Action without faith is senseless, but faith without action is dead. The story of Gideon is a perfect example of how when we say yes to Jesus in spite of our fears, the unimaginable happens. Do you feel like God is asking you to do something bigger than yourself? Then this devotional is for you!
The Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites. This oppression had been going on for seven years. The bullying and harassment were so out of hand that whenever the Israelites would plant anything, the Midianites would come out and destroy their crops, along with their flocks, leaving the Israelites with nothing to eat. Talk about evil!
One day, God came out to meet Gideon. Telling him he was brave, God commanded Gideon to deliver his people from the hands of his oppressors. What a task!
At first, Gideon wasn’t too convinced about doing such a thing. Saying he felt unqualified would be an understatement. Have you ever felt this way? Overwhelmed by something God is asking you to undertake because it feels beyond your capacities?
Here are three lessons from the life of Gideon I would like to share with you today:
God sees more in us than we see in ourselves
When God appeared to Gideon, he called him a “mighty man of valor”- Judges 6:12. He got called “mighty man of valor” even though Gideon saw himself as the weakest and most insignificant. God doesn’t define by our fears and limitations; He calls us according to His purpose and strength and qualifies us in the process!
God Uses the Least Likely for His Glory
This is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, God likes to go the least unlikely way to achieve the greatest of things! Just take a look at David, Moses, Rahab, Ruth, Esther, Paul, and the list goes on! Gideon was from the “weakest” clan in Manasseh and considered himself the least in his family -Judges 6:15. Yet, God chose him to lead Israel to victory. This reminds us that success comes from God, not from human ability.
Faith Requires Action, Even When We’re Afraid
In spite of his fear, Gideon obeyed God step by step. He tore down the altar of Baal at night-Judges 6:27 and later led only 300 men to defeat a much larger Midianite army –Judges 7:7. His story encourages us to trust God even when the odds seem impossible.
Remember: our faith grows when we take action and step forward despite our fears.
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 2:17
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