Gideon

Rev. Peter Tuchyna

Judges 6:1-32

We are living in a generation and in days when spiritual sensitivity and awareness is rising up as mankind does realize that

material possession and so called absolute freedom for personal expression does not bring expected satisfaction in the

lives of men.

Many individuals acquired enormous material wealth but uncertainties of life and fear from the unexpected, fear from future

and void in their souls grips the hearts of many regardless of the social status or influence.

People would like to get a hold on their future, on their own lives on the events and to have control over their own destiny.

This is the reason why, whether consciously or subconsciously they are looking into and enquiring how to enter into

the supernatural.

When the terror of evil is sweeping across the nations, the individuals as well as societies do realize, that the human

resources are inadequate, they are asking the same question Gideon asked the angel of God. Where are the miracles of

God, which our Fathers told us of?

It is extremely important to take note, that when the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, than the

Lord allowed them to be overpowered by their enemies.

As their enemies were merciless and as they executed their evil deeds it was time at least for some in Israel to ask that

question.

Where are the deeds and miracles of God, which were once performed in our midst?

I am convinced that there are some people among us, who are asking the same question over and over again. Maybe it is

you.

Where are you Lord? Where are the miracles – the Bible and the preachers are preaching about?

Where is your deliverance?

Where is your mighty hand to help me in my personal life and in my personal problems I am facing right now?

Why do I have to suffer the mistreatment, the abuse, and the loneliness?

Why am I in the circumstances so humbling, my family is collapsing and so on?

Why do I have to face the hardship, desperation, lack of acceptance and understanding?

Why don’t you continue to perform the works the Bible speaks of?

Why has the enemy liberty to rob my life of beauty and of peace and success in my life?

Was Gideon so ignorant of God’s principles and expectation in the lives of individuals and nation or was he so naive,

that God will ignore and overlook all sins of his people?

Where are you Lord? And the answer is: “ I am the same yesterday, today and for ever”, I change not, but where are you,

man?

I, the Lord do not change. I am the same. But where are you?

I don’t want to shrink from majestic, glorious, Holy Spirit filled and led church to social driven rituals, do you?

Are you happy to hear second hand stories about God and His power, and His love only?

Does it really bring satisfaction and victory, and anointing and power into your life?

I don’t want to be just a nice, respectful but powerless individual in the church, which is loosing the battle with its enemy.

I must have my own personal relationship with God and so do you.

I must hear from God and so you; I need to talk to him, to walk with him, to be victorious and happy with him and so you.

God is longing for you more than you imagine even more than you for him.

Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?..was the repetition of Gideon’s question.

Wasn’t the deliverance from Egypt established upon the supernatural power of God exercised upon the enemies of God?

Sure, it was. This is what the question was about.

Verse 14 and the Lord looked upon him and said. Go in this thy might and thou shall save Israel from the hand of

the Midianites. Have not I sent thee?

Praise the Lord. Is it so simple?

Why did we suffer then for so long? Gideon felt very insignificant and very inadequate for this task as it is described in

verse 15.

So after one more reassurance, that God will help Gideon – he brought sacrifice unto the Lord. After Gideon brought

sacrifice, the Lord God spake to Gideon again in verse 25.

As a first thing, before you will be victorious and you shall deliver Israel from the Midianites – Throw down the altar

of Baal, that thy father hath and cut down the grow that is by it.

There is something in your Father’s house Gideon, and consequently in your household what is unclean.

Isaiah 59:1-2

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you,

that he will not hear.

Jeremiah 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things

from you.

It is not God who departed and left Israel. It was Israel and their sins and their iniquities; it was their uncleanness that

wedged its presence between God and Israel.

Because of sin, God didn’t hear. Because of sin, slavery crept in.

So the first step towards victory, liberty and deliverance Gideon – is removal of uncleanness and any abomination.

It wasn’t an easy task for Gideon. He expected fierce opposition from his relatives so he chose to do it at night.

We need to understand from the Word of God what brings the spiritual victory into the life of an individual,

family, church and nation.

God does not overlook sin. He does not tolerate, not understand, nor put up with sin. God dealt with the sin issue on the

cross of Calvary. He did not spare His own Son. Jesus became the Lamb of God.

No Pastor, no minister, no saint can overlook, or tolerate, or understand or put up with sin.

Sin is everything what is contrary to the purity, holiness and righteousness of God.

Therefore Isaiah said: All our righteousness are like a filthy rags in comparison to God.

Paul said in Romans 3 :there is none righteous, no not one.

You don’t want to hope and just guess, that the Lord may hear you, that He may deliver you and that He may

provide and to protect you.

You want to have an assurance and a personal experience, that when you ask for forgiveness – that you receive forgiveness.

When you ask for healing – that you receive a healing.

When you ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

When you ask for wisdom, that you receive wisdom.

When you ask for deliverance, that you receive the deliverance.

When you ask for help to change your attitude, that you’ll receive it.

When you ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, that you receive it.

For whatever you ask in my name said the Lord Jesus Christ – you shall receive it.

Psalm 37:4 Delight in the Lord and he shall give you desires of your heart.

James 4:2 You have not, for you ask not…

Gideon removed uncleanness in the night. If the fear for mockery and the opposition is troubling you, pour out your heart

before the Lord at any time even in the night. Open up your heart, that the uncleanness may be removed.

The secret for victory is in obedience to the Word of God. People can have differences in opinion, but let me tell you,

there is different result in their lives also.

It is not by coincidence that some people are blessed and they have a so called trouble free life. It is not by coincidence,

that some people were robed of the blessings in their lives. Be willing to accept a change. Be willing to believe the Word

of God and to act accordingly.

One of the great enemies of the power of God is hypocrisy – a double standard.

It is not for the Word of God. It is for the hypocrisy of some children of God, that some people despise God.

Romans 2:21-24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written.

1. How can we teach unbelievers forgiveness, if we don’t forgive each other?

2. How can we teach that God will restore their relationships when we have a broken relationship with others?

3. How can we teach an unbeliever about deliverance from any kind of bondage, and obsession, when we wouldn’t

   have self-control, self-discipline ourselves?

4. How can we teach others about divine healing, when first thing we do is abstain from the church service and

   second step is to go to the doctor and finally when nothing else works, then we ask for prayer?

5. How can we teach about the Lord’s provision and trust, when we are murmuring and complaining about our own

   status and asking help and favour from others?

6. How can we teach meekness and gentleness to others when we are disrespectful, impolite, indiscrete and causing

   offences to others?

7. How can we teach generosity, hospitality to others, when we are lacking that very virtue in our lives?

I am not talking about the condition of this church or any individual; we are dealing with the principles.

I have to find my place in the light of God’s Word.

Who would trust a surgeon to perform a heart surgery on him/her if he couldn’t prove his knowledge and skill?

Who would sit in an aeroplane if the pilot wouldn’t be skilful and qualified enough?

Who would trust us to lead their souls if we would not prove by our own practical lives, that we live by what we

profess and preach?

Just as Gideon had a choice to obey God and to face opposition from unclean people of his household or to remain the

same – so have we.

If you are overwhelmed by circumstances surrounding your life, when the enemy is robing you of your relationship with

God, or marriage or other blessings, or when you are poverty stricken in your spiritual life or whatever the hindrance is,

the Lord Jesus is now stretching forth his arms.

Come to me and find a rest, is the invitation by the Lord Jesus.

Be free of fear, free of sin, free of sickness. For today is a day of salvation.

Do not harden your heart. Do not turn away from Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot

hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that

he will not hear.

Jesus declared on the cross of Calvary; it is finished! Salvation is completed. Deliverance secured, healing provided.

Provision for life available. For Jesus Christ is the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the Saviour. Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3:16 . Col 2

As God was with Gideon, so he wants to be with you.

Would you accept him? Would you be willing to remove the unclean things from your household, from your life, which are

robing you of the presence and blessing of God?

So you also may experience that the Lord Jesus came that we might have life and we might have it more abundantly

John 10:10 .