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God’s with us
Sometimes we need God to show up and remind us of our identity. When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and called him to save Israel from the Midianites, Gideon was in a negative state of mind. The Midianites had been oppressing Israel, and Gideon found himself having to sort out the wheat in the winepress to stay safe. He wondered whether God had deserted them (take a look at Judges 6:13). But the angel reminded him of two things: 1) His identity. Before Gideon had even said a word, the angel spoke words of identity over Gideon. He said: ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’ This is prophetic, as Gideon did go on to become a mighty warrior who, with God’s help, won battles (you can read about them in Judges 7 and 8). But it’s also worth remembering that our identity in Christ doesn’t change just because we’re going through tough circumstances. Gideon might have been having to hide away from the Midianites, but God still called him a ‘mighty warrior’. 2) God was with him. When the angel told him that he was going to save Israel, he responded with excuses about why he wasn’t qualified for the job. He said: ‘How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’ (Judges 6:15 NIV). God replied: ‘I will be with you’ (v.16 NIV). God reminded him that it was not the power of the one being sent that would win the battle, but of the One sending him. Wherever God takes us, He promises to be with us – strengthening us and helping us to win our spiritual battles.
What Now?
Spend some time reading Judges 6 over the next few days. Each time you read it, ask God to teach you something new about it.
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