When God says Emmanuel, its not only a message for Christmas, God wants you to know He is with you always.  The book of Judges describes a sad time in the lives of the Israelites (you know the Israelites back then don’t you? They would call on the Lord when in trouble to get an emergency exit out of trouble and then they would drift right away from Him when all seems well again), (Judges 7: 12) The situation was a desperate one.  Gideon was threshing wheat at a wine press, know that threshing wheat is actually meant to be done in the fields but for fear of the Midianites, Gideon had to hide indoors at a wine press to do his work.

Some of us are in the same state Gideon was, suffering from diseases: from physical to psychological.  Many Christians are dying of cancers and other dreadful diseases. Fear has gripped many, not knowing what to eat or drink and practically consumed in fear.  Do you know many are afflicted at work, Christians denied promotions, made redundant, Christian children bullied at schools, young people scared of walking on the streets, older ones looking over their shoulders out of fear.  Our days are desperate too - some have personal problems, some have problems with their cars, or boilers etc. and just when they think one is going another pops up!

Many are buffeted by turmoils and pains, parents and children having problems, teachers not able to teach freely.  In all these, many sit down and are so relaxed.  I am talking of Christians who are so non-chalant that they don’t start the day with the Lord nor end it with Him.  We fail to understand that the enemy is busy destroying what matters to us while we get busy advancing in the wrong direction, being sophisticated in our thinking and filling our lives with ephemeral things.  Be warned, because the moment you are not looking, the devil will pounce, seeking to take your health, home, job, or relationships.

Don’t let the enemy take your things without a fight.  These are desperate times and they call for desperate measures.  Remember God always respond to desperate cries.  Every time men cry out to God for mercy, He answers.  God cares for you, God cares for man and that is why He sent a prophet to Israel when they cried for help when the Midianites troubled them (Judges 6: 8).

God delivers us from bondage and cares enough to set us free so we can be reconciled to Him.  He frees you to worship and serve Him.  Suffering is not holiness, don’t delight in it.  Whosoever God frees is free indeed.  His desire is that you don’t suffer.  God is faithful and has brought you this far to progress, and not to regress.  Israel suffered because of their own sins.  It was not God that moved away it was the Israelites. 

Below are three things we can learn from Gideon’s experience:

1. Don’t define God through your limited experience - Gideon was referred to as a ‘mighty warrior’ while he was threshing wheat in a winepress!  When God looks at you, He does not see the situation at present, He sees you with eyes of what you can become when you trust Him.  Gideon was surprised and questioned God, maybe you are questioning some things in your life too, remember you cannot define God with your limited experience.  Do you think because your business is crumbling or you failed an exam then God is not with you?  God is still there, at the same spot waiting to bless you.  Gideon was wrong, God was willing to deliver them.  How dare you think that your situation is more than what God can handle!  How foolish of us when we think ‘God can’t handle this, maybe I should do this or that…’

2. Don’t doubt God through your lack of experience - Gideon was so overwhelmed by his suffering that he just believed his situation was impossible. That God has not done something for you does not mean He cannot make the situation change in the twinkle of an eye.  Paul says He who has begun this good work in you is able to complete it.  We must always see through the eyes of our faith.  If you have a scale of 1 – 100 in pain, and you feel 50%, God feels 110%.  He cares, and will do the best for you.  When we put our trust in God, we can put our problems in perspective.  Gideon was always asking God to prove Himself over and over again so as to have that first hand experience.

3. Don’t limit God through your own limitation.  Vs. 15, Gideon declared his status as ‘weakest’ and ‘least’ but God called him a ‘mighty warrior’.  God doesn’t deal with the mightiest; remember the story of Samuel seeking for the king amongst Jesse’s sons.  David was the least yet the chosen one. Many times God wants to use us but we see only our situation and cry out ‘No! Can’t do it!’ God said to Gideon ‘Go in the strength you have, am I not the one sending you?’  No matter how many your troubles are, God is saying you can defeat them through Him.  Write your problems down, take them to God and watch to see what God will do!

Don’t doubt God, don’t limit Him! God says He will never leave you.  Speak the Word of God into your home, your job, your business, your situations… Speak life to them.  If you are going through a traumatic situation, know that God has not abandoned you.  God is saying, ‘Go in this strength that you have…’ and He will destroy the Midianites for you.

Shalom

(If you will like to obtain a DVD of the full message, please call ++447748 807550 or ++447853 121918, or email bhsdacpastors@aol.com.  Within UK, the price is £3 but if you enquire, we may even be able to send you a free copy)

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