Gideon: Taking Back Territories for the Kingdom of God

Has the enemy encroached on your land? Has evil taken over a territory? Has your nation become morally bankrupt? The United States moved from having global evangelical ministries and being the centrepiece of God’s endtime movement to not being able to define what a woman is when the woke virus infested the nation. The UK and many other European countries are now suffering from this moral decadence. It’s like Psalm 12 all over again. In countries like Ghana, inasmuch as there is still sin, the people involved in sin at least acknowledge their sinfulness and hide it from the public eye as much as possible. You know a territory is terrible when their definitions of moral objectivism is blurry and absurd. How do we take back territory for the Kingdom of God?

Gideon was the fifth of the 12 Judges of Israel. It’s amazing that we have discussed 4 people so far; David, Nehemiah, Esther, Jehoshaphat (the fourth king of Judah) and we are now on the 5th Judge of Israel; Gideon, under the Warfare Strategies of the Kingdom of God series. You can follow by reading Judges 6 alongside this post for a better understanding. Let’s delve in!

Legal Governance of Territories

Just like in government, every territory has a ruler/governor who rules the place legally. By “legally”, I mean the powers are vested in that entity by the people themselves. It’s the same in the realms of the spirit. Every territory is ruled legally by whom the people choose as a cooperate body. Judges 6:1 shows that the people chose evil and did not want God to rule over them. Thus, there was a change in government; a handing over. The Bible is intentional about the choice of words. It clearly emphasizes that God delivered them into the hands of the Midianites. There was a change of hands. See, there are territories legally ruled by poverty (many places in Africa). There are those legally ruled by lust, like Vegas. Others are legally ruled by greed while others are ruled by filth. Note the word “legally”. God will not force Himself on anyone. It’s the will of the people that determines their ruler.

The enemy now had an upper hand after the handing over, and decided to only attack their substance at the time of harvest. Every altar is powered by the sacrifices offered on it. Once a nation gives themselves to evil, there will be a rise in a particular vice as an offering to service that national altar. A rise in abortion, huh? Or a rise in suicide rates? A rise in obesity and health-related problems? Or a rise in political corruption? Sometimes, it’s a waste of time to try to solve symptoms when the underlying problem hasn’t been dealt with. The nation of Israel became greatly impoverished.

Recognizing Patterns

I have noticed that when the enemy gets the upper hand in a territory, people are not quick to realize. Perhaps, he kills an aunt by elephantiasis and no one realises it was him. Then two years later, he kills another aunt with the same disease but people brush it off as a coincidence. By the time it happens the third time, too much damage has already been done. The Midianites did not invade Israel randomly—they showed up only during harvest time. This was no coincidence; it was a diabolically calculated move to keep Israel impoverished. Judges 6:3-6 describes how the enemy would swoop in and take everything, leaving Israel with nothing.

Israel, can’t you see that for the past 7 years, the Midianites only show up at harvest time? Can’t you see the negative pattern? Aren’t you aware of the diabolical trend? That is the “offerings” that the enemy comes to legally take as his dues for ruling over you. The enemy is wicked o. Meanwhile, if God asked for 10%, we will be grumbling. The enemy is taking 100% of all the produce. Sometimes the “dues” are that it doesn’t matter how much money anyone makes in the family, they will be poor; all their money will keep being used to pay for some strange unplanned expenses from time to time.

The enemy is a thief but he makes sure that he steals from you by consent. He deceives you to get your consent and steals what rightfully belongs to you. How does a territory/family/community/nation break free? They must cry out to the LORD. I have seen people blame God for the problems the enemy caused because of their own decisions. Proverbs 19:3 says “there are some people who ruin their own lives and then blame it all on God”. Stop blaming God. Cry out to Him.

How merciful God is; He heard their cry right away. However, here is the issue. It didn’t happen in a day when we chose evil instead of God and yet, we expect God to do magic in a day. God is all-Powerful and will deliver you the same day you call on Him. For sure! However, you have been masturbating or drinking or smoking half of your life; you have to go through an entire mental deliverance session. Your spirit is free but your mind needs to unlearn your old ways and that must take time. This is why the first thing He did was send forth His Word through prophet. Selah!

The Gideon Strategy: A Sustainable Victory

All this is part of the Gideon strategy. We want a quick fix but God wants a sustainable victory. God is about to take the least of this greatly impoverished nation and make him into a warrior who will rule the land for the Kingdom of God as long as he is alive. He will take the foolish things to always confound the wisdom of darkness. Surely, you are not more zealous than God to see your territory sane again. Trust His recovery plan. Your territory has to be transformed by the renewing of the mind because it conformed to the system of the world for long.

Even Gideon himself was filled with bitterness and mediocrity when God encountered him. He was so greatly affected by the great impoverishment of the nation. How many people in corrupt countries think their countries will always be corrupt? Even the good people start to believe the lies. He called Gideon a mighty warrior, even though he saw himself as weak. God does not define us by our past or present circumstances—He defines us by His purpose for us.

When you cried out to the LORD, He heard you immediately and work began behind the scenes. He sent a prophet with a message of God’s verdict and the hope of restoration. God told them that He has delivered them from the hands of Egypt before. Believe 100% in His track record and watch Him restore the territory to its former glory. God also made it clear that they brought this upon themselves because they didn’t obey His voice.

God is justified in whatever decision He chooses to make but He decides to show them mercy by raising a Judge, and that is where He encountered Gideon in a winepress threshing wheat. Where you have a personal encounter with the LORD gives a clue about what He is about to do; He is about to thresh His people and consecrate their gain to Himself again. Also, never forget God’s choice of words in your encounter with Him.

What we have discussed so far in 12 verses;
1. Recognize the enemy’s legal hold over your territory. Evil gains power through the people’s choices.

2. Understand the enemy’s strategy. Here, he attacked during harvest time to greatly impoverish the nation.

3. Break the cycle by crying out to God. Stop blaming Him and start repenting.

4. Trust in God’s track record. He has done it before and He will do it again.

5. Embrace the Gideon Strategy. God’s plan is not a quick fix but a lasting transformation.

If your family, community, or nation is under demonic oppression, God is looking for a Gideon. He is searching for someone He will raise up to tear down demonic altars and establish the Kingdom of God in that territory. Will you answer the call and let His Kingdom come on the territory as it is in Heaven?

….to be continued