August 31st, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Winning Through Worship

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Opening Prayer

Mighty God, You inhabit all times and places. I praise You because You are Lord of all and my God.

Read JUDGES 7:15-24

[15] When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” [16] Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. [17] “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. [18] When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.'” [19] Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. [20] The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” [21] While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. [22] When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. [23] Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. [24] Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Jesus understood how to leverage a minority position into an overwhelming force. To touch the whole world, he had to begin by deliberately focusing on a few (the Twelve)” (Leighton Ford).

Think Further

It’s a wonderful rout. The Midianites and their allies are thrown into disarray and self-destruction. They panic and flee from the sound of the trumpets and the sight of all those torches. Notice that the rout starts in Gideon’s own attitude to God in vs. 15 and 16: God’s leadership of Gideon leads to three crucial elements in Gideon’s leadership. As you read, think of the leaders in your fellowship and pray for them. 

First, worship. It’s the reflex of Gideon’s renewed soul; the Hebrew word means “to bow down.” Gideon, with lowly reverence, exalts God. If the leadership of God’s people doesn’t start with humbling themselves before God, then the leadership will be prone to arrogance. It’s not enough just to say that God is great; we have to feel that we ourselves are not. 

Second, encouragement that stirs people into brave action. Gideon has been blessed by God; now he passes the encouragement on. As leaders have been treated by God, so they must treat others. If leaders need to be made brave, others will, too. It’s too easy for leaders to discourage others or to allow the “it can’t be done” folk in the fellowship to carry the day. 

Third, a plan of action and the courage to take the lead. This is no time for discussion groups. The time to act is now! Gideon knows what to do (are the stories of Joshua and Jericho in his mind?) and he’s going to get on with it. “Follow my lead” (17) expresses the impetus that God has given with his lead. Because Gideon is humbly following God, he has the boldness to say “Follow me.”

Apply

To whom can you pass on some encouragement from God today? Plan to do it as soon as possible.

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus, Captain of my salvation, command my soul so that it might not be ruled by fear, but be filled with courage and overflow with encouragement.

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