MESSAGES FROM GIDEON - Part 4
After Gideon had his Divine Encounter and memorialized it, God returned to him that same night and instructed him to clean house of all his family's gods (their respective physical idols), especially the altar to Baal and the Asherah pole beside it (Judges 6:25-26). This is a message unto itself, but the story continues - Gideon's response was one of obedience, He did clean house BUT in the wrong spirit or attitude.
"So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime." (Judges 6:27)
God had been supporting Gideon by giving him signs and revealing Himself to Gideon. Now, fear paralyzed his faith and confused his thinking. Gideon could have easily followed God's instructions during the daytime. There was the emotional response from the community, then the response from tradition.
"The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it." But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." (Judges 6:30-31)
Their tradition told them that Baal could and would defend himself in the face of a challenge or opposition and it did not matter whether it was day or night. In addition, it was not even Baal that Gideon was "afraid" of, it was "his family and the men of the town". Maybe Gideon thought that was how Baal was going to manifest his violence on him, BUT that was Not the tradition. Baal supposedly can put up his own dukes if he has to.
Take Away: Attitude matters! The spirit you use coming into a situation and while obeying God goes a long way in Faith and Character Development. An attitude or spirit of fear doesn't help anyone, even in obedience. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) Heaven knows we all need God's spirit of power, spirit of love, and spirit of self-discipline. So, what are the ingredients of your attitude? Check it!
"So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime." (Judges 6:27)
God had been supporting Gideon by giving him signs and revealing Himself to Gideon. Now, fear paralyzed his faith and confused his thinking. Gideon could have easily followed God's instructions during the daytime. There was the emotional response from the community, then the response from tradition.
"The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it." But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." (Judges 6:30-31)
Their tradition told them that Baal could and would defend himself in the face of a challenge or opposition and it did not matter whether it was day or night. In addition, it was not even Baal that Gideon was "afraid" of, it was "his family and the men of the town". Maybe Gideon thought that was how Baal was going to manifest his violence on him, BUT that was Not the tradition. Baal supposedly can put up his own dukes if he has to.
Take Away: Attitude matters! The spirit you use coming into a situation and while obeying God goes a long way in Faith and Character Development. An attitude or spirit of fear doesn't help anyone, even in obedience. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) Heaven knows we all need God's spirit of power, spirit of love, and spirit of self-discipline. So, what are the ingredients of your attitude? Check it!
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