite army!” 7:13-15
What a weird dream. A gigantic loaf of bread rolls down a hill and destroys 15,000 men. I've had some really weird dreams, but that one.....is weird. Maybe God used the bread to represent Gideon because he was a barley farmer. Remember, God called Gideon as he was laying in the winepress threshing the wheat. I've tried to over-analyze dreams before, and I just can't ever make sense of them. Regardless, God gave this man the dream, and it fulfilled exactly what the Lord had told Gideon would happen. God said go to the camp and listen to what they were saying, then this man tells his friend about this weird dream he had, and Gideon just happens to hear it.
Obedience. God's perfect placement and timing over us. Victory.
"He divided the three hundred men into three companies. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar, with a torch in the jar. He said, “Watch me and do what I do. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly what I do. When I and those with me blow the trumpets, you also, all around the camp, blow your trumpets and shout, ‘For God and for Gideon!’” Gideon and his hundred men got to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the sentries had been posted. They blew the trumpets, at the same time smashing the jars they carried. All three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands, ready to blow, and shouted, “A sword for God and for Gideon!” They were stationed all around the camp, each man at his post. The whole Midianite camp jumped to its feet. They yelled and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, God aimed each Midianite’s sword against his companion, all over the camp. They ran for their lives—to Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites rallied from Naphtali, from Asher, and from all over Manasseh. They had Midian on the run. Gideon then sent messengers through all the hill country of Ephraim, urging them, “Come down against Midian! Capture the fords of the Jordan at Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim rallied and captured the fords of the Jordan at Beth Barah. They also captured the two Midianite commanders Oreb (Raven) and Zeeb (Wolf). They killed Oreb at Raven Rock; Zeeb they killed at Wolf Winepress. And they pressed the pursuit of Midian. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan." 7:16-25
Gideon and his little army of 300 watched as the Lord went to work before them. The Midianites went into complete panic, confusion, and chaos. Not one of Gideon's army had to even pull their swords, the enemy defeated itself! An earthly army of 300 could never conquer an opponent 50 times bigger, but the Lord's army that fights for us in the spirit completely wiped out the enemy. YES. Our strength does not come from numbers or natural weapons, it comes from obedience, commitment, and the weapons of the spirit.
"Be encouraged. If you are afraid, you are normal. Gideon was afraid and he only had enough courage to do God’s will by night at the beginning of his faith-journey with God, but I believe the Lord honored that simple act of obedience and gave his “Mighty Warrior” greater grace to lead Israel to victory. God isn’t necessarily looking for courageous people, He is looking for obedient people. So when the Lord speaks, you are willing to step out in faith. And God grew Gideon into his “Mighty Warrior” name! That’s how I want to live my life. The longer I live, the more I live for those God-moments when there is no human explanation for what took place...where it is just the power of God at work. Can you imagine how Gideon’s story ends? It’s great. The unconventional battle plan gets even better. “Let’s attack with trumpets and jars and a handful of men.” “We’ve been trained with swords, but never mind.” This is God’s way of saying, “I’m going to totally take you out of the equation. This battle is not about you, it is about Me and My glory. Just stand aside and watch Me work.” Mark Batterson
When I moved downtown 4 years ago, I felt a lot like Gideon. I was just a simple girl who was raised on a farm, didn't have any idea what I was doing, and had some fear about what was going to happen, but the Lord said "Go", and I went. I continue to see the Lord fighting and moving and claiming new ground, even when there are just a few faithful ones that stand behind him. And sometimes the Lord throws the enemy into complete panic and confusion, and we just get to sit back and watch Jesus win!
I've had this sweet friend on my mind lately. Beautiful Mama Mary. I miss her so much. She loved my homeade lemonade, and I loved her. She died last year, but I think of her all the time, and miss seeing her out walking around. I will never forget those hot summer days when she would stop by my house to sit on the porch with me and drink from my mason jars. That was a victory too.
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