Judges 6:12-17 – “The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!” ¹³ Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Did the Lord not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” ¹⁴ Then the Lord himself turned to him and said, “You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! Have I not sent you?” ¹⁵ Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.” ¹⁶ The Lord said to him, “Ah, but I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.” ¹⁷ Gideon said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, then give me a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, God’s patience and purpose filled my thoughts. Repeatedly, Israel rebelled, then repented, and God restored them. The cycle seemed endless.

Finally, before his death, Joshua challenged them in Joshua 24:13-15. He invoked the Blessing – This is what God has given you. He gave the Charge: reverence Him, serve Him in sincerity and truth.  Come out from among them and be set apart to God. Then, he asked for a commitment. Make up your mind – God or the world?

In God’s mercy, He chose a deliverer named Gideon. In Judges 6:12-17, we see the progression that inspired faith and courage and produced victory.

• Verse 12 – The Identity. God revealed who Gideon was, not who he thought he was.
• Verse 13 – we find Gideon’s question. If this is true, then why this? We’ve all been there.
• Verse 14 – God gives the commission – You go in this might, you possess and deliver Israel. What might? The might of God in Him and through Him.
• Verse 16 – we have The Promise – I will be with you. That weight of those words carried him to and through his objections to His promise.
• Verse 17 – we have the confirmation. Out of the promise and confirmation, we have Chapter 7 – the Completion of the Deliverance.

The strength of the confidence in the Word of the LORD kept Gideon strong and defeated fear.  An army of 32,000 reduced to 10,000 is reason to fear. But 10,000 reduced to 300 is beyond the pale. God, have you lost your mind?  He remembered the promise, “I will be with you.”  He knew the Pentateuch, and that 1 could chase 1000 and 2 would put 10000 to flight.   

Against all odds, He trusted God! What are you facing today?  God is with you. Christ is in you. As Joshua challenged, it is your choice. We can be one who turns back or one who goes forward, declaring – God is with me. Therefore, I am undefeatable! Your choice!

Lord help us to see ourselves as You see us and live as who You declare us to be!