Calling and Courage: Gideon

Good to see a number of you that I heavily see the 830 service welcome time, saying Sunday has to be the worst custom and Western tradition ever come up with but it looks like many of you are a good move because I know that you are finally excited a spring looks like it is here not mean I've been hurt entirely too many times the season on this. Hope already, so I will now hope until I've seen it for rolled along Walker Summit church. All of our campus locations in Raleigh Durham in the day I was perusing some articles and I came across one that was listing out an updated list of most common phobias in our culture.

The American psychiatric Association doesn't give the official list but it defines a phobia for us, saying that something that causes such stress that it interrupts normal life function. Something to cause such stress that interrupts normal life functions. Of course the usual things on the list things like arachnophobia which is of course the fear of spiders for the FOB of the fear of snakes about community that would interrupt normal life functions macro phobia. The fear of death, gloss a phobia.

The fear of public speaking. Interestingly, people rank the fear of public speaking is higher than they do.

The fear of death, so that means is Jerry Seinfeld often says most people if they had to go to a funeral. They would rather be the guy in the casket than the one on stage giving the eulogy I was a link to this article, I could call my interest since I do a little bit of public speaking and it was giving techniques for how you can overcome the fear of public speaking. This is what it said.

It's a legit article and I quote before you go on stage standstill and feel the ground beneath your feet.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself suspended from the ceiling by a thin thread, then imagine you're made of rubber. Look in the mirror and make a horses laugh with your lips. Why not line the ground between your flirting or just collapsing around like a limp doll. You guys ever wonder what I'm doing backstage rubber world have here now you know on the list that included a lot a lot of more nontraditional fears like Dr. phobia, the fear of the number eight.

The phobia which is the fear of thousand miles, this one for a phobia which is the fear of animal for that's right.

Not so, would you expect visit I have added after the girls. I have the other door phobia which meant that when I Togo phobia, which is the fear of pregnant women, Jason Gaston. I kid you not, our student pastor swears that EE has this like your wife has several kids now would you whatever dinners on file and follow phobia, which is that your bellybutton did not specify whether any's rowdies are, the more terrified of it to Iraqi boot or a phobia which obviously is the fear peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth windbag, a phobia which is the fear of long sermons and on residency. One no homophobia number phobia, which is the fear of being without your phone or having it in another room. 50% of people get this exhibit extreme anxiety symptoms if they are placed in a room without their phone or the phone is in another room so I know a number of you are exactly like that like check your phone six times already since I got up here but fear of whatever kind, whether serious or not is a part of life, and I many people say that your success in life is in large part determined by how well you learn to manage your fears.

CS Lewis said that courage is the least talked about. Of all the Christian virtues, he said, but it is absolutely essential. All the others. He said because none of the other virtues. He's channeling Aristotle here, by the way, none of the other virtues are you to be able to persevere and without courage.

He said you be virtuous in every way, but courage is what gives you the tenacity and the perseverance to press on this thing so where to look at a story today in Judges chapter 6 that explains to you where courage come from comes from how you get it and how you maintain it, it's our fourth week in the series called broken saviors. Have you got a Bible Judges chapter 6 as you are turning their scrolling arrow however you to get there. I will confess to you that for years I have struggled with courage. Sometimes that surprises people because I come off as a guide, such diesel bravado, but that is mostly just a veneer in high school I struggle to find courage to stand up to friends when they were doing things that I knew was wrong. There been times I've shrunk back from sharing Christ with somebody that I knew I needed to share Christ. Whether maybe it was to speak truth to a friend was going to difficult and I pulled back out of fear not make financial decisions were based on on fear. Fear has kept me it's interrupted the normal life functions if you will, of obeying God, I would imagine that there are any number of people here at one of our campuses this weekend that are immobilized by some kind of fear on your life, your normal life function of obedience has been disrupted because of it.

Maybe it's a fear about the future you got medical news recently lit. It leaves you uncertain about about what's ahead. And what is coming for your family.

Maybe your marriage is not going well at all and you wonder what's my family to look like in the year what you like in six months, or maybe your kids are making some really poor decisions and you are afraid of what's happening as they grow often where they are headed. Maybe it is the fear of entering into a new relationship.

I'm not a single people here, the summit church who are they won't quite often hear about once it will not enter into a good relationship because they're scared of commitment for others it is fear that keeps you from ending a relationship that you know is wrong but maybe you are paralyzed by the fear of never being in a relationship and that's what keeps you making these bad decisions about your web because you're just terrified of the idea of being alone is you as you as you as you go through life will today. In the book of Judges were to see a guy get this was not courageous is not a model but he is somebody that God made into somebody courageous. He made them into a hero and what you're going to see is that God doesn't reward courage and people God gives courage to people. Chapter 6 verse one after Deborah, who was the heroine All-Star wonder woman judge from last week. If you remember after she died.

The people of Israel that will did what was evil in the side of the Lord and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years whenever the Israelites planted crops the Midianites would come up against them and leave no sustenance in Israel. No sheep or ox or donkey that would come like locusts and numbers of a laid waste land as they came in there like the IRS they devoured everything in its path.

Not only did they take the crops.

They took the animals and the tools of the people used to produce the crops verse six and Israel was brought very low because of Midian and the people of Israel cried out for help to the Lord. When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord to make out of the Midianites, the Lord set a prophet to the people of Israel and the prophet said to them, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel. I let you from each of our brought you about laboring. I drove by your oppressors from before you and get you there land that I said you I am the Lord your God. You shall not fear, but you will not obey my voice. Now stop for a minute. If this is kind of odd, is it not, they cried out to the Lord for deliverance and he said a prophet. They want ask you for teaching they were asking for help.

This would be like you being stranded on the side of the road and calling AAA for help, but instead of setting the tow truck may email you a pamphlet on safe driving Israel's problem, however, was not the reason God did. This is their problem was not the Midianites they were their own problem so they were asking for deliverance for what God said to them, as you first need a sermon. Yes, I want to deliver you. I want to help you but what you most need is to be delivered from the problem that is you and I would very humbly say to you that there are many of you listening to me that are in that very category this weekend. You're here seeking something from God. You need something from God and is not the God I want to give it to you is that what he wants first from you. This in turn the spotlight onto your hearts let me be very clear with you. Not every instance of suffering is in response to disobedience.

In fact I would say that most instances are not. God is not always trying to teach you something when you suffer believers often suffer like Jesus did.

Having done nothing wrong but sometimes suffering is someone 1967. The psalmist says. Before I was afflicted I went astray.

But now, after I was afflicted now I obey your word. There is sometimes that God sends some kind of trouble. And while I've not done the pay us back for our sin, but as we often say to bring us back from our sin. And I think it's at least worth you asking the question this weekend. Maybe you came here thinking you needed something from God.

God needs to do with trauma spotlight in your heart as it is something in you that is is is walking away from me. And in this trouble that you're going through is there to wake you up to what I'm trying to do in your life. Verse 11. Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terrible three at Opera and told Gideon look under your seat and see if there is you that he didn't say that I how did the people he hears what happens in verse 11. Here's the question you should be asking if you're reading this, what happened to the sermon.of the people responded and repented mouse Arminians usually is that as a response in the warfare are not there something.interrupted the sermon with deliverance. He doesn't even wait for a response and there is something very important about your relationship with God that you should learn from that. You see, it's not you when I get ourselves into a place where God then comes to us and helps us out. We fix herself before we ever even respond out of the restart of the salvation process but God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us what you got yourself in a condition, a guy came and loved you if that God came to you, he saved you and that he drew you back to himself. So yes, God has a sermon for you this weekend, but he is already provided the substance of your deliverance is like a father pursuing a child, I will be. Angel takes a seat by this tree at Opera while Gideon was beating out weed and a winepress to hide it from the Midianites. Now let me tell you little something about threshing wheat in case you don't do that often in your backyard. In those days the way that you would thrash wheat is you would put it into a on the basket and you would throw it really high up in the air when a breeze was blowing in the breeze will blow away with the light part what they called the chap and the heavy part of the good stuff would fall back down into the basket, a winepress which is where Gideon was what had been a terrible place to thrash wheat why because winepress is in this kind of like debit underground. There's not that much when underground. Why would Gideon choose a winepress as a place to thrash wheat.

What tells you it's because he is afraid he is hiding in all, the point is, this is no Jack Bauer. This is no Chuck Norris.

This is no Nicolas Cage verse 12 the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, the Lord is with you all mighty men of valor. If this were a stage play at this point. Everybody in the audience would've laughed. I mean Gideon is hiding in a hole is like going out to a 4 foot 1130 pound man and say what's up big fella. It sounds like mockery. Listen, this is probably the main point today. It's not mockery. Gideon is not called because he is courageous he is courageous.

As a result of God's call God is not describing him as he is God is describing him as how he will be.

You see, God does not call the brave. He makes brave the call and so when he comes to eyes. He does not start with what we are. He starts with what he intends to make us in Christ God when he comes to you does not start with you in the condition you are in God sees you, according to what Christ is going to make you any calls you by that name. Is that not good news. It is because when God came to you and he found you you were in a mess you in a total mess of God describes you what you as we were, you would not have wanted to have heard that God came to you and he spoke a word of your life. That word was in the resurrection of Christ and this is not what you are is what you will be doing says to a man in the whole get out mighty men of valor, verse 13, the Gideon said to him to question someone please sir the Lord is really with us. Five minutes all this happen us now based on what you know from attacks already.

That's a very wrongheaded question is it has God left the people know the people of God save questions even more confusing know where God all your wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us.

Well first of all, Gideon is an angel sitting in front of you. I think that would qualify as a wonderful be.

But look at specifically God's answer verse 14 the Lord turned to him and said no and this might have yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian do not. I think you got into the Gideon is where all my wonderful beads get get the deeds Gideon where all my wonderful beads. Gideon why I'm about to do them for you see we often look to heaven. We asked God where are you, and God turns around on us and says you are to be the work of God, you are to be my work in this generation. By the way who is this angel is speaking to Gideon Bible trivia. Did you see if you read viciously sources the contradictions. For example, the angel talks about God and third person and he is called an angel universe 14 Gideon addresses the angel directly of God and he was not corrected. This is a mystery all through the Hebrew Bible, they really couldn't figure this out but it made sense after the coming of Jesus. This is what theologians call a Chris company Christophe and he which is a pre-incarnate a before baby Jesus appearance of Jesus Christ.

When Jesus said this makes total sense because Jesus talk about God, and the third person but Jesus was himself God.

This is simply Jesus showing up before he appears in the womb of Mary to verse 15 Gideon said to Jesus, please, Lord, how can I save Israel the whole market plans the weakest in Manasseh and on the lease in my father's house amount I'm cowering in a hole for crying out loud. Verse 16 the Lord said to him, but I will be with you but I will be with you. This is God's one line answered everything through an online supplement. The story that's the phrase everything you need is in that statement. I will be with you and you will strike the Midianites as one man. In other words, to take out this massive Midianite Army that this is one puny little guy. Verse 17 Gideon said to him, if now I have found favor in your eyes, which is kind of a petulant question. Is it because then angel is sitting there having a conversation. I think you can conclude he's on favor in his eyes, but nonetheless show me a sign that you speak with me to the angel tells Gideon to go prepare some food in getting put on the table mean to take the staff and burst into flames. The angel disappears and Gideon says okay and commit for the moment.

Verse 25 that night. The Lord says to him, pulled on the altar of bail that your father has other was Gideon. We gotta start this right in your own house go build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold. There, Gideon took 10 of his servants and did what the Lord had commanded him because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day. The little coward dinner by night. Again, this is no William Wallace.

Yet God doesn't criticize Gideon for this because the God. Obedience is more important than bravado. Gideon obeyed the next morning everybody gets up and says what happened to our God miss my said Gideon that we saw Mao last night and said let's kill Gideon verse 31, but Joash was Gideon's father said all who stood against Gideon. If Dale really is a God want your bail fight for himself. Verse 32.

Therefore, on that day. Gideon was called Jeremy Bell that is to say, let bail defend himself because Gideon had broken down his altar again. Don't miss the humor here. This small cowardly guy gets the nickname bail tale Wilbur is essentially how you would read that in Hebrew.

Well after this, verse 33, the Midianites launch a massive assault on Israel at which point angel God reappears to Gideon and tells him to mount a resistance against this assault and Gideon says okay God again. How can I be sure you're going to do this and then Gideon comes up with his own brilliant idea. I'm gonna put this animal skin. This fleece out on the ground if you're really with me in the morning. Let the ground be Drive… Please be soaking wet. Verse 38 and it was so we arose early the next morning and squeeze the police he run enough due from the police to fill a bowl of water for Gideon.

So wait a minute, wait a minute.

That was way too easy.

What I meant to say. I meant to say was that the ground be wet and the fleece be Drive that would be a real miracle, verse 40, and God did so, that night and only the fleece was dry and all the ground there was due the famous fleece test.

This concept has been more abused and more twisted than just about anything else in the Bible, including by me. People come up with these litmus test to determine if God is really in something, so you just a little while but that's not really the point what's going on here.

God trying to give you a way to make decisions will come back to that… Ask hills get to it in order. What can we learn about courage and calling from the story. What can we learn about courage and confidence to remedy five things number one we learn that God does not call the Brady makes Ray McCall when God comes to you, he never start with what you are you starting what he intends to make you a Christ.

So he looks at a man cowering in a hole and he said men of valor, stand up when you see God do this all to the Bible, he comes to Moses who is had a speech impediment and he stutters all the time I got to someone to make you the greatest order your estate in front of Pharaoh organist will be talking about your teaching 3000 years later Moses is, but I can hardly put three sentences together. I got that I will be your mouth. Maybe the clearest example is Abraham, the father of our faith when God comes to him when he's in his 80s. He has no children. Use sterile and God says to him you are going to be a father of many nations that was so humorous. It was remarkable.

That's why Sarah laughed but God says in Romans Romans four that Abraham was the father of our faith because he believed what God said, even when there was no evidence to back it up.

He believed that God calls into existence the things that do not yet exist. When you come to God in faith you believe things not based on what they are in you, but what God has declared them to be. You believe that just like God. Paul says, declared to Jesus in his body in the grave that it was alive and it became alive.

You believe what God has said about you and you believe it when God says you were going to be righteous you were going to be a saint you're going to be a man of valor that though you are not that in yourself. God is going to make you that in Christ is going to overturn the law of death in you and make you alive. The question becomes will you believe him. You see, because Satan also will speak to you. He's good, do it in a different way.

Satan is the one who starts with who you are and what you've done and to find you. By that, but only he says true things to you. He whispers to you. Your failure your tower, your reject and then he lines up a bunch evidence that is true. To prove those things. That's why he's called the accuser of the brethren because he before God and before you will just remind you of what you've done what you are. But God comes to you and he speaks a louder word and he says no you are a saint you are righteous you are my beloved. You are a mighty man of valor. You say God I'm none of those things that God says I know but you will be when you tell the difference between the Holy Spirit's voice and Satan's voice. Satan starts with who you are, what you gonna beat you up for the Holy Spirit will also point out your Sam but he will start with a declaration of what is making you in Christ and he will grow you up into that Satan will constantly remind you of what you want to find you by the Holy Spirit will start with what God has court has made you in Christ.

This is what you will be and this is how you will grow.

I told you before that my worst parenting moment. I think came when I was my utmost daughter is 11.

I was six years old and she's always been a little timid to try new things and when I would get frustrated because he moved to the fair to anyone around the rides you, we would know she would want to you know go like body surfing with many others that we want to skydive I just all kinds of frustrating things and when she was six and my second daughter was for their run. The back of my car and I was done on the road.

I was telling her about something we're not a good one at Disney World Houston by the Dumbo ride I just never Herbie and goodness look at her being like oh no, no, and I'm not going to scare it and I so look back at her and I'm like my sweetheart. You have got to overcome this fear of try new things because if not, the struggle through your usual you have your stuff in your life.

My daughter drops her head.

She says under daddy. Sometimes I think I'm just a big scaredy-cat in my finest parenting moment. I said that's exactly right. And if you don't change your noggin to go anywhere in life and my four-year-old daughter looked like often just a moment to assume a four-year-old daughter looking over her and she says no Karis, you are not a scaredy-cat. You are my big sister.

My daughter is the voice of the Holy Spirit, and I am the voice of Satan. See, that is exactly what God does.

Satan doesn't comes to you is Satan start to true statements about what you God and use that to define who you are but what God does in the gospel is, he declares a louder word and he says the things that do not get exist. He speaks about them as if they do, and by faith you become. Those things so God says to you, righteous God says to you, living one God says to you, mighty man of valor and you become those things God does not call the Brady makes Ray McCall. Here's another way of saying that God does not call the equipped he equips the called. If you're waiting for God to give you all you need before you obey and tell you that you're never going to get there because were like God. If you show me a supply then I'll obey.

Give me the provision off all you got this note, not how it works. You obey and I will show you the provision in the supply. You cannot put them in the opposite order and there are a number of you this weekend that God has told you to do something and you are like God when you show me how you can do it, I'll do it and God says no that's not how it happens, you step out and obey you put your foot on the water and then you walk on water and not before. Number two.

The story shows us that we are the activity of God in our generation got answer Gideons question God want you doing awesome stuff in our generation like it if our grandparents with a statement Gideon how I'm here to use you were the activity of God to others as you know, the last charitable call Jesus continued in the idea. I got that that that on title from acts 11, where Luke, who is writer VAX is also the right of the gospel of Luke opens up acts this way in the form of book that I wrote gospel Luke.

I recorded all that Jesus began to do and to teach and I explained that began to doing to teach implies that Jesus is continuing to doing the deeds in the book of acts. You see it's not that in the gospel of Luke, Jesus was the one doing and teaching, and now in the book of ask. It is the church that is doing and teaching in his place, is that Jesus was at work in his flesh and blood of the gospel. Luke, but he is just as much a work in his body, the church now in the world. The idea is that Jesus is continuing what he does in the world. He is continuing his ministry through you and he does that by means of spiritual gifts that he gives to every believer. First Corinthians 12 seven what is happening.

A spiritual gift is not just a really cool talent that you have a spiritual gift is the manifestation of the presence and the spirit of Jesus that is literally channeling through your body to somebody else that's why I am aware that when I'm up here it's so serious to me because I know it is literally the spirit of God is speaking to some of you, and I thought because I have a great deal of confidence in my spirituality or my abilities is because I understand what a spiritual gift is. I understand that he is given many of you the ability to touch, to heal, to pray to to channel faith is what God is doing through you. You are the activity of God in this generation. The hesitation of God working in the world is not his hesitation in heaven is not in your hesitation to believe him and be used by him as a verse often use our pastoral team, but I would love to just chisel into whatever foundation our church. I could by its aim of several fibers for thus says the Lord of the house of Israel do not seek Bethel to go gal do not cross over to Beersheba seek the Lord and live your life, what why the three random cities in this West Bethel Bethel was a place where God appeared to Jacob made a covenant with him that the latter thing that until gal was where the children of Israel emerged out of the wilderness after 40 years gospel of the Jordan River and he renewed his covenant with him. Beersheba was the place where God appeared to Abraham and gave him the covenant that essentially given the promise land. In other words, these are three places that signify for Israel, God literally coming down and touching earth and evidently by Amos as they they were in the habit of sitting around the campfire and talk about the good old days old when they been awesome to have been there until gal went the children of Israel saw gospel the Jordan wouldn't have been awesome.

The been there with Abraham. God did not covenant God says that if you Amos. Would you shut up about what I did in the past because I'm not a got a pass on the God of the present and I'm a guy the future and the mighty works that I want to do or not, something of yesterday there something up today. You see I believe very much the God's work and his greatest works are not behind us. They are ahead of us and I believe some research we can weary God by always talking about how awesome it must of been in the days of Billy Graham how awesome it must of been in the days of the great awakening during the days of the Reformation or in the days of the early church. Why, because God wants to work in our generation and you see I'm a dad of children and my children Lord will and when they grow up and have children. I God move in their lives and in their children's lives, also in a nation that seems to be on race backwards into hell and I'm also in a world where there are still 2.2 billion people have never heard the name of Jesus in their 6000 unreached people groups. So I believe that God's greatest work and not something that we talk about in the past. We look forward to in the future. We are the activity of God in this generation. And I will not for one second believe that we are here to coast until the rapture. I believe that we are here to see the kingdom of God Take Pl. in Raleigh-Durham and through us in the world like no generation has seen and I will never give that up and were always good to keep pushing for that because we are the activity of God in this generation.

You are asking God why are you active in my family finds you active in the workplace want you active on my campus my college campus and maybe what God is saying to you this weekend is you are my answer to that prayer. I put the spirit of God in you. So be the conduit of my power.

Number three. The story teaches us that revival starts at home.

Gideon's first assignment was to get rid of the aisle. His father's house.

You see before you into battle of the enemies around you. You gotta throw off the enemies then you because these idols will weaken you and make you ineffective and what God has for you is aligned at any idols in my house is because you don't understand what an idol is for Gideon's family. These were things that they worship instead of God. They had forsaken God and just given themselves idols. These idols were things they worship.

Listen, in addition to God I never rejected God they just substantiated God with idols that guaranteed other things that they felt like they needed so that was an idol to guarantee rain and there was an idol of bailment guaranteed fertility begin these one in the place of God.

They were, in addition to God. Now we hear that we say will that's her silly ancient superstitions that you put idols and statues up on your is the point where do you have places that you aren't sure you can trust God so you have other things that act as a backup in your life you need to sure signs of an idol. Anytime you see any one of these two things about the way they always go together. You always know there's an idol there anytime you see one of these two things in your lives at the metaphor uses their like smoke from a fire. You can see traces smoke back down upon the altar of unbelief in your life. Here they are disobedience and anxiety. For example, many people do not feel like they can trust God in the area of relationships, my God, you're also been everything I believe that, but I've also got to be happily married if I'm going to be happy in life you don't seem to be provided in the way that I want at the moment. So I'm off to take that area into my own hands and so they compromise in relationships we have girls here this weekend that are sleeping with their boyfriends not because you think it's okay and not even because you really want to do. It's because he's like if you don't, you're gonna lose this relationship and if you lose this relationship before. There's no way you can go on in life.

That's because you simply don't believe God's you gotta take this issue in your own hands, we have people who are with people they should not be with. We have people who are leaving their marriages walking out in hopes of a better one because this is just not something they can trust God with three have other people to feel like they could be happy without a certain income so they will cheated their business. They will cheat on their taxes.

They will harm their family by working all the time but I refuse to be generous when God tells them to be generous.

Disobedience is a sure sign of an idol lesson. I will say this as it is for no self interest, but I tell you, if you do not tie that indicates the money as an idol for you. I'm not saying I was about to take an offering. I'm saying that because if you can't obey God is because you feel like God. You're also been everything that we can obey you. There also gotta make sure I keep my hands on this because I really trust that for the future. Disobedience is always accompanied by anxiety so you're worried about your ability to hold on your relationship to get 100 fold on your finances. Maybe you worry about your kids all the time because you feel like you just can't trust God with them. Disobedience and anxiety are smoke from the fires of unbelief and before God can never really use you in the mission is gotta go to war against your idols because you will never do well battle with the enemies outside of you until you going to war, the ones within you.

Number four the story shows us the courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is following God in the midst of fear God's one line answer Gideons fear.

His one line answer to Gideon sense of inadequacy as I am with you. That's what God's one line answer to every feeling of fear and inadequacy really only got one question for you on this. What would your life be like in any situation that makes you afraid if you knew God was with you before you went into the surgery. An angel appeared at your side just that I want you to know that I am with you and I will be with you under the knife and I'll be with you when you wake up. If you went into a new job and on the first day of that new job. God says to you at the breakfast table. I'm going with you in this job if you entered into a new relationship on the first day.

God said I'm with you if you begin a new ministry and God said go because I am with you if you knew you were supposed to talk to somebody about the gospel and made you nervous before you open your mouth God just grabbed her hand and say want you to know how to be in you speaking I want to be beside you. I am with you if you're dealing with a problem in your home with your marriage or your kids.

God says to you, go and be courageous because I am with you. That's God's one line answer to everything, like Isaiah 43 says is a God, whatever he sends us into God knows where this will walk with us through the flames. There are times God will deliver you from the flames. It is more often than not, God will deliver you with in the flames you see that for the three Hebrew teenagers, Shadrach me shack, Abednego when Nebuchadnezzar thrown in the fiery furnace guy didn't stop that from happening, but God went with them in their new walk-through there so that not even the hairs on their head were saying that is the picture for you that when you go to the fires of trial and difficulty when you go to problems when you walk to the things that would make you most afraid God says you have no need to fear because not even the smell of smoke will get on your clothes because I'm going with you is you write a bunch articles this week about how to overcome fear. Most of them secular. One of things is true about all these articles about how to overcome fear. Fear from secular perspective is also the same thing. You gotta learn to control your fears. You learn to banish fearful thoughts from your mind. Gotta find a happy place as a goose club or whatever it is that you makes you feel calm. I'm stuck out to me how opposite the Bible's counsel with fear is the Bible doesn't tell you to close your eyes to anything the Bible tells you to open your eyes to something greater. This is don't think you don't don't stop thinking about what you afraid start thinking about the God's presence is greater than all of these fears that are around you see that leads us to a final question that is Gideons question how do we know that God is with us. We found favor I was Gideons question that's number five. The cross is our wet fleece. The cross is our wet fleece. Gideon asked God to prove he was with Emma making a fleas weapon.

The ground was dry.

I mentioned a moment ago that this concept is and so abuse we give God his random litmus test to prove he wants to do something I will confess you is more than once. As late as of my sophomore year of college that I stood on the basketball court with a basketball at half court saying God. He wanted ask her out if this relationship is commanded marriage because afterwards I go in I did that with different girls and one time I was so wanting it to work out that I shot nine times from half court, hoping the guy would make one go in a minute on this and I'm serious. I'm not saying that you should never see confirmation on a decision that you make. I will tell you, but if you do seek some kind of confirmation that all of you like one part out of a thousand, and what goes into making a decision. The bigger parts are Scripture prayer. The Council of other believers. Okay should just make it very bad. I'm not saying you never do that.

What I'm saying is that's not the main point of what's going on here. First of all Gideon knew this was unwise and I know that in verse 39 look at it. Gideon asked God not to be angry at it like a please and would be ticked at this new one wives. Secondly, I'm getting wasn't asking what decision to make. You knew what he was supposed to do what Gideon was asking listen was confirmation that God was with him and that God was in control.

We have something much better than a wet fleece that shows us that God is indeed in control and I God is on our side and that is the cross of Jesus Christ in the cross of Jesus Christ we see God is indeed in control because we see that in the worst moment in history when evil look like it was winning when people were doing the most horrible things God commandeered the situation to turn it to our salvation and what that means. Paul tells us, is it that God was at work controlling that situation for good. Don't you think that in various parts of my life. God is also turning what others intend for evil into the good of my life and into God's great plan for me that's what it means. It also shows me the cross shows me that God is on my side because I see that while I was still a sinner. Christ died for me and I see that if God did not turn his back on me and I was wondering as a child and putting nails in his hands and his feet that God will not turn on me now that I'm his child. So I know to the cross. What Gideon did not know and that is God will never leave me. God is fully in control. And God could not be against me because of what Jesus is done. That's what gives us courage. I my favorite verse on courage in the Bible.

First John 418 there is no fear in love, perfect love casts out drives out fear. The next verse for fear stricken from it has to do with punishment fears not been perfected in love. Fear has to do with punishment, we see something that makes us afraid and we feel vulnerable and that sense of vulnerability goes back to the first thing that happened when we send in regard to being that is, we felt exposed and our nakedness. We felt vulnerable before freight and so in our lives we clothe ourselves with the security of a good job. We clothe ourselves with the security of a good reputation or a good relationship but any point we are aware that any of those close might be ripped away.

But in the cross we see that God has clothed us irrevocably with his love and his presence. And when you understand that perfect love drives out any fear because you know God's love is think about the different ways God's love is perfect. God love is perfect in its intensity toward us.

God could not love you anymore than he does when he sent his son to die for you is the most intense love in the universe.

God's love is perfect in its constancy with us because we know that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God, anything that could God put on the head of Jesus and punished him for in our place so Kim instead of us. We see that God's love is perfect in its sufficiency. We were created for the love of God in our souls find their fulfillment in tasting and drinking out that love we are. We are God's love is perfect in its sovereignty over all things in our lives.

We know that he commandeers every molecule of the universe to work out his good and perfect plan for us.

God's love is perfect in its intensity and its constancy and its efficiency and its sovereignty with God's perfect love. What else could there be to be afraid of. So when they're getting ready to go into the promised land plots as the number 2320.

There is no sorcery that can succeed against Jacob see the people I call her for doing them with the people of Iran. What if they have more powerful magic than we do. What if you Lord Baltimore is on their side and and and they're gonna put a curse. I got you shut up about new gears of war. Baltimore is on there somehow mention his name to the name is nothing my name is bigger than his name and there's no sorcery that he could give us can overcome that Psalm 5611 in God I trust this day that I somehow be afraid. Why is what good man do to me what you may do that would override the plans of the Almighty God. The answer is nothing. If you are afraid about anything this weekend is because you've lost touch with one of those four dimensions of the perfect love of God, you either have lost touch with its intensive intensity and its constancy you lost touch with the fact that God loves you with a perfect love. God sought you when you were his enemy got major child promises because Christ was forsaken for you that you will never be taken. You lost touch with its sufficiency you think of something else.

You gotta have money relationship.

What if you when you think I got have that to know it sufficient. You lost touch with its sovereignty. You've lost touch with the fact that there is not one stray molecule in the entire universe that God is not commandeered for his glory and his plan. True courage comes from the presence in the promises of God in the presence of the promises of God are given to us in Christ, see what God wants you to know this weekend as you go is that he goes with you and then the fire will you. When Jesus gave his disciples what we call the great commission was dangerous go all throughout the world and you're going preaching Christ, the people donate to try to kill you. We felt notice sometimes is what he says right before he tells him that it's getting is going all the nations, and preach the gospel, and behold I am with you until the end of the age. The great commission.

Listen to this grows out of the great announcement the commission to go comes out of the announcement that he goes with God is sending you some of you into various things. Some of you to ministry assignment. Some of you it is a conversation some of you it is a trial and what God says is go my son, my daughter be a mighty man or woman of valor because I am with you.

Gotta sending you somewhere I can tell you exactly what he says to you, listen to my voice and hear his promise and that got first boss is St. righteous one is a God.

I don't feel like a St. righteous one God says I know I see you for what you are, but also sing with the resurrected Christ is making you and I see what you are in him to St. of God. Let go of the past and walk in the future. He says my ambassador my ambassador means I will provide for you. I will send you on a mission where I will provide for you your my ambassador, my son or my daughter I'll never leave you or forsake you. He says you are going to be a mighty man of valor, be strong and courageous window displays for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go you see virtues like courage don't grow out of a personality, not something we worked out through learning enough Scripture virtues like courage flow from our identity in Christ virtues like every virtue, courage does not lead us closer to salvation. Courage comes from our salvation. Do not look to your courage to give you identity in Christ.

Your identity in Christ give you courage me. Christ is given as a gift is in the promises of God are you a coward joined the club joined the club and believe in the promises of God because God doesn't call for the brave. He makes for a call. Your courage will come from your identity in Christ… Is with you perfect love that can never be separated from you much about your heads. If you would all our campuses listen. Where is the Holy Spirit where she beckon you to follow you. Where is he, beckoning you to follow this morning. Can you say I will go with you will go with me. I will follow to say yes follow by the way she doing now. The first thing the Lord Jesus Christ says to you is follow me into eternity became you and this is what he said listen I purchased your soul I paid for your sandwich, you receive it as a gift, follow me, follow me to receive it as a gift you have to turn from your sin and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior never done that I don't like to do it right now. Say yes to Jesus and begin this journey, right where you said, Lord Jesus, I turn from my sin. I trust you as Lord and Savior. Father I pray that we would be people of courage because we would be people with eyes wide open to salvation. The identity we have in Christ.

Make us mighty men and women of our we pray in Jesus