Many of you may be familiar with a TV show called American Ninja Warrior. It’s a sports competition show where competitors attempt to complete a series of obstacle courses of increasing difficulty. It takes strength, stamina, and self-discipline to succeed, and men and women who sign up must train for months to prepare for competition. Though there is only one winner in the end, many of the contestants claim a personal achievement just by attempting the battle. They are warriors!

The word “warrior” can refer to a soldier, but in a broader sense, it refers to a person with great inner strength and resolve. The story of Gideon, found in the book of Judges, is about a warrior, but before his encounter with God, he would not have fit either definition of a warrior.

Gideon was an Israelite during the time of the Midianites, a cruel people who terrorized the Israelites for years. Like many of his neighbors, Gideon feared the Midianties and stayed in hiding most of the time. 

In Judges 6, God sent an angel to call Gideon into battle. “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” (Judges 6:14)

Gideon’s reply: “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15)

God’s answer: “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:16)

You can read Gideon’s story in Judges 6. There are so many twists and turns. The ultra-cliff notes version is that Gideon felt intimidated by God’s call and inferior to the task. More than once, he panicked and asked God for proof that God was really in this and wouldn’t leave him alone. Patiently, God granted each request. 

Once God had convinced Gideon that He was in His midst, the warrior was ready to fight. He understood that he was not capable of such a huge task. He was no warrior on his own, but with God, he could accomplish anything. Ultimately, God demonstrated this by sending him into battle with only 300 men. God wanted the people to know that He alone was the defeating force. Victory had nothing to do with the size of the army; it was the power of God working through the army. 

That was a lesson Gideon apparently took to heart because after his paltry army defeated the powerful Midianites, the people offered to make him a ruler. Gideon’s reply: “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you” (Judges 8:23). Gideon gave God all the credit for the victory, and in doing so, he demonstrated a different level of strength and resolve. He was a warrior, after all. 

You may not feel like a warrior, but God is calling you, too! Can you hear him calling? “Rise Up!! Follow Me!! Be my hands and feet!!”

Like Gideon, you may doubt and question God’s ability to work through you, but if you will only stop and consider the strength available through Him, you will not be afraid! God is at work in you and through you, and our world needs your bold testimony.

The past year has been a test of faith, trust, and obedience. We faced a worldwide pandemic, ugly racial division and inequality, deep political division, horrific fires, numerous hurricanes, local earthquakes, and financial distress. In the face of so much pain, many of us feel helpless. But we are not helpless—quite the opposite. 

God called Gideon to lead a nation out of oppression; to be bold and courageous in the midst of uncertainty and fear. God has given us the same call; different circumstances, same battle. God told Gideon to go in his own strength and assured him, “surely I will be with you.” God says the same to us.

That’s why Paul reminded Timothy: “He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). We need that measure of courage and boldness to go on every day, confront our fears, and shine the light of Christ into the darkness. 

Remember God’s words to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

“Nothing is too great for His power. Nothing is too great for His love.” 

– Josh McDowell

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FINAL WORD:

All summer long, four-year-old Dylan Stitch was afraid to dive off the diving board. Dylan’s mom, Marla, said, “He had no interest in it, ever. We were just saying, ‘Hey, you want to give it a shot? You want to give it a try?’”

Enter 95-year-old Daniel Biss, who was in the Air Force during World War II and the Korean War. He knows a thing or two about fear and bravery. So, when he saw a neighbor kid at a family pool party and heard everyone trying to coax him off the board, he knew exactly what Dylan needed.

Daniel said, “Just needed some convincing, I guess. I was going to try.” So, Daniel borrowed a swimsuit, and with cane in hand, stepped up to set the example. The great-grandfather hadn’t been on a diving board in 50 years. Yet he stood up on one, ready to teach a lesson in courage, which nearly turned into a lesson in first aid.

Marla said, “Everyone kind of held their breath and got real nervous like, ‘Oh, was this a bad idea?’” Daniel said, “I was up there that far; I figured I may as well go through with it.” So, at the age of 95, he dove for Dylan.

It wasn’t the prettiest dive, but he couldn’t have done better—because shortly after Daniel took his last jump off a diving board, Dylan took his first. Marla said, “It was really neat that that inspired him to do it. It was a neat moment.” Today Dylan jumps with no problem. Hopefully, his courage will now inspire you with whatever leap you need to make.

REFLECT:

Who has God placed in your sphere of influence? What foreign tribes has God strategically placed in your life? (The people in your life are not there by accident). God has strategically placed them in your sphere on purpose. In your journal, write out a description of the “foreign tribe” God has called YOU to. What is their world-view? What values do they hold that are counter to the Kingdom of God? What kind of loving actions could you humbly do to communicate God’s love before you use words? BE CREATIVE and brainstorm your “Ambassadorial” approach.