He was trembling in fear as he hid in a wine vat threshing wheat.  The Midianites had been destroying all of the crops and he feared that his plot of land was next.  “Please God, don’t let them see me.”  Suddenly the Angel of the Lord (which happened to be the Lord himself)  appeared to him and said “The Lord is with you, oh valiant warrior.”

Gideon was full of questions.  “if the Lord is with us, then why has all of this happened to us?  Where are the miracles that our fathers told us about?  Surely the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”  The Lord then said to him “Go in this might of yours and you shall save Israel from the hands of the Midianites.  Have I not sent you.”  Gideon had to hold back the laughter.  Surely the Lord did not know who he was talking to.  “Umm…. wait a minute here Lord- how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest and I’m the youngest in my family.”  I love the Lord’s response.  It was short and to the point.  “But I will be with you.”

The story goes on and Gideon asked for a sign to make sure that the Lord was really talking to him.  The Lord honored his requests and showed him a miracle by taking his staff and consuming, with fire, the gift of meat and bread that Gideon had placed before him .  Later that night the Lord asked him to tear down the altars of Baal that his father had erected.  Gideon obeyed, but he did it in the shadows of the night because he was afraid of the men of the city and his father’s household. 

The enemies then gathered to fight the Israelites.  Gideon again asked for a sign, just to make sure the Lord was really going to use him to win the battle, as He had promised.  Overnight, he set out a piece of fleece and if the dew was on the fleece and the ground was dry, then he would know God was with Him.  Once again, the Lord honored his request and when Gideon woke up, the fleece was wet and the ground was dry.  Bless Gideon’s little heart.  That sign was not enough for him. So he went on.  “Um Lord, I know I am asking for a lot here but can I just ask one more favor… Uh, this time can you make the fleece be dry and the ground be wet?”    I can only imagine the Lord saying with a smile, “sure son, I will do this so that your heart will be settled.”

The Lord then whittles Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300 men.  He did not want Israel thinking it was their own power that won the battle.  From there He told Gideon to have the men carry trumpets and empty pitchers with torches inside.  They were to win the battle by blowing the trumpets and smashing the pitchers.  That night the Lord appeared to Gideon and said “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand.  But if you are afraid to go down to the camp by yourself, take your servant Purah.  Listen to what they say, and then you will be strengthened. “

Of course, Gideon was afraid and so he and his servant went down into the camp and they overheard two men talking about how one had had a dream that Gideon was going to destroy them.  Gideons heart was strengthen and he and his army went on to defeat the enemies with just some empty pitchers, torches, and trumpets.

What struck me about the story of Gideon, is that when you evaluate his life- he was anything but a valiant warrior.  He was fearful and full of questions.  He doubted the Lord’s presence.  He needed signs in order to have assurance.  He was from a weak tribe and not only that he was the youngest of his household.  He obeyed, but in secret, so that he would not be seen.  What was the Lord seeing in him that would make Him call Gideon valiant- let alone a warrior?  You see my friend, the Lord was not seeing what Gideon was in himself.  He was seeing what Gideon was when He was with him.  Gideon was only a valiant warrior because he had the God of Angels Armies on his side. 

What is the Lord saying to you today?  Is he asking you to do a task that seems impossible?  Is he calling you to give when you are low on money?  Is he calling you to reach out in encouragement to someone when you, yourself are feeling depressed.  Is he calling you to speak out when it feels awkward for you to talk in public?  Is He calling you to fight a battle as a brave soldier, when you barely feel enough energy to get out of bed?  My friend,  if the Lord has called you to a task, it is because He knows you can achieve it.  Not because you, in your self, are sufficient for the the task, but because He is more than sufficient.  He is with you and that is all that matters.  So today, go out and claim your victory as a valiant warrior, knowing that the God of Angels Armies is fighting on your side.