{"id":4048,"date":"2025-07-19T20:33:45","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T20:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/?p=4048"},"modified":"2025-07-19T20:33:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T20:33:49","slug":"lessons-from-bible-lives-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/19\/lessons-from-bible-lives-9\/","title":{"rendered":"LESSONS FROM BIBLE LIVES"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GIDEON OVERCOMES GREAT OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCRIPTURE: Judges 6, 7, 8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION: <\/strong><\/strong>Today, we study a man who becomes a man of might and valor, but only after rising from obscurity and overcoming severe handicaps. Gideon means \u201ca cutting down,\u201d which reminds us of his actions in destroying his father\u2019s grove dedicated to the worship of Baal. No wonder they also called him Jerubbaal, meaning \u201cDiscomfiter of Baal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GIDEON\u2019S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 His Family <\/strong>\u2013 Judges 6:25<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This indicates that Gideon came from an ungodly family \u2013 one of the many thousands in Israel who worshiped Baal. The widespread practice of idolatry was the cause of God\u2019s allowing Midian to oppress Israel. (Judges 6: 1 shows the direct correlation between Israel\u2019s evil and God\u2019s judgment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 His Finances <\/strong>\u2013 Judges 6: 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like virtually everyone else in the land, Gideon was in poverty (because of the oppression of the Midianites.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 His Failure <\/strong>\u2013 Judges 6: 11<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gideon was just a poor farm worker, threshing wheat secretly, hoping the Midianites would not find it and take it away from him. At this point, Gideon was just a \u201cnobody\u201d \u2013 no prestigious family tree, and certainly no impressive past accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 His Friends <\/strong>\u2013 Judges 7:3-6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We find here that when \u201cthe chips were down,\u201d Gideon was surrounded by fearful and faithless people. There was no one else to inspire and motivate Gideon to be strong for God. This opens the subject of one of the most important human relationships\u2013that of FRIEND! <\/strong>Think about the benefits of having a true friend and the great privilege of being a friend! The classic friend relationship <\/strong>in the Bible is that of David and Jonathan. You may wish to review this and consider what a blessing and help Jonathan\u2019s friendship was to David. No doubt, about this time Gideon would have greatly valued a friend with the character of Jonathan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 His Fear- <\/strong>Judges 6:11, 23, 27, 36-40<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These verses indicate that Gideon was a fearful man. This makes the word of the angel of the Lord (v 12) all the more significant. Gideon, in his natural state, was anything but a mighty man of valor! (But God saw Gideon\u2019s potential. <\/strong>Thank God, He <\/strong>can see what we cannot, even in our own selves!) Now\u2013looking at these five facts about Gideon, his background, and the circumstances he faced, it would seem that he would never be a success at anything. BUT, when God comes on the scene with His power <\/strong>and enabling grace, <\/strong>the situation is drastically altered! Let us consider \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GIDEON\u201dS EXPLOITS <\/strong>\u2013 Compare 6:1-7 with 7:24, 25<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice first the pathetic condition of the Israelites \u2013 6:7. They were in bondage to their Gentile oppressors. Vast hordes of the Midianites would come into the land, especially at harvest time, and spoil and destroy the increase of the land and leave nothing for Israel. The Israelites were helpless to defend themselves, hiding in caves, strongholds and mountain dens \u2026. BUT THEN God called a man to lead in battle against a vastly superior host of the Midianites. The great victory God wrought through Gideon is recorded in Judges 7: 15-25. Gideon, then, became a man who freed a nation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HE EXPLANATION OF GIDEON\u2019S SUCCESS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How could such a miracle come about as we find accomplished through Gideon? There are at least three reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 He Was Willing to Trust the Lord<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only logical explanation for Gideon\u2019s success in the face of all the drawbacks and obstacles is that he had faith in God. (See Heb 11 :32 where we find Gideon listed among the heroes of the faith.) Please note that it is the object <\/strong>of our faith (God) rather than the amount of faith that is most important! Quite simply, Gideon succeeded because he was willing to do exactly what God told him to do. He was willing to put his fear in the background, forget about the failures of the past and the odds against him, and just follow God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 He Was Willing to Go Against Conventional Wisdom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To say the least, Gideon\u2019s approach was different! Who would have thought that surrounding the enemy with a mere 300 men, armed only with pitchers, lamps and trumpets, then breaking the pitchers and blowing the trumpets could defeat the mighty army of the Midianites!?! But this was the plan God gave <\/strong>Gideon, and he used it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 He Was Willing to Stand Alone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We find in Judges 7:2-8 that many of the soldiers of Israel left Gideon! When God\u2019s \u201cdown-sizing\u201d program was completed, only 300 men were left to face the Midianite hordes, and Gideon was virtually alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this day of apostasy and compromise, how we need men and women, and even young people, who will stand <\/strong>alone\u2013stand for God and do what is right regardless of what the crowd is doing! <\/strong>The words of the Lord given through Moses in Ex 23:2 still need to be heeded today: \u201cThou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil\u2026.<\/em>\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary, Gideon had the indispensable requirement for being a successful Christian worker: he was willing to trust the Lord instead of trusting his own judgment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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