Am I Willing To Be One Of The 300?

Judges 6-7

If God chose me to be one of the 300, I wonder if I would feel blessed or picked on? Would I be wondering if I had enough or too much? Would I see ‘God-things’ in my life or ‘me-things’? Would I be wondering … what are God’s ways? Or would I be looking to make sure that I don’t get involved in something until I was sure that ‘I’ could do it myself? … or at least make sure that I had enough manpower and money to get the job done? Recently I heard someone say, “When God wants to show up and do something spectacular He often has to reduce the resources in order to get the glory.” Many of us are beginning to feel like we have “reduced resources” and that we are living in troubling times.

If there were ever a people, or nation, who had terrible, troubling times, it was the Israelites during the seven years that God allowed the Midianites to overtake them.

The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders … would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops …. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the (animals) ... These enemy hordes, …, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. …

… Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help. When they cried out to the LORD because of Midian, the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies AND gave you their land. I told you, 'I am the LORD your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.' But you have not listened to Me."

…Then the Angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree ..... Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The Angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!" Judges 6:2-12

· Am I willing to let God get the glory in my life and work? - If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to Me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Judges 7:2

God provided the Israelites freedom from slavery, rescued them from their oppressors, drove out their enemies, gave them lands and houses that they did not work for, and who was getting the glory? Who were they serving?

In our nation we’ve been given incredible affluence and influence in our own country and around the world, but as a nation we are not giving Him the glory in our lives individually, nor corporately.

It’s just amazing the things that God has provided for me. Things that I don’t deserve to have. Friends and family that are incredible blessings to me that I didn’t work for, and a job that I love that I’m barely qualified to do. It’s caused me to wonder if I’m giving Him the glory for all that He’s given me? … or am I just spending my time preoccupied with my activities and plans?

· Am I willing to NOT be timid or afraid? – Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. Judges 7:3

If God gave me an opportunity to step out and make my voice heard in my own country … with the issues that we’re struggling with today … abortion, healthcare, taxes, etc … would I stand up and fight? … or would I be one of the 22,000 who went home. I’m sure the conversations on the way home were very similar to the kind we’re hearing today: There’s too many of them. There’s no way we can win. I need to be at home with my family. There’s plenty of other people to fight and I’m not that strong anyway. Besides I’m not even sure that it’s the right thing to do.

· Am I willing to be one of the chosen? - But the LORD told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not." When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream." …Do I have what it takes? Judges 7:6,7

Of the remaining men God still did not have a small enough group of people. You see apparently 10,000 of them did not have what God was looking for in a man for this job. Some think that they were just lazier than the 300. Perhaps they were crowd followers. Perhaps they never developed self-control. Whatever the reason, they weren’t chosen.

· Am I one of the 300? - The LORD told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home." Judges 7:8

These 300 were the chosen ones. (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:16) They weren’t chosen to sit around and write songs, or narrate all of the great things that they’d done in the past. Nor were they chosen to make Gideon feel better about himself.

They were chosen to work, to fight, to leave their families, their homes, their jobs, and go and do what God was going to show them, even if it cost them their lives. They didn’t leave knowing exactly where they were going and what the plan was. They left trusting that God would speak to Gideon and that if they followed him, God would work a miracle.

I like to know the answers and make the plans and try to figure out how it will all work out. And sometimes I miss God because He just doesn’t operate that way. What God says is …

John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Mark 16:15

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

1Corinthians 1:25

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

Ephesians 3:16

I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.

Ephesians 6:10

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Philippians 3:10

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death,

Philippians 4:13

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Colossians 1:29

That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me.

1Timothy 1:12

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,

2Timothy 1:8

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don't be ashamed of me, either, even though I'm in prison for Him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.

2Timothy 4:17

But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And He rescued me from certain death.

Hebrews 11:32-34

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

Hebrews 13:9

So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God's grace, not from rules about food, which don't help those who follow them.

1Peter 4:11

Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.

Revelations 3:8

"I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed My word and did not deny Me.

Revelations 7:10

And they were shouting with a mighty shout, "Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!"