Sermon Central
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The "Secret" Of Gideon's Faith
Contributed by Mitchell Skelton on Mar 13, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Discover the secret of Gideon’s Faith through his conversations with God. The "secret" is revealed in the first letter of each point. Purge (sin from your live), Revive true worship, Act on your Faith, Yield to the will of God. PRAY.
The “Secret” of Gideon’s Faith
INTRODUCTION
I. Israel had been handed over to the Midianites. 6:1, 10
A. Midianites ravaged the land. 6:2–6
B. The Israelites cried out to God. 6:6–7
1. God has always wanted the best for His children.
a. He sent them a prophet. 6:8
b. Now He is sending an Angel. 6:11
2. John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
II. We are first introduced to Gideon as he is hiding in a winepress. 6:11
A. Gideon’s 1st conversation with God. 6:12–23
1. Gideon had no confidence in himself.
2. God did not ask him to do it on his own. 6:14,16
B. Gideon’s 2nd conversation with God. 6:25–26
1. Gideon destroys the alter of Baal and the Asherah pole.
2. He also builds an alter to God and offers Him a sacrifice in accordance to His will. 6:27
C. When opposition comes against Gideon for his obedient acts, God protects him.
III. God draw’s together an army for Gideon 6:34–35
A. Gideon’s 3rd conversation with God. 6:36
B. Dew on the fleece. 6:38
C. Dew on the ground. 6:40
D. God doesn’t require blind faith, He wants His followers to have true faith. John 20:30–31 “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
IV. God sifts out Gideon’s men. 7:1–8
A. Gideon’s 4th conversation with God.
1. “You have too many men,” so God sifted from 32,000 to 10,000.
2. “There are still too many,” so God sifted from 10,000 to 300.
B. God prepares Gideon for victory. 7:7
1. God gives yet another sign. 7:9–14
2. The wheels to victory started turning as soon as Gideon heard this last sign from God.
a. He proclaimed his faith when he said, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”
b. He showed his faith by acting upon it.
V. God gives Gideon the victory!
A. Gideon and his men carried NO WEAPONS.
B. Trumpets in their right hand.
C. Torches in their left hand.
Gideon is truly a great man of faith. One that we can look to as an example when facing adversity or needed change in our lives. Let’s look at the “secrets” of Gideon’s faith and see how we can apply them to our lives.
MAIN BODY
I. Purge sin from your life.
A. Gideon destroyed the symbols of idolatry.
1. In his conversation with God, Gideon’s faith was strengthened enough to take a stand for God.
2. He went against popular sentiment and followed after God.
B. If we want grow stronger in faith we must resolve to purge our lives of worldliness.
1. Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”
2. 2 Chron. 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
II. Revive True Worship.
A. Immediately after destroying the idolatrous symbols, Gideon built an alter and worshiped God as he had told him.
B. We must resolve to worship God only. Deut. 5:7 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
C. We must worship as God has commanded.
1. Mark 7:6b–8 “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ 8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”
2. John 4:23–24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
III. Act on your Faith.
A. After Gideon had purged the land of its idols and experienced a revival of worship, he continued his conversation with God.
1. Dew on the fleece.
2. Dew on the ground.
B. This conversation resulted in Gideon’s faith being strengthened to the point of Action.
C. Mere belief in God and Christ is not enough, faith must be accompanied by action.
1. Faith without works is only dead faith. James 2:14–24
2. A working faith is proof of repentance. Acts 26:20b “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.”