Last week, we discussed Judges 6:1-12 in the light of taking territories for the Kingdom of God. This week, we will focus on the encounter God had with Gideon.
An Encounter Exposes Your Heart
When God encounters a man, the man can only communicate what is truly in his heart. You can encounter God and say no to Him although your mind would have chosen a positive answer. It’s like meeting an important figure in an impromptu situation where you can’t possibly come up with a better idea in your mind so what is in your heart is exposed. Zechariah the high priest (father of John the Baptist) had no reason to doubt until his encounter exposed the little doubt lingering in his heart.
Jacob didn’t make up his mind to wrestle but alas, all his desperation to see the manifest blessings of Abraham in his life took over him. Just look at how Gideon is talking to God. When you face an impossible situation, how do you talk to God? Your mind knows that God cares about you but your heart will say “carest not Thou that we perish?”. This is just the 7th book in the Bible and Gideon is already doubting that God is with His people. God’s Mighty Hand looks like past tense to a generation delivered into the hands of the enemy.
When we forsake God by doing evil in His Sight, we later complain that He has rather forsaken us and delivered us into the enemy’s hands. It’s amazing that God’s elect is thinking this way. These are the thoughts of defeat and deceit. I pray God takes us through situations that will expose and rectify every foolish idea we have of Him. Some of us think He is too slow. Others think He is such a reluctant person. Until we know who God is, we will never know true strength. “They that know their God shall be strong…”. The goal was to greatly impoverish the nation but the real objective was to alter their perspective of God in order to keep them weak.
An Encounter is a Turning Point
The LORD turned to Gideon. There is a turning point where destiny-defining decisions are made. Do you know Moses decided to turn aside before having an encounter at the burning bush? It takes the Mercy of God for Him to turn to a man because according to the protocol, it is rather man who must turn to God for Him to respond. When we disobey God, we turn our backs on Him. When we turn to God, He shows us mercy. When God causes His countenance to shine upon you, you are highly favoured. When He turns away from you, you are irredeemable. Turn to the LORD!
When God turns to us, we reflect Him as His image. That’s why He told Gideon to “go in this might of yours”. This Might of Mine has reflected in you and is your Might right now. Many are looking for the Hand of God in their lives when their hands were designed to be gloves of God’s hands. Until we begin to walk in the reality of being in the image and likeness of God, our encounter is not yet complete. An encounter is when we behold as in a glass the unveiled Glory of God so we are transformed from a greatly impoverished fellow who is the weakest in the clan and least in his father’s house to a mighty man of valour. The first turning point is an identity shift.
God was talking to Gideon as though Gideon was just like Him; “you shall save Israel…” (verse 15) & “you shall defeat the Midianites as one man”. God is going to do through Him. Yes! The Words He has just spoken over Gideon empowers him to fully walk in it. However, until it becomes Gideon’s reality, that Word has not taken root in the heart of Gideon yet. We were created to represent the fullness of God in this earth realm. “Let Us make man in Our own Image, according to Our own likeness”. We settle for less at our own peril.
An Encounter Leaves You With a Sign
It actually takes time to incubate the seed of Glory sown into your heart. It takes time to brood over the experience, and time to also walk in the reality of the encounter. Therefore, a sign must be given so that you first of all believe in this thing that goes beyond your cerebral capacity. The reason for a sign goes beyond this, though. Mary was given a sign that Elizabeth was pregnant in old age, and she went to visit her. Gideon asked for a sign right away. It feels surreal, the experience. It sounds like an almost impossible situation too, what God is communicating. Perhaps, that’s why it requires an encounter.
One of the protocols of an encounter, especially in the Old Testament, is that you have to offer a pleasing sacrifice of a sweet smelling aroma to the Lord. Samson’s parents had a similar encounter, and so did Abraham. Apart from that, an altar ought to be built to eternalize the encounter in the physical space. Every encounter reveals an aspect of God. All the names and attributes of God we know were not spoken by God alone. On many occasions, they were spoken by men after they had encountered God in that regard. Gideon encountered Jehovah Shalom, and that is why we know that He is the God of Peace, even before we experientially encounter His peace for ourselves too.
When an encounter is stewarded, a “ladder” is created from earth towards Heaven where mere men can encounter God in the same light. Jacob thought his head was on a random stone, only to encounter God in the same physical location Abraham had encountered God. There is a protocol that allows everyone to walk in the reality of your encounter with God. By encountering you, we encounter the God who encountered you. There are certain assignments of God no man should dare touch until they have an encounter with God. Until you encounter God for yourself, He will remain the God of your fathers. When you encounter Him, He now becomes your God because you know Him personally.
Today, we discussed Judges 6:13-24, hoping to continue yet again God willing next week. Kindly leave a comment and don’t forget to share to bless someone. Thank you
