Hi how are you all today? I am well. The week that we just had has been quite hard for me. But through it all I know that God is still good and He won’t ever leave me. Best news ever!!!
This week I want to look at the story in Judges 7 where Gideon was choosing his army to go and fight the Midianites. Picture this- you are an Israelite man. You have been called to go up and fight the Midianites with Gideon.
You get your armour and your supplies ready. You put on your shoes, kiss your family goodbye and get ready to fight the enemy.
Verse 2 of Judges 7 is an interesting verse. The Lord told Gideon that he had too many people to fight the Midianites. The reason is that when they defeated the Midianites, they wouldn’t give the glory to God but say it was because of their great army. Hang on – weren’t they just hiding from them. How can they have too many? Why didn’t they fight them before? Possibly because they didn’t have a leader and were scared.
So who left? The ones who were still scared and afraid. Only those with courage and a knowing of Who God is can go and fight the battle.
What I find interesting in verse 3 is that 22000 men left and only 10000 men remained. Roughly 2/3 left and 1/3 remained. But in the ensuing verses I see no shame or blame happen to the ones who left.
Put yourself in the shoes of one of those Israelites who were sent home. The people had been under Midianites control for seven years (see chapter 6). They had stolen their food, tools etc so the Israelites were in fear of them. Fear does not just evaporate, it has to be renounced in our lives.
God understands where each of us are at and He understood where these men who left were at. The men went back to their homes and families. They had made progress just stepping out. But the battle wasn’t over yet.
Sometimes in our battles that we face, there is a time to step out and fight and a time to walk away. This can be a spiritual battle as well as a physical situation with a person. There is a time to stand up and speak into a persons life but also a time to just walk away and let God get the victory. The enemy can sometimes only be defeated by a miracle from God.
2 Chronicles 20:17 states in the NIV Bible:
17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
The army of Hezeliah still had to go out but they didn’t fight the battle, God did.
But whether we are going out to fight or walking away, we need to know our position in the battle. Is God calling us to fight or walk away? Only you and God can determine this – seek Him and He will tell you.
But was all lost for those men who went home? I don’t believe so. Gideon and his army started to defeat the Midianites and in verse 23 of Judges 7, reinforcements came – the men from Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh and pursued the Midianites. Gideon was left with 300 men to initially fight the battle but I think there were more than 300 men now.
God may be telling us that in this season we need to walk away but it might be for our good. To fight the battle, we need to be trained in the Word of God as well as putting on the armour of peace, righteousness etc.
God may have more training for us to do before we can fight the battle and defeat the enemy.
Today if you are in the midst of a battle the first thing is go to God. Find out the position He wants you to take and ask whether further training is required. Then go with God and defeat the enemy in the area of your life you are struggling with. God is with you and will never leave you.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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