Most people find themselves completely wrapped up in the adventure of their favorite hero or heroine. Whether it’s on the big screen or the latest novel, the excitement of adventure works its way into our minds and hearts. It resonates at a deep level, lighting a fire of excitement and anticipation. It speaks to the place in each of us that believes we were made for something more. Questions like: What was I born for? What is my purpose in life? These questions haunt our souls.
God has been using one of my favorite heroes in Scripture recently to encourage my own journey into new and unknown adventure. In the book of Judges, chapter 6, we find God’s people struggling under the oppression of their enemies, the Midianites. The Israelites were hiding in the mountain caves and obscure places just to survive. Everything that Israel did to grow and prosper, the enemy stole and captured for themselves. This is where our hero is revealed in the story, but he is certainly not who we would go looking for. We find Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress to avoid enemy attention.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said. “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” “But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” (Judges 6:12-13, NIV)
Gideon was expressing the helpless and hopeless feelings resonating in his heart. “I’ve been told that God can do amazing things, but where is the proof in my life?” The Lord assures him that he has been chosen for this job. This is the moment I can hear the Mission Impossible music playing in the background and the recorded voice saying “Your mission, if you choose to accept it…” I can just imagine Gideon pointing a finger towards himself, looking around to see if possibly there might be some other warrior standing nearby, and asking the question, “Are you sure you’ve got the right guy?” We can hear the doubt in his voice as he questions the Lord’s directions:
“But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” (Judges 6:15-16, NIV)
As you continue to read Gideon’s story you find that once he surrenders and gives God his “Yes” then the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him to empower him for the battle that lies ahead. Is it possible that we miss out on adventure because we lack the confidence that the Spirit will empower us as we step out in faith? God has been teaching me that when we begin to move in the direction of our design and destiny, those are the very moments the enemy pushes back with judgement and rejection. His goal is to keep us doubting who God has called us to be. We were made, like Gideon, to overcome our enemies and move with faith and power into the purpose and plans that God established for us before we entered our mother’s wombs.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV)
Steps in Pursuit:
- Take notice of those events in your life, when you have felt judgment and rejection from others. Do you see a pattern of push-back when you try to step into certain areas of interest or desires?
- Were there things you enjoyed or dreamed about as a child that you were discouraged to pursue by others in your life?
- Spend some time in prayer, surrendering agreements you have made to “hide” parts of yourself from others out of fear of rejection and agree with God to step into the adventure he is calling you into.
God has been calling me out of hiding for a while now friends, and I know he is doing the same in your life. We were made for so much more than the world will ever give us permission to do. Let’s give God our “Yes” and allow him to empower the “hero” in each of us!
Continue the Pursuit,
Denise
