DELIVERER

“You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing. For I hold you by your right hand, I the Lord your God! And I say to you, “Don’t be afraid for I am here to help you.” Isaiah 41:12-13

Right in the midst of his mighty enemies, while fear was twisting his gut, when anxiety caused him to shake, Gideon worshiped his God. Down on his knees, Gideon raised his hands to the dark skies and whispered thanksgiving to his Deliverer.

As Gideon sent praises winging to the Heavens, something happened to this mild mannered, timid farm boy. Anxiety beat a fast retreat, fear fled and strength from the Most High God filled his heart.

I believe it was then that God whispered the battle plan into Gideon’s ear. Or maybe God gave it to him as he went forward in obedience one step at a time. Either way Gideon went back to his camp and called out,

“Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands!” Not will but HAS. Amazing what a little affirmation and a big dose of the Holy Spirit will do.

Once the men were all on their feet with weapons in hand, Gideon then told them to lay their spears and bows aside. Imagine their surprise! But—but you said we were going into battle! Face this massive enemy without our weapons? You must be crazy!

Some may have thought, I’m done! I’m outta here! This is way over the edge. This isn’t even practical. In fact it’s down right stupid!

However, all 300 brave men held firm and Gideon divided them into three companies. Then he placed three unusual weapons in their hands. If you could call them weapons. He gave each man a trumpet, an empty clay jar and a lit torch inside the jug.

I can imagine the thoughts these warriors had. You want us to fight with these?! Gideon, you’ve lost it! How in the world are we supposed to win a battle with weapons like this?!

Yet they held firm. Three hundred men carried these unlikely weapons and stealthily surrounded the camp of 135,000 sleeping, enemy soldiers. What were the odds they would not be annihilated?

Gideon’s company reached the edge of the enemy camp in the middle of the night, right after the change of guards. The one hundred men with Gideon blew their trumpets and broke the jars to reveal the torches. All 300 followed Gideon’s lead, blowing their trumpets and breaking the jars.

Then waving the torches above their heads they all yelled, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

Now imagine a dark night with no moon. You are in a deep sleep in your tent, when all of a sudden the hushed quiet is filled with hundreds of trumpets blasting all around the camp. You rush out of your tent and there is fire dancing on the hills surrounding the camp. The air is filled with what sounds like thousands of voices shouting for Gideon, your dreaded enemy, whom you have heard is mighty and fierce. The enemy is attacking! There are thousands and thousands of them. The horns of Israel are sounding!
What would you do?

Gideon’s men held their positions, blowing their trumpets and waving their torches, as the Midianites, Amelikites and all the other Ites of the land, ran from their tents.

When the measly three hundred men sounded their trumpets, the Lord caused the enemies through out the camp to turn on each other with their swords. They killed each other! Israel didn’t have to raise a sword, in this battle. God was their Deliverer!

The enemy army fled, but Gideon sent out messengers and all of Israel rallied and pursued the hated enemy. There were 120,000 warriors killed that night. Gideon’s small army stayed in pursuit of the kings of Midian and their remaining 15,000 men, circling around and taking them by surprise, he attacked them. The army ran, but Gideon’s 300 men pursued and captured the kings and the remaining men. FIFETEEN THOUSAND of them!

Then taking the kings back to Succoth where he punished the leaders of the town for not obeying him by whipping them with briers and thorns and tearing down their tower to the god Peniel. Then he ran a sword through the two kings of Midian because they had slaughtered his brothers. (from Judges 7 & 8)
Wow Who is this fierce warrior? The mighty man we see now is not the man we first met. Where was Gideon when we met him? Hiding in a wine press, beating out his frustrations on the grain he was threshing. Gideon wasn’t anything special. But God called him a mighty warrior. Gideon ignored this because he knew it was far from the truth. He was a farmer, garnering from the land, year after year, what his family needed to survive. A common man, working with his hands in the soil and with animals, he was a bit reclusive, avoiding conflict and confrontations. Gideon shook in his sandals because of the terrible Midianites.

He was not a soldier, not the leader type, nor was he trained for battle. Yet God got a hold of him. He filled Gideon with His power and before our very eyes, Gideon metamorphosed into a Mighty Warrior.

Am I a mighty warrior?

No! Everything within me cries NO! Like Gideon, I don’t even want to be a warrior. I’m hiding in the wine press. I’ll just go about my life, doing what I’ve always done, taking care of my daily chores and hide from my enemies. I really don’t want to fight them. Its ok, I can manage here in my hideaway. I can make it fine and avoid my enemies.

OH but I can’t. My enemies come against me. They pound against my defenses and steal my resources. My wall is shaken and damaged and about to fall over. Who are these enemies?

Worry sneaks in and steals my peace. Fear swoops down and overcomes my joy. Anxiety attacks and smashes my faith. I wasn’t even aware they were infiltrating. I feel if I trust God, which I do, I should not be anxious. Yet, at times anxiety rears its ugly head and threatens to take over. No arguing, no reasoning, no amount of positive thinking can take it away.

It’s a huge enemy overwhelming and strong. Way in advance, I dread leaving for an extended trip, especially when I go by myself. When I leave home, anxiety attacks and I have an overwhelming desire to run to my house and stay there. The thought of medical tests, procedures and surgery causes such dread and fear, I have to force myself to do them. This anxiety makes me sick, literally, and tired and spiritually weak. So how do I fight it?

This fall I had planned a trip to Idaho for a small retreat with my sisters and a visit in Montana where we used to live. Months ahead, I was excited to see my two sisters, nieces and old friends, yet as the time neared, dread and anxiety snuck in. The night before my departure, I felt sick. John reminded me that I get sick every time I am planning on leaving home for an extended time. He wisely said it was the anxiety. I agreed and knew I had to go anyway.

The next morning I left for Wolfpoint Montana where I was to catch the train to Sandpoint Idaho. From point to point! As I drove to Glendive overwhelming fear came upon me. My heart pounded, tears came and I felt my body shake. I’ve never had an actual anxiety attack, but this came very close. I only wanted to go home and just stay home.

“Jesus!” I cried, “Help me.” I kept saying His name over and over. And I kept driving even though I wanted nothing more than to stop and go back.

In the name of Jesus I rebuked Satan, who I felt was coming against me.

“Sing.” Came to my mind.

So I turned on a CD and I began to sing. Peace stole over my body and mind. The shaking stopped. Anxiety fled. It’s really hard to be afraid when you’re singing with the Statlers! And I actually enjoyed my drive to Wolfpoint.

Praise God! Never again on the trip did I have that overwhelming anxiety threaten to take over my body and mind. Oh, there were a few anxious moments when my sister was not there to meet the train in Sandpoint, in the middle of the night and when I almost missed the train in Whitefish, but Jesus was with me all the way and I made it home, safe and sound. John and Doti even survived. And I had a great time! The reality was a whole lot better than my fears.

I don’t fight, God does! Like Gideon, when I turned my eyes on Jesus and worshiped Him, I was filled with His power and His strength. Like the brave 300, I stood firm and took in my hands the unusual weapons God gave me.

The name of Jesus, there is power in the name! Just the saying of it gives strength.

Rebuking Satan in the name of Jesus, because Satan prowls like a lion seeking whom he may devour.

And singing, because singing to God gives courage and confidence.

He is with me! He holds me in His strong hand! He is my Deliverer!

I have another story to tell, about another battle where God is the conqueror and about singing, but that is for another day. So until then, call on Jesus, stand firm, and sing! God is making you and me into a Mighty Warrior.

“You will be a new threshing machine with many sharp teeth. You will tear your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains! You will toss them in the air and wind will blow them all away! Then you will rejoice in the Lord. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel!” Isaiah 41:15-16 NLT