It Has Been Established
“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.’” — Judges 6:12 (AMPC)
Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero! The Lord is with you.”
Gideon, however, was not focused on what the angel called him. Instead, he was more concerned with why Adonai had not delivered Israel. He replied, “Excuse me, sir, but if Adonai is with us, then why has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Didn’t Adonai bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Adonai has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.”
What Gideon failed to recognize was that Israel had disobeyed God, and their oppression was the result of their own behavior. Yet the angel did not address Gideon’s questions—he simply gave him instructions: “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hands of Midian. Have I not sent you?”
It’s interesting how, when God gives us an assignment that feels far too big for us, our first instinct is often to make excuses about why we aren’t qualified. Gideon did the same thing—he focused on what he couldn’t do instead of what God was going to do through him.
As I was praying, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that even though Gideon was hiding in the winepress, it had already been established that he was the warrior who would save Israel. Gideon would never have believed he was the one God had chosen. When the angel spoke to him, Gideon began listing his background and social status as reasons he wasn’t qualified.
God, however, had sent His angel from heaven specifically to meet with Gideon and give him instructions. Yet Gideon still felt the need to remind God of his limitations. What Gideon didn’t understand was that God had already anointed him to be the warrior Israel needed for that season—long before Gideon even knew his own potential.
Gideon looked at his weaknesses in comparison to the other tribes of Israel. This reminds me of what God told Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
We must never allow what we perceive as weakness to make us doubt what God has called us to do. God continually shows us in His Word how He works. He has given us a blueprint for how He moves and how we should respond.
It doesn’t matter what we think or how things appear—when God declares something, it is already established. Our responsibility is simply to come into agreement with Him and follow His instructions.
Key Takeaways
God has already placed within us everything we need to fulfill His plans.
God’s call and timing will challenge you—it will require faith, trust, and courage.
God welcomes your questions and your desire for confirmation.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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