Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Darrell Bailey, thank you for tuning us in on our series, The Journeys of Faith. Here, as we talk about and retrace the footsteps of the remarkable Bible characters whose lives offer profound lessons for our own spiritual walk. I'm glad that in this series, we look at the timeless truths and the transformative experiences of those who have gone before us, revealing how their journeys illuminate the path of an ongoing dependence on God, just like our mothers and our fathers that have taught us the very best that they can. I'm glad that we learned from those experiences and from those journeys of life. And so much like our personal faith journeys, the road can be very challenging and uncertain, but just as God blessed the faith of those great Bible characters, excuse me, He continues to bless our faith today. One of the ones that we talked about first of all is Noah. a path of obedience and grace. In Noah's journey to Mount Ararat, we see a faith of obedience in God's grace. And when we look back at Genesis chapter six, we witness a world steeped in corruption, wickedness, leading God to choose Noah as the man to preserve creation. Noah's response to God's call reflects a deep faith that not only transformed his life, but it altered the course of human history. And so, We too face uncertainties that test our faith. And in moments when we doubt or question God's promises, Noah's example encourages us to hold firm to our faith because God's timing is not always our timing. And so his ways are higher than ours. And so as believers, we must cultivate a faith that endures through trials, knowing that God is faithful, amen. And so we talk secondly about Abraham called to testing and sacrifice out of Genesis chapter 22. When we looked at it, we learned that Abraham had a faithful obedience to God's commands, even when they don't make sense or they seem incredibly difficult. True faith doesn't question the reason, but it trusts in God's wisdom and timing. And so I'm glad that even though Abraham didn't understand all of the things behind on his journey of life, he remained true to his word even if it required a miracle. And so we know that he learned the lesson of trusting God, God's promise despite the test, the lesson of God's provision as well that he learned, and the results of his journey to Mount Moriah. is Abraham experienced God in a very new way. As the God that provides, his faith deepened as he saw God's faithfulness in a moment of ultimate testing. And so, I'm glad for believers, Abraham's story calls us to trust God's plan, especially in the seasons of testing that were reminded that God's faithful to his word, his provision is sure. Then we saw the third Bible study, about Jochebed trusting in God's plan and provision out of Exodus chapter 1 and Exodus chapter 2 because Jochebed, the mother of Moses, faced a journey of a profound faith, courage, and trust in God's providence during one of the darkest periods for the Israelites. Her journey recorded that a mother of faith that was in God's plan, even when it meant giving up her son, through her actions, Jochebed demonstrated reliance on God's protection and provision. And her faith ultimately plays a role in Israel's deliverance from slavery. And so I'm glad that in the world today we often face situations where the future seems uncertain or out of control, but like Jacobit, we're called to place our faith in God's sovereignty, trusting that he's in control even in the darkest times. Our role is to obey and God's role is to work out his plans for his glory and for our good. And so when we look and realize that out of all of the journeys of faith, amen, that we go through. Fourthly, I talked about Joseph trusting God's plan in our fourth Bible study out of Genesis chapter 37. And I'm glad that he had to make a journey to Egypt. You know, the lesson that we learn is that his journey to Egypt was filled with trials, betrayal, and uncertainty. But it was also marked by God's unwavering presence and plan. And through a series of tragic events, Joseph learned some profound lessons about trusting God. when his purposes were hidden. And so God's plan during the suffering that we see Joseph begin to apply to his life and trust the Lord. In our lives we face hardship or sometimes we feel abandoned by those that are closest to us. Joseph's journey teaches us that faith in God's plan is crucial, especially in the midst of suffering. Even when we cannot see how things will work out, we can trust that God is at work behind the scenes, orchestrating events for our good, amen. And so, as we look and realize through the journeys of faith, we see everything that God is trying to do for us as the fifth character in our journeys of faith is Moses' lessons and patience and faith. This was the fifth of our Bible study. In Exodus chapter 31 and Exodus chapter 32, Moses' journey of faith to Sinai, he learned a lot of lessons, but he learned the importance of patience and waiting for God's timing. He spent 40 days and nights on the mountain receiving the law in Exodus chapter 24, and while Moses was faithful in the presence of God, the people grew impatient, feeling abandoned by both Moses and God. Today, Patience is a vital aspect of our faith. Often we want immediate answers from God, but His timing is perfect. And like Moses, every one of us, we learn to wait on the Lord even when others around us may become restless or turn to all of the distractions, a man. And then as we look and we realize today on the journey of faith, Each and every one of us, not only did we see Moses, but the sixth Bible study was about Joshua from faith to the promised land. And I'm glad that When we look at Joshua, courage was essential for leadership because after the death of Moses, God called Joshua to take over the leadership of Israel and to lead the people into the promised land. And this was a task because Moses was an extraordinary leader who had led Israel out of Egypt, performed miracles, received the law from God, but Joshua had to step into that role and trust God fully. Can you imagine? stepping into a role like that, oh my goodness, that is a tall order to follow. And so we see that God commanded Joshua to be strong and of good courage, showing that leadership requires strength and boldness, especially when facing the unknown challenges. And so Joshua's journey of faith to the promised land, when we look at it and we begin to realize that just like Joshua, we are often called into roles or responsibilities that seem too big for us. I know about that, man. Leading a family, a community, or even navigating life's personal challenges requires courage. And so the lesson that Joshua learned is that courage is grounded in trusting God's promises and walking in obedience. True success in life comes not from our own strength, but from aligning ourselves with God's will and his word, amen. And so as we look at each one of these, we begin to realize what God is wanting to do, amen, in all of our lives. It brings us to our current one, our seventh Bible study, Gideon, Discouragement to Destiny. Take your Bibles to Judges chapter six, Judges chapter six, verse one down to verse 13. As you're turning over to Judges chapter six, amen, I'm going to open with a word of prayer. As we come before you on this journey of faith, guide our steps, strengthen and renew us. We trust you to lead us from the places of discouragement into the destiny that you have prepared for us. Lord, we know that you're the same yesterday, today, and forever. And as we open our hearts to your word from the days of old, we'd recognize that the same struggles that gripped Gideon that we're fixing to talk about, and the Israelites' fear, doubt, and discouragement are still alive in our world today. But Lord, we know that you are the God that calls us out of fear into faith, out of hiding into purpose. And just as you spoke to Gideon in this moment of weakness, we ask that you speak to us now in our moments of uncertainty. And Father, we confess our fears and our failures to you, the times that we've doubted your presence, the times that we've allowed fear to isolate us from your purpose. Forgive us for hiding in the caves of our circumstances, rather than stepping into the destiny that you have for us. Oh, sweet Holy Spirit, fill this place, ignite our hearts and the courage to rise above our doubts, oh Lord. Trust in your calling. And Lord, I pray that we believe that you see more in us than we see in ourselves. And so, You have always shown us the ultimate victory over fear in past days through your death and resurrection. And now, in this New Testament age of grace, we cling to your promises, knowing that you are with us as our savior, our redeemer, and our conqueror. Guide us through the power of your word, and let our faith be anchored in your truth today. In Jesus' marvelous mighty name, amen. When we look at Judges chapter six, verses one through 13. We'll be preaching about these, but I just want to read the verse that we highlight, which is verse 13 in the scripture as we talk about Gideon, discouragement to destiny. When we look at verse 13, As I talk about what we're looking at, I'm glad that Israel's sin is one of the very first things that's brought up in Judges chapter six. In verses one and two, the Israelites did wrong in God's eyes, so he allowed them to be oppressed by the Midianites. And this oppression was so severe that the Israelites hid in caves and strongholds to escape. But in verse three, not only was it Israel's sin, but it was God's judgment. Whenever the Israelites would plant crops, the Midianites and their allies would invade, destroy their plants and crops, and take away their livestock, and leave the Israelites without anything. And so, Israel began to cry out. In verses four, five, and six, the Midiots caused so much harm that the Israelites cried out to God for help due to their suffering. Then God sends a prophet in verses seven, eight, nine, and 10. God sent a prophet to the Israelites and he reminded them that he had rescued them from Egypt, given them the promised land, and the prophet told them that they had forsaken God, worshiped other gods, which was why they were facing all of these troubles. We see in verses 11 and 12, Gideon's call. And while all this was happening, an angel of the Lord appeared to a man by the name of Gideon, who was secretly threshing wheat to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel addressed Gideon as a mighty man of valor, indicating that God saw some potential in him. And then the verse 13 that we're fixing to read, we see Gideon's doubt. because Gideon was surprised and questioned the angel asking why these troubles were happening if God was truly with him. He referenced the miracles God had done in the past and expressed doubt about God's presence in hell. in their current situation. And so listen to the reading of God's word in verse 13 of Judges chapter six. And Gideon said unto him, oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befalling us? And where be all his miracles, which our fathers told us of, saying, did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. Now when we look at this, we're reminded. of what the Lord does for us on a daily basis, because I'm glad that the Lord is always the one that is there watching out for every one of us, amen. And so when we see something like this that's happening, amen, of what God is wanting to do in all of our lives, amen, here the angel sends Gideon for their deliverance. And so, but when we look at the journey here, we see the journey to Ophrah. You say, what? What's Ophrah? Well, Ophrah was the place that Gideon was from. And it played a very significant role in the life of Gideon and his journey of faith. You see, I'm going through a journey in Taylorsville right now. And that journey may lead us just around in this area, but it may lead us in other places as well. Because we're on the journey of faith. And right now, we look at Gideon and he's on the journey of Ophrah. Because here was where he was from. And it was a small insignificant town in the territory of Manassas where God called Gideon and began the transformation of this man into a mighty warrior. You see, wherever your journey is, that's where God begins to start to transform you at. And so it was the hometown of Gideon, Ophrah, the place where his family lived. Gideon was the son of Joash, who belonged to the clan of Abbezer, a lesser known family in the tribe of Manassas. But the town was not famous. It wasn't prominent. But it was significant in the biblical because Gideon's calling and the word of God talks about it. And so even though Manassas was not one of the leading tribes of Israel, I'm glad that in Ophrah, it was the center for idolatry. Even Gideon's own family was involved in the worship of Baal and Asherah. Gideon's father, Joash, had an altar to Baal in Ophrah, which indicates that even though Israel was God's chosen people, they had turned to worship false gods. And so Gideon had a call to leadership. And it happened right here in the journey of faith, in the journey to Ophrah. When the angel of the Lord appeared to him while he was threshing wheat in the wine press. Symbolic is that he was over there hiding out by the wine press. He was feared for his life. And in a state of time that Israel was in, they were oppressed by the Midianites that had to hide to protect their resources. The winepress represents Gideon's lowly state in fear. It was not a normal place to thresh wheat. But Gideon was hiding and he was showing his fear and the desperate situation that Israel faced. And yet it was in this place of fear and hiding that God called Gideon a mighty man of valor, which reveals how God sees beyond our current circumstances to our potential when we trust him. And after this encounter with the angel of the Lord, Gideon built an altar in Ophrah, calling it Jehovah Shalom. which means the Lord is peace. It was significant because at that time, Israel was in a state of oppression under the Midianites, and it symbolized a turning point in Gideon's life. Boy, don't you need to go build you an altar? Don't you need to go get in your prayer closet? Don't you need to get in that altar that you find away from everybody else, praise God? Gideon's life, he received assurance of God's presence and peace despite the external circumstances of conflict and fear. And so the battle begins because the key location as Gideon's base of operations after receiving God's call, Gideon surrounded sounded the trumpet in Ophrah to summon the Eberezerites, the other tribes of Israel, to join him in battle against the Midianites in Judges 6, verse 34. Gideon's house, as all of this turns out, man, you know, God calls us where we are. and obedience requires boldness. God's strength is in our weakness, and so we see the spiritual vigilance that is crucial, praise God. And so, through a small, relatively obscure place, of the journey in Gideon's life became the backdrop for one of Israel's greatest stories of deliverance, Gideon's journey of faith, where he overcame his fears and led Israel to victory. And yet also, it serves as a tale of the dangers that all of us can fall into, spiritual complacency. And so, we're reminded of the power of perspective. There was a famous story about two shoe salesmen that were sent to a remote village. And one salesman quickly sent word back, ain't no one here wears any shoes. There's no potential market. The other salesman sent a different message. No one here wears shoes. Unlimited opportunity. And when Gideon encountered the angel of the Lord, he saw only Israel's misery and his own inadequacy. But God saw an opportunity in Gideon that he didn't even see in himself. In the same way we often see Only our failures and our fears are our obstacles while God sees the potential and the purpose that He can unlock in all of us. It's not about what we see. It's about trusting what God sees in us. And so, I'm glad in a society that is overwhelmed by doubt and fear, we're quick to focus on our limitations, but God wants us to trust His perspective. And so I'm glad that each and every one of us, as we go through life today, I'm glad that Israel was in bondage for their disobedience, amen. Many of us doubt our abilities, hide behind our feelings of inadequacy. We feel that God has a destiny for us to fulfill. But though our human reasoning, we do not see how that we can reach that goal. And that's what all of our journeys for the faith is all about. God knows where he's called you. What he's called you to do. He knows exactly what qualities you need to fulfill that purpose His promises to supply your every need to strengthen your confidence in him on the journeys of faith And so I'm glad that each and every one of us when we begin to look and realize that what God has in store for us we've got to be careful because each and every one of us can fall in and to the places that can hold us back, Abe man. And so we look back and we're reminded of how God is working in all of our lives, Abe man. Can you imagine? We see similar problems in our own society today. As many people are discouraged about the state of sin and the despair that's in our country right now. We've lost our moral compass. We've taken our freedom and gone wild with it. I was reading about the state of Louisiana back in 2002 that was sued by the ACLU for teaching abstinence. The ACLU believes that this teaching is forcing a religion upon the Christians. Can you believe it? And so The article in a magazine published by Kaiser Permanente stated that sexually transmitted diseases are not a moral issue. In other words, being immoral is not immoral. Well, in 1970, there were 200,000 people in prison. As of 2008, there were 1.5 million, which was a fourth largest that time. Today, currently, as of 2024, there are approximately 1.9 million people incarcerated in the United States. When we look at that, the incarceration rate is about 583 per 100,000 residents, which is one of the highest rates globally. You know what? In terms of demographics, about 63% of those in state prisons are serving sentences for violent crimes, while 46% of the federal prisons are incarcerated for drug offenses. And so, when we look at all this mass incarceration that had been influenced by various laws and sentence policies over the years, we realize that the list goes on. And sin is prevailing in our world today. As Christians, how do we move from discouragement to fulfilling our God-given purposes? Listen, we can learn from the life of a man by the name of Gideon. God called Gideon to lead the children of Israel out of discouragement to find their destiny. And although he was not a man of unusual faith and boldness, he willingly followed God on his journey for the faith that was in him. And the first thing that we see was the grip of fear. Because when Gideon perceived in verse 22 of Judges chapter 6, that he perceived that an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, alas, O Lord, for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face, in verse 23, and the Lord said unto him, peace be unto thee, fear not, thou shalt not die. And so, you know what? Every one of us, when we look and realize today that the opposite of fear is faith. God doesn't call us to a spirit of fear, but rather to a spirit of faith. Notice the contrast between the two. Fear weakens and imprisons and paralyzes and disheartens and sickens, but faith strengthens, liberates, empowers, encourages, and heals. And so, it reminds me, imagine a dark room with a photographer, and the room is filled with darkness. But the photographer is patiently developing pictures. If you interrupt the process too soon, you ruin the image. But if you trust the photographer, the images come out beautifully. Gideon's journey from hiding in fear to becoming a victorious leader is like the dark room process. He didn't see the final picture, but God was developing him in the midst of his discouragement and doubt in verses 11 and 12. And the process of faith, just like photography, takes time, but it's only in trusting God through the dark moments that the full picture of our destiny is revealed. You know what? In life, we often feel like we're in a dark room, uncertain. fearful, waiting for things to make sense. But God is working behind the scenes, developing us into something greater. We must trust the process, knowing that God can turn moments of discouragement into a beautiful destiny if we remain patient and faithful. And so, Hudson Taylor said one time, all God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being within. And so Gideon was a weak man filled with doubts and fear. But like Taylor's quote, it wasn't Gideon's strength that mattered. It was God's presence with him. Gideon thought, though hesitant, trusted God's word over his fear and ultimately saw the victory God promised. And so I'm glad each and every one of us as we go through life. I remember a story of a man on vacation who returned to his cabin from a hike. He was badly scratched and bruised. Well, what happened, asked his wife. I met a snake on the trail, and the man answered, don't you remember? And the woman responded, yesterday the ranger told us that none of the snakes up here are poisonous. They don't have to be poisonous if they can make you jump off a 20-foot cliff. Well, This is not the time for Christians to jump off a cliff in isolation and fear. It's a time for us to take the gospel of Christ to every creature across the nation. And I'm glad that every one of us, when we look at the culture today, when we look at how things are, we see that fear isolates and separates. But also the grip of fear, fear breeds discouragement. Because in verse 13 of Judges chapter 6, the Bible says, And Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befalling us? And wherebeyond his miracles which our fathers told us of saying, did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. You see, Gideon was discouraged by the oppression of the Midianites. And when we allow fear to realign in our hearts, discouragement is sure to follow. David was also a man that experienced much discouragement. And I'm glad that when we go through life, we see the grip of fear. But also, secondly, I'm glad that we see the testing of faith. Because in Romans 10, 17, the Bible says, though then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. You see, faith is listening to what God says in his word, and then acting on it. Because true faith always requires action, which we see evidence in Gideon's life. And so I was talking to a young Mexican lady that her father had passed away, and I told her that faith is something that we learn. I learned from my mother, and I know that we learn from our family members a lot of times. Some folks don't have anybody that has any faith, so they never know what faith is because they never learn what faith is. Faith is something that you have to learn. You have to step out on it. And when God first called Gideon, he responded with doubt and reservation. He saw no qualifications in himself to be the deliverer of Israel. And so we see true faith is not rooted in self-assurance, amen. Because in Judges chapter seven, verses two, three, and four, the Bible says, and the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vault themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand. verse 4 and the Lord said unto Gideon the people are yet too many bring them down under the water and I'm gonna try them for be there and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee this shall go with thee the same shall go with thee and of whomsoever I say unto thee this shall not go with thee the same shall not go and so the Israelite army mustered only 32,000 and one-sixth of the Midianite host because the number was too great. The Lord wanted Gideon and his men to learn true dependence upon him. And so in verse three, we notice that the fearful were released from duty. God told Gideon he had too many soldiers. He was to send home all those that did not want to fight. 22,000 left, leaving Gideon with only 10,000 soldiers. God was developing the faith of Gideon. with only those 10,000. And so God, as he did this, Gideon started with 32,000 and he lost 22,000 men in the first test. But in verse six, we notice that the negligence were also released from duty. There were still too many soldiers. After another test, 9,700 were sent away. God had prepared Gideon to fight the Midianites with just 300 men. Oh my goodness. You think that history marks them down? Listen, by faith, Gideon trusted God's directions. He's later mentioned in the great hall of faith in Hebrews chapter 11, Amen. And so, you know what? 52 of 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were believers in Christ. But at the same time, they declared independence from England. They were declaring their dependence on God. And when we declare our independence from human help, our earthly efforts, we must declare our dependence on God. And that is the task that God has for us, saved man. And so we see that true faith is not rooted in self-assurance. And so, the fearful were dismissed, the indifferent was disqualified, but we see also that true faith is anchored in God's confidence. And so, in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6, but without faith it's impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God recognized Gideon's potential. And so in Judges chapter 6 verse 12, He's referred to as the mighty man of valor. And that was probably how Gideon would have referred, probably not how Gideon would have referred to himself. And so, but God saw what he could accomplish through a willing vessel. God sees our potential as well. And he wants us to put our faith and confidence in him so that he can develop it. And so I'm glad that whenever it was time to obey God, Gideon's confidence in him did not waver. He obeyed completely, even when the commands seemed irrational, unreasonable to the human way of thinking. Gideon followed the revelation of God, trusting that he would take care of answering God's call. and he took up the challenge, realizing that his strength would come from the Lord. Not only did God see Gideon's potential, he blessed Gideon's faith. And so in chapter 7, Gideon and God's army were delivered from the hands of the Midianites, and when we step out in faith, God will never let us down. He always blesses true faith in action, amen. And so God takes every person on a different journey of faith. Each person is designed as a special creation to fulfill a specific purpose. He does not call every believer to the same task. Your task will be different than Gideon's, and yet it will still require confidence in God and result in abundant blessings as we all respond to him. And so, the testing of our faith. we see that that was true as well. That there was the grip of faith, the grip of fear, excuse me. There was the testing of faith. But it brings us to our third point, Amen, and that is the provision for the faithful. And so I'm glad, the provision for the faithful. You know what? One of the first things that we see from the provision for the faithful is God supplies wisdom because in Judges chapter 7 verses 19 down to verse 21 the Bible says, so Gideon and the hundred men that were with him came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch and they had put newly set the watch and they blew the trumpets and break the pitchers that were in their hands. In verse 20, and the three companies blew the trumpets and break the pitchers and held the lamps in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands to blow with all. And they cried, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. In verse 21, and they stood every man in his place round about the camp and all the hosts ran and cried and fled. You see, God provides wisdom. God instructed Gideon to give each of the 300 men a trumpet, a pitcher, and a torch. God told Gideon to surround the Midianites, each man in place, and when he gave the signal, at the beginning of the middle watch, which was after midnight, they were to blow their trumpets, break the pitchers, and shout the sword of the Lord of Gideon. Gideon and his army followed God's command. God provided wisdom for them to stand in their place. And I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we begin to look and realize that God is the greatest blessing that we can see in all of the world today. And so every one of us, as we have to trust the Lord with the areas in our life today, It reminds me of the impala and the invisible wall. The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of more than 30 feet in a single bound. However, in zoos, these incredible creatures can be contained by a single three-foot wall. The reason? The impala will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will land. Gideon, like that impala, was hesitant to act because he couldn't see the outcome. He doubted God's promise of victory because he focused on his fear and his circumstances. But I'm glad in Judges 6.13, but God calls us to take leaps of faith, trusting that he will guide us even when we can't see the full picture. In today's world, Many people live with a spirit of fear because they can't predict or control the future. But just like the impala, we can only experience freedom when we trust God enough to leap in faith, even if we don't know where we'll land. God's promises are sure, and he will always catch us when we step out in obedience to his call. And so, I'm glad that George Washington said one time, it's impossible to righteously govern the world without God and the Bible, unquote. And the same is true in our individual lives. We need God. We need his word to give us the wisdom needed to govern and to guide our daily steps. And I hope and pray that in election time in November, when they always roll around, that we would ask the Lord that we need that true leadership that is moral, that's not liberal, that is on the standards biblically for the Word of God. And from a human perspective, God's battle plan for Gideon was not the method to use in conquering the Mennonites. we most likely would have strategized and pursued full force with great weapons of war. But those who will gain confidence in God must realize that God's wisdom is infinitely greater than our own, praise God. And so we see the provision for the faithful. God supplies wisdom. Stand firm in your position. Wield your trumpet. and light with purpose. And I'm glad also God instills perseverance. Because in Judges chapter 8 verses 1 through 4, And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou callest us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abbe Ezer? "'God hath delivered into your hands "'the princes of Midian, Oreb, and Zeb. "'And what was I able to do in comparison of you?' "'Then their anger was abated toward him "'when he had said that.'" And verse four, "'And Gideon came to Jordan, "'passed over he and the 300 men "'that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.'" You see, God, provided the tenacity that Gideon needed when he was criticized. You know, if you do something for God, you're gonna be criticized. And someone once said to avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, and believe nothing. Paul said, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. So the Bible says in verse four that Gideon and his men were faint, and yet they still pursued. Man did not provide the help Gideon needed. Because in Judges chapter 8 verses 5 through 7, the men of Succoth wouldn't help. In verse 9, the Bible records that the men of Peniel wouldn't help him either. God was the only help that Gideon had or needed. D.L. Moody once criticized for his method in winning souls. Moody listened politely and then asked, how would you do it? The man taken back by the question quietly mumbled that he didn't do it. Well, said Moody, I prefer the way I do it to the way that you don't do it. Paul said, for which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temple, but the things which are not seen are eternal. And so God, called each and every one of us. He called Gideon to the mission field. And I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we look and we realize that God's presence transforms us, faith requires action. And so Gideon wasn't naturally brave, but God transformed his discouragement into destiny. And it teaches us that our insecurities and doubts can be overcome when we rely on God's power. Rather than our own, we may not feel like we're capable of the task ahead, but God specializes in using unlikely people for extraordinary purposes. And so God's presence transform us, but also faith requires action. And just as God called Gideon to take bold action in faith, we too are called to step out and trust that God is with us. In this, we must be willing to act on God's word, even when we feel uncertain or fearful, because true faith requires obedience. Even when we don't fully understand God's plan and so I'm glad that as we get ready to go our separate ways Every one of us. I'm glad that fear will always lead to isolation and It will breed discouragement Faith is tested and it is refined. And I'm glad that God sees the potential that is in all of us, amen, in today's society. No matter who you are, faith requires action despite uncertainty. And so We look and realize that there's a lot of giants out there in the world, but God provides wisdom and perseverance, amen. I'm glad that each and every one of us as we go through life. In 1952, swimmer Florence Chadwick attempted to swim from the California coast to Catalina Island. After 15 hours in the water, dense fog set in and she couldn't see the shore. Discouraged, she gave up only to find out that she was just one mile from her destination. And so Chadwick later said, if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it. Well, like Gideon, she needed vision to persevere. In life, it's easy to give up when we lose sight of our goals, just as Gideon almost did when he couldn't envision how God's plan would unfold. Society today often gives up when the fog of uncertainty settles in. But God calls us to keep going, trusting that He'll provide the wisdom and the perseverance needed to reach our destination, even when we can't see the shore, praise God. And so, don't let fear grip you. And I'm glad that as we build our faith up, Faith is not in our own strength, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord, that faith requires action. Faith isn't passive. God instructed getting to take the specific steps, even when they seemed illogical. We must act on the faith of God that he's given us, trusting in his direction, even when the path is unclear. Faith begins to result in victory. And I'm glad that as God provides wisdom, as he provides strength, as he provides victory, God orchestrated a victorious, miraculous victory for Gideon. When we put our faith in him, we can expect him to do great things through us. Paul said, but thanks be unto God, which giveth the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, amen. And so, Billy Graham said one time, the will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us. And so I'm glad that every one of us, as I get ready to close out, God is better to us than we are our own selves. And so the powerful example of how God works through human weakness to accomplish his purposes. Gideon began as a man full of fear and doubt, but through his experience with God, he learned invaluable lessons about faith, obedience, and God's power. And I'm glad Gideon's initial fear and calling and the lesson that God sees the potential that's in him. And I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we go through the test of reduction, as Gideon did, and only was left with 300 men because of what happened, those men drank by lapping the water like dogs, which indicated alertness and readiness. Faith over numbers, Gideon learned that faith in God's power is more important than relying on human strength and numbers as today. And so, I hope and pray that you got something out of the lesson, Gideon, Discouragement to Destiny. Father, thank you for the word that we've heard, for the story of Gideon, and the timeless lessons that it brings to our modern lives. Just as you called Gideon from a place of fear to a place of faith, you're calling each of us out of our hiding places, out of our doubts, and into the victory that you've already secured through Christ. We declare today that fear will no longer hold us captive. for you have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. We leave this moment of worship, we ask for your strength to carry us through the battles that we face in this life, just as you gave Gideon the courage to face the Midianites. Give us the courage to face the trials of this world, knowing that you're with us, that you fight for us, that you've already secured our victory, and remind us daily that the same God who called Gideon, the same God that calls us today, to walk by faith, not by sight, trusting in your promises, relying on your strength. Let us never forget that your power is perfected in our weakness. May we always remember that through Christ, that we are more than conquerors. In Jesus's marvelous mighty name. you