To Be Sincere With God, We must take these Crucial Steps.

Do As Gideon Did.

God selected Gideon to deliver His people from the persecution of the Midianites in Judges 6. Why Gideon? When the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, he asked, “But sir (13).” because he wanted to know that. God did not choose Gideon because of his bravery, intelligent, or popularity. Not his beliefs, nor his contacts. Gideon was, in fact, a relatively common individual. However, he had one advantage that made him suitable for the job. God in Heavens. Gideon was eligible for duty for the same reason that we, as unlikely servants, are eligible. God is the one.

Examining the first half of Judges 6 and Gideon’s call to the ministry. Despite Gideon’s first feelings of skepticism, the Lord allayed them by demonstrating his presence (16–19), power (20–22), and tranquility (23–24). In verse 16, Gideon was informed by the Lord, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” You have everything you need to carry out God’s will if you have God. What is required? See for yourself what God accomplished with Gideon after that.

Gideon will be seen fighting in chapter 7. What God did to prepare His man for duty is shown in the connecting section. This is the first lesson that both Gideon and all of us need to learn. We must take God seriously if we wish to be used by him. I firmly believe that this is the primary cause of many people’s feelings of decay and weakness in their Christian life. They don’t take God seriously. Do you take God seriously? “I’m not sure,” you say. What does taking God seriously mean? And how can I determine whether I am? By examining what happened to Gideon in Judges 6:25–40, we will be able to answer those questions. To be sincere about God, you must take these two crucial steps. I. Eliminate competitors (25–32) II. Get ready for battle (33-40).

There are two essential steps to being serious for God. First Step is to eliminate competitors as explain in these verses (25–32). God spoke to Gideon as follows in the verses here (25-26). Again whatsoever offends God must be eliminated (25). What pleases God must take its position (26). Gideon performed the following (27). He battled fear. But, he did as he was told.

Step 1: Eliminate competitors (25–32).

God has no desire to take a backseat to anything in our lives. All of our competitors must leave if we truly love, obey and care about Him. This is how it transpired in Gideon’s instance. There are three episodes in the text’s flow.

Episode 1: A.  God spoke to Gideon as follows (25-26).

“That same night the LORD said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering”. The text states that this happened, “That same night.” Which night? The night after the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and called Gideon into service. The night after Gideon built an altar to the Lord as an expression of his surrender to the Lord (24). That night the Lord spoke to Gideon.

Whenever God speak it demand immediate action of OBEDIENT and SUBMISSION. Gideon step forward to act …

1. The First Action: Whatever offends God must be eliminated from the way, (25).

What, in Gideon’s instance, had to go? God gave extremely clear instructions. Get the second bull from the father’s herd, to start. Whose bull was that? The bull belonged to Gideon’s father. The bull was also seven years old. What makes the animal’s age important? Verse 1 states that God turned the Israelites up to the Midianites seven years before to the year this bull was born. Therefore, this bull would represent a rededication. By delivering this bull, Gideon would be saying, We need to return to where we went wrong. We need to reconnect with the person (God) we abandoned seven years ago.

2. The Second Execution: The second command from God was quite direct and intimate or personal.

“Gideon, demolish your father’s altar, the altar to Baal. As with the Asherah pole [KJV “grove”), tear it down. Those abominations ought to be removed. The Canaanite god was, of course, Baal. His worship was accompanied by a variety of immoral activities, including as child sacrifice and prostitution, because it was thought that he would make the womb fertile. When God’s people arrived in the Promised Land, He gave them explicit instructions to stop worshiping Baal. However, they paid no attention. Indeed, God’s people were afflicted by Baal’s allure for decades (see 2:13). It seemed that even Gideon’s father had given in. “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal,” God commanded Gideon. Think about what those terms imply.

Eliminating every adversary of God is necessary if we are to take our faith seriously, even if our family supports these adversaries. Please understand that our greatest allegiance should not be to our family. It is loyalty to God. Some individuals, especially Christians, consider family to be divine. Practically speaking, what family says matters more than what God says. Indeed, God supports families. He created the family. He wants us to put our family before our jobs, hobbies, and pleasures. However, be aware of this. First and foremost, God is pro-God, even though He is pro-family. He is zealous about His glory, in other words. He made us to live for His honor, glory, and delight. Should we put our family first? Yes, but it’s not our top focus. Prioritize seeking God’s kingdom (Matt 6:33). ” Let’s pay attention to what Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” Is Jesus advocating for us to truly despise our families? Of course not. He makes the point that He must come first if we are to follow Him. We must be completely loyal to him. All of our competitors, even family, must be eliminated. To be honest, family connections might occasionally suffer as a result of our devotion to God.

Those who don’t take God’s Word seriously may find it offensive. What therefore ought we to do, disobey God in order to preserve family harmony? Should we say, you know how much I love you, but Jesus Christ is my Lord, or should we skip church when our family plans a Sunday reunion? Worshiping the Lord is my top priority in life, and Sunday is the Lord’s Day. I’ll be a little late for the reunion, and I hope you’ll understand.” All too frequently, God is neglected in our lives. “Oh, He’ll understand,” we tell ourselves. Now, pay attention here. We must start at home if we want to prioritize God. Gideon believed that demolishing his father’s altar was necessary to become a committed follower of God. Either pleasing God or pleasing family was at stake. He had to choose between addressing his family’s sin problem and ignoring it for the sake of harmony. Gideon was put to the test, wasn’t he? However, if we truly want to be used by God, it is the same for us. We must first eliminate everything that offends God. Then can we please God and obey His command as Gideon did.

3. What pleases God must take its position (26).

In order to honor God and worship Him faithfully, we must establish appropriate, bible-centered worship (26). As in the biblical text of Ephesians 4, we have to “put off” and then “put on.” Take it out and put it back in. Gideon was instructed by God to destroy the Baal altar, but he was not to stop there. Building a “proper kind of altar,” one dedicated to the Lord your God, was his directive. He was then to use the Asherah poll as firewood and present the bull as a burnt offering. Gideon would be sending a message to his family, his neighborhood, and his fellow citizens. As usual, there will be no more false worship of Baal. To honor and obey God, we must act. We need to take God seriously once more. The fact that God commanded Gideon to make this sacrifice despite the fact that he was not even a member of the tribe of Levi demonstrates how strange and out of balance things were in Gideon’s day. It’s important to note that God instructed Gideon to bring a burned offering. That is important. The Mosaic Law required several kinds of offerings. Here, why does God approve of a burnt offering? What had the people of Gideon done? Verse 1 states that they had sinned. Moreover, what is necessary for sinners? Don’t they need forgiveness—forgiveness from God? Furthermore, what is the foundation for God’s forgiveness? Atonement serves as the foundation for God’s forgiveness. In order for another being to live, one must die. That is what doctrine of substitutionary atonement is all about.

Remember what Noah did as soon as he stepped off the ark? He erected an altar to the Lord and offered burned sacrifices there. “Just what was a burnt offering?” According to Leviticus 1:3–4, God’s Word states, “he is to offer a male without defect if the offering is a burnt offering from the herd.” In order for the LORD to accept it, he must present it at the Tent of Meeting’s entrance. If he places his hand on the burnt offering’s head, it will be accepted as atonement on his behalf. What did Gideon’s people need? God sent a judge, a deliverer named Gideon, to provide them with the atonement they required in order to be forgiven. Isn’t that what He did for us as well?

God sent “deliverers” in the book of Judges to portend the arrival of the Ultimate Deliverer. To be right with God today, do we have to kill bulls and make burned offerings? No. Why not? Because the last sacrifice has been made and the last deliverer has arrived. Jesus, the Lamb of God, died on the cross to save everyone who believes in Him. This thing is radical, beloved. Everything that challenges God must be removed from our lives, families, and homes if we truly want to please him. I mean all of it. The term “easy believism” does not exist in the Bible.

Eliminate all sin and all adversaries of God if you wish to be made use of by him. This includes cults and false gods. Loyalty to family may take precedence over devotion to God. What doesn’t please God must be taken away and replaced with what does. God asked Gideon to do it, and He is now asking you and me to do it today. God first before anything else.

Episode 2: But what was his reaction?

He struggled with fear. Nonetheless, he followed instructions and obeyed. Gideon completed the following actions (27). Gideon did just that (27). Thus, Gideon followed the LORD’s instructions and gathered ten of his servants. However, he did it at night instead of during the day since he was terrified of his family and the town’s men. You might be asking yourself, “I don’t think I have what it takes to be used of God,” at this point. Perhaps in order to be eligible for God’s service, you must be a devout or active believer. This is the aspect of the Gideon narrative I admire. Despite his usage by God, Gideon was not an “extraordinarily Believer.” In many ways, he was just like you and me, and the Bible is honest about his flaws.

What was Gideon’s reaction to God’s instruction? In verse 27, there are two answers.

2. His fear was his problem. Whom to be afraid of? According to the text, he feared the men of the town as well as his family. Perhaps this is the reason why people don’t frequently obey God. The fear of man. It was the fear of community and the fear of family for Gideon. In other words, Gideon had trouble resisting peer pressure. It’s acceptable to struggle, my dear friend. Gideon had challenges. He did not, however, give up during his battle. Instead…
3. He did as told. (Obedient) He gathered ten men and carried out the Lord’s instructions precisely. Even though he did it at night and wrestled with fear, he succeeded! He obeyed. Why did he comply? Due of his desire to fulfill the will of God. Is it required, then, to be a strong Christian in order to be useful by God? No. All you need to do is learn to obey. Maybe you’re saying, “This is Amazing, Gideon! Well done for resisting your worries and obeying God! In any case, the majority of our concerns never come true. As for Gideon, they did! Gideon was right about what he feared. Remember that the life of obedience does not equate to a life without problems. Not at all. God spoke to Gideon, and we have seen what Gideon accomplished.

Episode 3: C. Consequently, the following occurred (28-32). For Gideon, three things happened.

1. Gideon was attacked (28-30). “In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! 29 They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30 The men of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” The following morning, Gideon’s nighttime deed was discovered, and the residents of the community were enraged. They wanted to know who had done it, so they looked into it and eventually discovered the answer. As commentator Arthur Cundall notes, “A secret known to ten men is no secret.” It’s remarkable that even though Gideon had committed the deed, the men of the community demanded an accounting from Joash, Gideon’s father (30). For one thing, the “destruction” involved Joash’s bull and Joash’s altar, and in the Bible, a man is accountable for what takes place in his household. Joash was ordered to bring out his son for execution by the crowd. That was Gideon’s first experience. He, incidentally, was attacked, as we can be if we take our obedience to God seriously. The world won’t celebrate virtue! And don’t expect everyone to praise your goodness! More so don’t expect the world to applaud godliness! Secondly…
2. Gideon was defended (31). “But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” Joash had a mob on his hands. The NIV says a “hostile crowd” was “around him.” The KJV says he spoke to the people that “stood against him.”  I’m impressed by Joash’s response. Apparently, the Lord used Gideon’s obedience to jolt his father out of spiritual lethargy. In fact, Gideon’s actions had the opposite effect on his dad than what he had feared. Joash responded to the crowd with two questions and two statements. The questions—are you going to stand up for Baal? Are you going to try and save Baal? And the statements—whoever fights for Baal is the one that’s going to die, not my son! And if Baal really is a god, let him defend himself. Joash has a point, doesn’t he? Why be loyal to a dead god? It’s not a crime to eliminate vain religion. The person who’s committing the crime is the person who wants to defend a dead, empty piece of wood called a “god.” In essence, Joash is saying to his people, “Look at the facts! We’re in trouble. We’ve been living in caves and cowering in fear for seven years. Yet here you are wanting to maintain business as usual. No! It’s time to change! Baal hasn’t been helping us, and indeed, he can’t even help himself! It’s worth pondering on this, “If this advice had been followed by the devotees of the world’s religions, not excepting many who claimed to be Christians, the world would have been spared a great deal of torture, bloodshed, and untold misery.” It’s sad, isn’t it? People are loyal to their religion even if it’s vain and empty. This lead us to the thirdly point …
3. Gideon was delivered (32). “So that day they called Gideon “Jerub-Baal,” saying, “Let Baal contend with him,” because he broke down Baal’s altar.” Gideon is referred to by the people as “Jerub-Baal,” which translates to “Let Baal contend.” Consequently, Gideon’s life turned into a constant battle for Baal. Indeed, that is a significant shift. The public is demanding Gideon’s execution one moment. In other words, they are treating him like a hero by giving him a new name. Crowds are erratic in nature. Here, Gideon’s stillness intrigues me. He is not portrayed in the book of Judges as a valiant, strong hero. He is similar to most of us, ordinary person. However, he belonged to an exceptional God who supported him in his struggles. God was protecting Gideon, which explains why he was attacked, defended, and then delivered. You must decide to take God seriously, just like Gideon did, if you want to see God do that in your life. But, how?

Step II: Get ready for battle or prepare for Combat (33-40).

Taking God seriously entails purification, eliminating adversaries, and preparation for battle or conflict. Both are required. First Purity: An unholy vessel will not be blessed and be used by a holy God. Secondly Preparation: How does God get His servants ready for battle? Three stages of preparation were involved in Gideon’s case.

1.  God permitted the arrival of an enemy (33). “Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.” Just as in the previous seven years, the enemy has come to deprive the Israelites of their harvests. Not only the Midianites, this time the Amalekites, Midianites, and other eastern peoples have banded together this time. What’s going on? You may be thinking. The truth is that everything is proceeding, as God’s design would have it. God made this enemy possible.

Occasionally, things get better when we obey. Nevertheless, sometimes they deteriorate or become worsen we live in disobedience. In actuality, God occasionally permits things to worsen significantly before they improve when we obey Him. In Gideon’s instance, the opposing alliance shows up immediately after he repents and takes action to end Baal worship. It’s not exactly the right time, is it? In fact, the timing couldn’t be more ideal! Why? Because the enemy will be dealt with by God Himself this time. Do you have any adversaries in your life? Recognize this. They aren’t there by chance. God permitted an enemy to arrive during the first stage of preparation. In the second phase…

2. God recruited Gideon for service (34-35). Here’s how. “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them”. Gideon and his people are now prepared to encounter the true God, since that the false gods have been eliminated. Gideon was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. When the Spirit of God appeared to people in the Old Testament, it was typically in anticipation of a unique act of service. Here we are. Observe that God was proactive. He sent His Spirit to “come upon” Gideon after letting the enemy arrive. According to the Hebrew, the Lord’s Spirit “put Gideon on” like a garment.

According to C. J. Goslinga, “In the Hebrew phrase…the man is conceived as the garment in which the Spirit envelops Himself, the instrument that He makes use of.” That is, the Spirit came into Gideon, filled him, and made him ready for duty. Recognize this. Instead of sending His people into war by themselves, God supports and empowers them. What was Gideon’s action after the Spirit appeared to him? To call the Abiezrites, he first blew a trumpet. Who were they? Gideon was an Abiezrite, which was his own clan (11). He then sent emissaries to these four tribes; Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, expanding his invitation. Why these tribes? Because the Midianite invasion mostly afflicted these four tribes in the north. Additionally, 32,000 men answered the call (see 7:3).

3. God gave Gideon assurances about His promise (36–40). Do you ever require security? Gideon did. After spotting the enemy and his soldiers, he started to reconsider. He therefore prayed and requested God to reassure him, as stated in verses 36–38: “Gideon responded to God, “If you would save Israel by my hand as you have promised.” Note that Gideon was aware of God’s promise. So he says. “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised.” Gideon knew what God said, so he was not ignorant but he did not have confidence. He therefore came up with a test for God. Verse 37 I will lay a wool fleece on the threshing floor, you see. I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you promised, if there is only dew on the fleece and the entire land is dry. 38 And that’s what took place. The following morning, Gideon got up early and squeezed off the dew from the fleece, creating a bowlful of water. Gideon was persuaded, then? He asked for a second sign because he needed additional reassurance. Verses 39–40, Gideon then addressed God, saying, “Don’t be upset with me. Let me ask you one more thing. Let me try the fleece one more time. Make the fleece dry this time and cover the ground with dew. 40 So God did that night. The ground was coated in dew, and only the fleece was dry. What is going on here? God is getting Gideon ready for warfare. He is strengthen and conditioning him. “Should we do what Gideon did?” you ask. When we are uncertain about God’s will, should we “throw out the fleece”? According to some, we ought to. A missionary applicant recently spoke to me about how they choose their area of service. “If you want me to travel to a certain country, then send me an email from that country today,” the individual revealed. And sure enough, I received an email from that nation that same day! I was certain that serving as a missionary there was God’s will. I heard another missionary candidate talk about his quest to discover God’s will shortly after that testimony. “I asked God, Do you want me to go to a particular country to serve you? He continued as he drove along. Would you offer me a sign if that were the case? And very immediately, God reminded me of Jesus’ statement, “This generation is evil.” They are looking for a sign, and the Prophet Jonah’s sign is the only one that will be delivered to them (Luke 11:29). Immediately I became aware that I didn’t require a sign. All I had to do was obey God and leave. What about the “fleece” method of determining God’s will? I’ll talk about two things for our consideration here.

4. God may use a fleece. In his patience, He did with Gideon. But even that doesn’t condone such a practice for us. In fact, by Gideon’s own admission the fleece was his admission that the promise of God was not enough for him. “I know what You promised me, God, but I need reassurance.” Because God is longsuffering, He may use a fleece, indeed, He can do whatever He wants to do. But God has a higher goal for His people. It’s this.

5. God wants us to live by faith, not by sight, (a fleece). God has given us His promises, His Word. His Word is sufficient. The spiritually mature are those who have learned to take God at His Word. They live by faith, not by sight, or a fleece. The point of the story is not, “Go and do what Gideon did. Bargain with God. Ask God for signs.” No, this is the point. God is a great God! He’s so great He can use unlikely candidates (like us) to accomplish His purposes. And He’s so gracious that He patiently brings us along, enabling us to trust Him more and more. Perhaps you’re struggling with a decision and thinking, “I’m waiting for a feeling. I’ll know it’s God’s will when I get a feeling. God gave so-and-so a feeling, and that’s what I want.” Or maybe you’re thinking, “I want a sign. Send me a sign, God, and then I’ll know what You want me to do.” I’m not going to tell you that God can’t give you a “feeling” or a “sign.” He can do whatever He wants. But I do know this. He’s already given you His Word. And He’s verified His Word for you by raising His Son from the dead. What more could we possibly need?

III. Conclusion

This constitutes my challenge. Don’t doubt God’s word, Believe it and live it. Rely on your faith in God’s Word rather than a fleece or sight. Let’s return to our initial inquiry. Is God a real concern for you? Do you really love God with all your heart to worship Him faithfully? Now that we’ve examined Gideon life, let’s take it personally. If we’re serious about God… Here are four signs of a sincere believer in God.

1. We will eliminate everyone who opposes God. Which idols in your life are God’s competitors? It might even be beneficial; a person, a career, or a pastime. Your competitor might be a sinful thing; an immoral behavior, mindset, or goal. Are you going to skip it today? We have to if we take God seriously. Second, if we truly believe in God…
   2. We will take our obedience to God seriously. Even if we are unaware of the possible consequences, we will still obey Him. He had no idea what would happen next, just like Gideon. He simply made the decision to completely obey God and do His Will.
2. We will recognize how much we need God. That was the main purpose of Gideon’s fleece. “God, without you, I am powerless and nothingness. You are necessary and important to me. That’s what Gideon acknowledged. Today, will you follow Gideon example and give your life to Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Finally, if we truly believe in God, then
   4. God will be able to work through us. For those who take Him seriously, God enjoys working in their lives. Gideon is our true example.

Rev Ed Arcton

Ed Arcton is a Pastor and President of Liberation Mission For Christ. A Preacher, Teacher and Intercessor. Graduate from MBC, Ghana and CLC at Michigan, USA. Believe in the Authority and Divinely inspired WORD OF GOD, the Holy Bible as God’s given and is the constitution of our Life. Ed, Believes that, the BIBLE is the Voice of God speaking to every man and it’s not the voice of man telling his fellow men about God. Ed passion is to Explain and Expand the Holy Scriptures to all men wherever he is and will be, especially the people of God, Church of the Living God.

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