THE LORD IS WITH THEE
THE LORD IS WITH THEE
By Evangeline Esaaba Folson
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
The Good news translation of the verse above says The Lord’s angel appeared to him there and said, “The Lord is with you, brave and mighty man”
Why would God call, Gideon a mighty man of valour (brave and mighty man) when he was so scared of the Midianites that he was Hiding to thresh wheat. If he was really a mighty man of valour he would have done it openly. Gideon did not believe the Lord was with Him because:
- He believed if God was with him, the Midianites could not attack them (Israel)
Judges 6:13a
- He believed the Lord had power
Judges 6:13b
- He believed God had to confirm His presence with a sign
Judges 6:17
Judges 6:21
He believed if God was with him, the Midianites could not attack them
Judges 6:13a
And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us?
According to the verse above, Gideon believe that if the Lord is with you, you will not face any trials or challenges.
This is where most Christians err. If God is with you it does not mean you are exempted from trouble or problem.
Consider the story of Job. He know the Lord was with him, but the more He trusted God his challenges increase.
Job 13:15
Though the slay me, yet will I trust Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him
The Good News translation of Job 13:15 says
I have lost all Hope, so what if God kills me? I am going to state my case to Him
There is also the story of Paul and Silas. They preached the Good News (the word of God) but they were arrested and put in prison (Acts 16:22-31)
Our challeges and trials are supposed to build our character and draw us closer to God. They do not show that God is with us. In fact, He is closer in such times (Isaiah 41:10)
He believed the Lord had all power
Judges 6:13b
…and where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But not the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
In the verse above Gideon describes his faith in God According to his fathers God had done many miracles. So where was God now that they needed a miracle to deliver them out of the hands of the Midianites.
I believe it is Gideon’s great faith in God that made him a mighty man of valour in God’s sight.
When God wants to use you, He does not need your human strength, physical and Spiritual, He does need someone who excessively rich or someone in high political position.
The most important thing He needs is your faith in Him. Do you believe He can do all things like?
Job 42:2 says
I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee
He believed God had to conform His presence with a sign
Judges 6:17
And he said unto Him, If now I have found grace in thy sight then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. After God commanded Gideon for being a mighty man of valour because of His faith, He gives him an assignment “to save Israel from the habd of the Midianites” (Judges 6:14)
Gideon felt unqualified for this assignment so he wanted God to confirm it was the Almighty Jehovah God talking to him. He asked for a sign, he was not dreaming or imagining things. This had to be confirm or he will look funny, as Gideon from the smallest tribe of Israel and from one of the poorest families. Humans always need a sign for confirmation.
Judges 6:21
Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose fire out of the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes…
God performed a miracle through the angel, He sent fire from the heavens to completely burn the meat and cakes.
Who else can do this? Only Jeshovah God Almighty confirms that He values faith over money or strength and influence by using Gideon and only 300 men to completely destroy the great army of the Midianites
Conclusion
God is always with us, he promises to be with us, He promises to be with us till the end of the world in Matthew 28:20
Do not believe that challeges and trials are signs of God’s absence from your life. He will never leave us or forsake us (Joshua 1:9)
Learn to trust God even in the most difficult situations of life.
He is with you!!!
Your faith makes you a mighty man or woman of valour.
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