Gideon’s 300 - Just a Few Good Men

people are so ravaged by the Midianites that they are hiding in dens and caves. In v. 7 they cry out to God to for mercy and God gives them...
Gideon.

Here’s 4 principles from the life of Gideon that can help us all:

You and I are in a battle spiritually, it’s a fight, not a frolic; a war, not a waltz; it’s a warzone, not some tiptoe thru the tulips.

God just needs a few good men.

1. The Principle of Encounter.
v. 11, 14 Gideon has a word from the Lord.
v. 22-24a He was an ordinary man, not a prophet, preacher, priest, or a king. He was radically changed by this encounter. He used to be afraid. How do we know? Because he threshed wheat at the winepress.
The winepress was at the bottom of the hill so you could carry the grapes downhill. The wheat threshing took place at the top of the hill so the wind would drive away the chaff. Gideon is hiding at the bottom doing the work of the top. He’s hunkered in the bunker! The end of v. 11 says he’s hiding from the Midianites.

But fear turned to faith after his encounter with the Lord. His eyes turned from his enemies to the Lord.
We all must turn our eyes from our foes to our Father! We can live our lives looking at the terrorists or the political imbeciles in Washington or we can turn our eyes to the hills from whence cometh our help! "Looking unto Jesus!"

"The man that fears God can face any foe."

ill.--the 12 spies of Canaan: 10 saw giants, 2 saw God.
ill.--when most looked at Goliath and said "He’s too big to hit" David said, "He’s too big to miss!"

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus..."

America is truly in a fight for survival, so it’s time we turn to God!

2. The Principle of Courage.
v. 12 "valour"
7:1-3 Gideon raised up an army of 32,000. And God says, it’s too many! The Midianites were innumberable! But God says no, I just need a few good men. I’ll get the glory when I do more with less! God will share anything with us except His glory.

22,000 were afraid and left. Now there’s 10,000 remaining. God doesn’t use the fearful. He hasn’t given us the spirit of fear.
Proverbs 29:25
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Soldiers of the cross have courage and aren’t afraid to take a stand.

366 times the Bible says be not afraid, one for every day, even in leap year!

Some should be serving but are afraid...
[teaching / witnessing / driving a bus / tithing]
Some are afraid to trust God.
In the parable of the talents the bad servant said he didn’t invest his talent because "I was afraid."

Fear and sin are linked. In Eden Adam said he hid himself from God because he was afraid.

But if God be for us, who can be against us?!

encounter, courage...

3. The Principle of Wisdom.
Courage needs to be balanced with wisdom.
7:4-7 Still too many? Gideon has got to sweating it now!

The first purging was of the fearful...this one is of the foolish. There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity.
ill.--should we not lock our doors because we trust the Lord?

God told the cowards to go home, and now He tells the careless to leave as well. It was just a little test, and they failed it.

4. The Principle of Strength.