YOU DON’T NEED A CROWD

• DAY 47
• Fear File: Gideon 
• Scripture: Judges 7:2

And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

JUDGES 7:2

Now I know we talked about getting a “geng” and cultivating a community that will stand with you on your journey of faith and courage and this is a non-negotiable necessity. I find that God is intentional about community. You are meant to be in the fellowship of brethren, accountable to one another and confessing your faults so you can find the support to live a life surrendered to God. But the question is do you really need everybody in your community? 

Gideon had a community of 30,000 warriors. Strong and able men of Israel who were ready to regain their freedom and take back their country from foreign oppressors. But God wanted none of that. 

Numbers Are Not The Problem.

God did not have a problem with the number of people that were going with Gideon, He had a problem with the heart of the people. This multitude had fearful people and prideful people and this is a recipe for disaster.

The fearful people will sow seeds of discouragement disguised as common sense (we will talk more about them tomorrow). The prideful people will focus on their skills and intelligence more than the instruction of God and they will pollute your heart such that you begin to think that you succeeded because you had a multitude. But your might, O Gideon, is God.

But the most important thing is His glory. God is particular about his glory. when you let the crowd be your confidence you rob God of his glory. And He doesn’t share that. Because the moment you begin to take what is God’s you set yourself up for more trouble than you can manage. So he begins to thin the herd and separate from you those that will be detrimental to your purpose.

Let God decide

God said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go. – Judges 7:4

Who picked your friends? Did you ever run your list by God? Because i can tell you for free that you might not have chosen right if the holyspirit did not guide or influence your choice. But it is not too late to audit your tribe. Friends, this is audit season, God is testing tribes and sorting troops because He needs an army He can work with. You’re gonna loose friends in the audit and they will be the ones you hoped would stay. But God cannot negotiate with your destiny and he cannot allow you sabotage yourself. So learn to let go of the people God has removed from your life. I am not encouraging you to treat people without respect and when they walk away you conclude it was God. I’m saying understand the seasons of your life and go how God is leading you in all areas including relationship.

Overconfidence

After all was said and done, Gideon had only 300 people left. And these were not even the choicest of men. The ones God removed where so confident in their skill that lapping like dogs was no big deal. They could stand up and get to war and win. Or so they thought. Who wouldn’t want confident and skilled men to go to war with? I will choose the “lappers” any day. But overconfidence destroys the strongest of men.
Take a look at the pictural illustration of the scene, who is more battle ready?

God removed the skillful people that will rely on their expertise who felt so confident that they will not be attacked and left the ones who had their eyes open and heart ready. Pause and think about that!

The people God might leave behind for you may not even be the people you like. One of my closest sisters from my “geng” was not always my favorite person and the feeling was mutual. I was an unbearable church leader in my early days of ministry and I made everyone weary of me. So it is amazing that this woman is my sister. It was a divinely orchestrated relationship and she pushes me toward God always. As do all the other  members of my tribe/geng. 

We all know how the Gideon story ends. He returns victorious and half the time they didnt need to fight because God made their enemies kill themselves. Beloved, God can save with few and with many. He doesn’t need a crowd to give you victory. Ask Him today how he would have you proceed, whom He would be sending with you and see how He gives you the victory.

Shalom

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