Tag Archives: Gideon

September 4, 2017

Mighty Man of Valor

By marilynnchadwick

Valor comes in all kinds of packages. Perhaps you or someone you love is in the military—bravely guarding our freedom. Or maybe you’re a first responder. Or a caregiver holding the hands of the dying. You might be quietly and faithfully caring for your children—raising up the next generation. Or nursing your spouse through a long illness. People show courage in different ways.

Perhaps you don’t feel strong enough or brave enough to do what’s required of you. If so, you’re in good company. Some of God’s most courageous men and women started their journey in weakness. But God’s power transformed them into mighty men and women of valor.

Take Gideon. He was the youngest son in a family and tribe that were the weakest in Israel. The people had fallen into great evil, so the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. “But Israel grew weak and cried out to the Lord” (Judges 6:11 CEB).

So the Lord sent His angel to Gideon with a message: “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12). To which Gideon said something like, “Who me? I’m just a frightened nobody.” “Mighty man of valor” was a term that described warriors. Heroes. Champions.  Not a scared young man from the weakest tribe in a beaten down nation. The word translated “valor” is chayil, the very same word that describes the “woman of valor” in Proverbs 31.

God must have seen something special in Gideon and said to him: “You have strength, so go and rescue Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not personally sending you?” The Lord promised, “Because I’m with you, you’ll defeat the Midianites as if they were just one person” (Judges 6:14-16 CEB).  And that’s just what happened. It took some persuading, but Gideon took courageous action to save his nation. He became a new man in the process. A man sold out to God. A mighty man of valor.

Friend, God sees within you the strength and courage He put there—even if you’re anxious and full of fear. Even if your family is a mess. He loves us when we’re weak; but He delights in making us strong. Men and women of valor.

We may feel exhausted, rejected, ignored, or afraid.  If so, His words to us are His words to Gideon: “Because I am with you, you will defeat your enemies. Enemies like job loss, depression, anxiety, marriage problems, a rebellious child, the inability to have a child, or loneliness. Maybe you struggle with fear like Gideon did.

God is whispering to you right at this moment: “The Lord is with you mighty warrior, man or woman of valor. And because I am with you, you will have strength to prevail!”

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March 24, 2016

Weakness Turned to Strength-Day 8

By marilynnchadwick

Welcome to 21 Days of Strength. I hope you’re encouraged by stories of the mighty men and women of valor in the Bible. Each started out weak and ended up strong. World changers. Let’s take another look at Gideon. He was least and last in a family whose clan was the weakest in their tribe. He was the runt of the litter. A self-described loser. Yet the angel of the Lord approached Gideon with these astounding words, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

“The angel of the Lord” is a term reserved for a very special kind of messenger. Most scholars believe “the angel of the Lord” describes an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. God in physical form. Read a little further. You’ll notice that instead of “the angel of the Lord,” this visitor is actually referred to as the Lord Himself:  And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” (Judges 6:11-14 ESV).

This was a defining moment for Gideon. He asked for a sign to see if this was really the Lord.  He made an offering of meat and meal which the Lord touched with his staff.  The offering burst into flames so Gideon knew it was the Lord.  He was terrified, certain he would die because he had seen the Lord. But God assured Gideon he would not die.   So he built an altar to the Lord and called it, “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24).

God then asked Gideon to do a very hard thing.  He was to tear down the altar to Baal at his father’s home. Gideon took ten servants and did as the Lord had told him. “But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night” (Judges 6:28).

“Who could have done such a thing?” the men of the town asked the next day. They discovered it was Gideon. So they went to Joash and said, “Your son Gideon knocked over Baal’s altar… Hand him over, so we can kill him!” Gideon’s father replied, “Are you trying to take revenge for Baal? If you are, you will be the ones who are put to death…If Baal really is a god, let him take his own revenge on someone who tears down his altar.”

That same day, his father changed Gideon’s name to Jerubbaal, explaining, “He tore down Baal’s altar, so let Baal take revenge himself.” (Judges 6: 30-32 CEB). This marked the beginning of Gideon as a leader of Israel against their enemies.  And a new day of courage for Joash, his father.

God delights in making weak people strong.  Isn’t that great news for all of us?  Gideon, who started out “less than,” is listed right up there among the great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11, a chapter that many call the Hall of Fame of Faith:

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies” Hebrews 11:32-34 NIV).

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Arm Yourself with Spiritual Strength, finding strength, Pray with Authority

March 23, 2016

Mighty Man of Valor-Day 7

By marilynnchadwick

Have you ever felt “less than?” Maybe you don’t think you’re strong enough, smart enough, rich enough, thin enough. You fill in the blanks. If you’re feeling less than, you’re in good company. Because some of God’s mightiest men and women started their journey in weakness. But God’s power transformed them into world changers.

I’m glad you’ve jumped on board for 21 Days of Strength. I’ll say it again. God loves us when we are weak. But He delights in making us strong!

Let’s take a look at Gideon. He certainly felt less than. Gideon was youngest in a family that had issues. His nation Israel was surrounded by enemies on all sides. The people had done evil in the Lord’s eyes, so He handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. “But Israel grew weak and cried out to the Lord” (Judges 6:11 CEB).

So the Lord sent His angel to Gideon with this message: “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12 ). To which Gideon said something like, “Who me? I’m just a nobody. I’m the youngest in my family. Our clan is the weakest in the whole tribe.”

“Mighty man of valor” was a term to describe warriors. Heroes. Champions. Not a guy who is the least in his family, from the lowest clan, in a beaten down nation.

But God must have seen something, because He said to Gideon, “You have strength, so go and rescue Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not personally sending you?” The Lord added, “Because I’m with you, you’ll defeat the Midianites as if they were just one person” (Judges 6:14-16 CEB).

And that’s just what happened—though not all at once.  First, God listened as Gideon poured out his doubts and fears. He walked Gideon through each anxiety. Then he asks Gideon to do some hard things. Brave actions that would save Israel; transform Gideon from less than to leader. Gideon became a new man in the process. A deeper man with strong faith. A man sold out to God. A mighty man of valor.

God sees within each of us the strength He has put there—even if we feel weak and broken. Even if our family or clan or nation are a mess. He loves us when we are weak. But he doesn’t want to leave us there. He delights in making us strong. We may feel exhausted, rejected, ignored empty, or afraid.  If so, His words to us are His words to Gideon. “Because I am with you, you will defeat your enemies.”

What are your enemies? Job loss, depression, marriage problems, a rebellious child, the inability to have a child, loneliness? Or maybe you struggle with inadequacy and fear like Gideon.  Perhaps God is whispering to you right at this moment: “The Lord is with you mighty warrior, man or woman of valor. And because I am with you, you will have strength to prevail!”

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Arm Yourself with Spiritual Strength, finding strength