 Judges 6:15-16 The story of Gideon is a story of transformation. Gideon begins in a time of conflict. Midianites and other tribes would oppress Israel by swooping in anytime there was a crop and devour the produce. Presumably they saw any time reapers came to harvest a crop and rode in and stole or destroyed it. Because of this, Gideon hides down in a winepress so that no one can see him harvesting wheat. It is here that the angel of the Lord visits Gideon and sends him to rescue Israel. Gideon responds by questioning his own ability and his humble stature in the Israelite community. God responds: “but I will be with you.”
It is in the low places, and the moments of humbling that God often comes to us. Hiding in the winepress, God calls Gideon. When Gideon speaks to his own inability to do the task, God reassures him by declaring the He will be with him. Confidence to complete the things God has called us to do doesn’t come from our own ability, it comes from an encounter with the Lord and an assurance that He who has called us is with us to complete the task. It’s also a process. God reassures Gideon many times through multiple signs. He also takes him through different tasks. Before He overthrows the Midianites, God commands Gideon to cast down the idols in his own family. Often when God calls us to something, it must be addressed and resolved in our own hearts and in our own family first. Gideon destroys his father’s idols at night because he is too afraid to do it by day. His confidence was small, but he still obeyed the Lord. Even though we are fearful, we must find a way to fully obey what God has told us to do. As we obey God and see how God uses us, our confidence and trust in Him grows. Gideon went on to free his nation and do many mighty things for God. Today, let’s encounter God, push down our own fear, and begin to walk in confidence in God as we obey Him in all that He has asked us to do!
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Philippians 2:9-11The name of Jesus is the most powerful name in the world. God has exalted it; it holds true power because it holds the authority of God the Father. When Jesus died on the cross, Death thought it had won, but Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father and His name is far above every other name. At the mention of the name of Jesus every knee bows in heaven and hell.
In Colossians 1, the Bible declares that through Jesus all things were created, and everything was created for Him. He is the head of the church, the first one who was born from the dead, and in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. He has reconciled all things to God and made peace by the shedding of His blood on the cross. If you are a member of the police department, you wear a badge and a gun. This identifies you as having the authority of the local or state government. You have the power to arrest. As Christians who are part of the church of Jesus Christ, we have the authority that is in the name of Jesus. In old western movies, the sheriff or deputy says “Stop! In the name of the law.” Our authority does not come from human laws or governments, but from the government of God. It is with this authority and power that Jesus spoke to the wind and rain and caused it to cease. This is the authority that has been given to the believers of Jesus Christ. In John 14-16, Jesus tells his disciples to ask God the Father for things in prayer using His name, the name of Jesus. God has given the power of Jesus’ name to us, his children. This is why we end our prayers with “in the name of Jesus”. If we are disciples of Jesus Christ, whatever we ask in Jesus’ name, God the Father will give to us. Nothing is impossible for those that know and believe in the authority and power of Jesus and who invoke the name of Jesus in prayer. In the name, and with the authority of Jesus the answer to all of our prayers are “Yes!” and “Amen! (so be it!)” |
AuthorAlabaster House Archives
June 2021
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