Judges
6:13
Cleanse Your Mind
Lord,
there are times when it is difficult to continue believing.
When the signs seem to point to defeat and the confidence of
the opposition is at an all time high, my faith can dissipate
like the morning dew. Teach me to remain steadfast even when
I don’t hear Your voice or see Your hand. Give me the
courage to believe You no matter what others say or my circumstances
might indicate.
Hear
God’s Word
When
Gideon encountered the angel of the Lord he was told, “The
Lord is with you, O valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12).
He responded with several questions. First, he asks, “O
my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened
to us?” (13), which was a direct reference to the current
Midianite oppression. Secondly, Gideon asks, “And where
are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying,
‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’”
(13).
One
of the hazards our faith can encounter on the road to fulfillment
is a feeling of abandonment by God. Although it is a perception
and not reality, our perceptions can override reality. Because
of desperation and obvious defeat Gideon proclaimed, “But
now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian”
(13). Would you have selected him to command an army against such
a powerful enemy? Gideon had to address his false perception before
he could advance as a man of faith. His ability to conquer the
Midianite army was dependent on it.
Analyze
Your Status
Have
you ever felt God deserted you at a critical moment in your life?
You might have been bold enough to challenge others to walk by
faith, but when you acted God seemed distant and unavailable.
You may have put your own reputation on the line to follow what
you thought was God’s direction. God’s reputation
is far more important than ours.
Just
as God knew the repeated rebellious actions of Pharaoh would ultimately
prove that He alone is the only true God (Exodus 14:18), He knows
what must happen to bring all men to the realization that He is
God. At times His perceived abandonment is in reality a statement
of His divine power and glory. However, only those who by faith
endure through this false perception, receive God’s revelations
of Himself.
Neutralize
Your Obstacles
Do
you feel like Gideon? Are you in the heat of a decision or set
of circumstances which seem to confirm that acting in faith is
not the best option. In Gideon’s situation he had to destroy
the roots of doubt that caused him to believe God had abandoned
him. It is not enough to simply pull the weeds; if the roots remain,
the weeds will return.
Roots
of doubt will produce evidence of their presence. These roots
continue to be nourished by false perceptions about God and His
power. To neutralize these obstacles, you and I must be proactive.
We must acknowledge the deception these false concepts perpetuate.
In agrarian lingo, “We must nip them in the bud.”
As a believer God has promised to remain with us and never forsake
us. Any attempt to diminish this reality must be given up before
it has the opportunity to grow.
Glean
God’s Promises
Gideon
had a promise on which to anchor his faith as he called out an
army to fight Midian. God first told him, “Go in this
your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian”
(Judges 6:14). When this was challenged God responded again with
a swift dose of faith by saying, “Surely I will be with
you and you shall defeat Midian as one man” (6:16).
Whenever
we struggle with feelings of divine abandonment on our journey
of faith, we need to reclaim the confidence God’s promises
provide. Knowing His promises and acting on them enlarges our
faith and allows us to experience the victory that can only come
from walking by faith.
Expedite
Your Decision
David
said in Psalm 37:25, “I have been young and now I am
old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants
begging bread.” God will not abandon us when we are
trusting in His promises. Although it appears He is not near trust
His promise to each of His children.
Consider
it a joy as you encounter the test of your faith because when
the test is completed the outcome will be a faith that is pure,
both pleasing and honoring to God. If we are truly walking by
faith we will see the fulfillment of our faith, and others will
know the God we chose to trust is the only true God.
Study
Helps:
1.
How can feelings of abandonment by God hinder us from living by
faith?
2.
What circumstances cause you to question whether or not God is
near?
3.
How can God’s promises help us overcome feelings of divine
abandonment?
