The Strength You have is Enough Part II
With Right Understanding
Picking up in verse 33 It appears Gideon had very little time to think this over and/or prepare.
Verse 34 As a result he is suddenly given the strength to summon the other tribes and clans.
Verse 35 They are responding to him because the spirit of the Lord is with him.
Verses 36-37 Gideon now begins to lay down the proverbial fleece, twice.
- Because Gideon is still moving in the right direction God is patient with him.
Chap 7:1 Remember that the people who wanted to kill Gideon gave him a nick name because they thought the god Baal would contend with him, or punish him. The contrast here couldn’t be stronger.
Verse 2 Probably just about the time Gideon thinks he has things figured out; God drops a bombshell.
- You people will try and take credit for this if you do it with the number of people you have.
Verse 3 Anyone who trembles with fear can turn back. This is pretty serious fear, trembling.
- Here twenty-two thousand left because of this fear. About two-thirds
- With that many being in fear, imagine how normative the fear must have felt in the culture.
- Why? Why did God send those who fear home?
- Syncretism, If you are doing anything to hedge your bets, then you are prone to fear.
- You also don’t have right understanding of who God is. This will also lead to fear.
- Practically speaking they would have turned tail and ran when the battle started.
- Giving their enemy glory. God wants the glory
- Spiritually speaking His glory in victory would be wasted
- Basically, they wouldn’t get it, because they lacked right understanding of God.
- They would give Ball credit for the victory.
Verse 6 But only 300 drink the way the Lord was looking for.
- Which means that 9700 still went home, even though they had no fear.
- Why was God looking for this kind of men, the 300?
- With many of the promises God gives us there is a level of cooperation that is required.
- The battle is the Lords, but they are actually going to have to cooperate with the lord.
- So, in order to cooperate they need to have the right kind of training.
- If you get down with your face to the water you can’t see anything and you leave yourself very vulnerable. You again give your enemy the opportunity for easy victory and glory.
- This speaks of preparedness, training.
- I think for us today this is being trained in your spiritual gifts. Ready for Spiritual Battle
- Remember they did this while living in caves and being constantly plundered by the other nations.
- They found a way to overcome heavy obstacles to get themselves in the right place.
- The story is often about how God can win the battle with any size army, and that is true. But are you ready?