Trusting God For Who You Are

Judges 6

The story of Gideon is one incredible story. You can never hear it enough, the story doesn’t grow old and of course the same applies to God’s word, it never changes and it never loses its power.

At this time in the history of Israel the nation was in a terrible state because of their disobedience to God. It was in desolation, in debilitation and in devastation.

The Israelites lived like scared cats. They were under the oppression of the Midianites and they were so terrorized by them that they lived in caves!

The situation grew worse by the day until the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance. God in His mercy heard their cry and reminded them of what He did for them in the past and that it was their own act of disobedience to Him that put them in such a state of despair and terror.

Feeling Insignificant?

Nevertheless, God heard them and sent His angel to one man by the name of Gideon.

The thing that is most fascinating about this story was that the man with an appointment from God, the man of the hour, the man who was to be used to save the day was no hero (I don’t even think he was a match to Jack Bauer!)

For all reasons, Gideon was the least likely candidate and he even considered himself unqualified for the job for he said it himself, “My clan is the weakest and I am the least in my family”.

However this didn't stop God from calling him, in fact, God referred to Gideon as a mighty man of valor and to add to that God told Gideon that it was He who sent Him.

the only life he knew was a life of fear. He asked from God plenty of reassurances so as to build his confidence.

Gideon was pretty shaken up, the only life he knew was a life of fear and because of this fear he asked from God plenty of reassurances so as to build his confidence.

God in love heeded to Gideon’s requests of validation because He understood where Gideon was.

God knew long before that Gideon was fearful and that he would see His call to confront the Midianites daunting but this did not put off God, God went right ahead and gave this monumental task to Gideon in all of his fright.

As we know it Gideon and his men defeated Israel’s terrorisers and so God’s prophetic voice over Gideon as a mighty man of valor came to pass.

Are You That Person?

I know there are people out there who relate to this story in every way, they are Gideon's in his former state of fear and low self- esteem.

They can't imagine themselves being used by God let alone being counted as somebody. To such people they are less than ordinary and not worthy of anything good in life.

If you're that kind of person, this message is for you. I can in part understand when you feel useless and like a nobody. When you feel invisible, when you feel like the person that no one cares to take notice of.

Life to you is not worth living.

Circumstances have not been in your favour. As far as you can remember, all you keep getting are bad breaks.

I'm here to tell you that you're somebody and you count for something because God created you.

1 Corinthians 8:6 says “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

Because you exist for God, you're from God, and you live through God then you're not insignificant, you're simply priceless.

See Yourself From God's Lens

Forget about how you see yourself or what others have said about you, what matters is how God sees you. God sees you in your full potential and at your best; that is why He was able to call Gideon a mighty man of valor.

When God called most of the people He used to fulfill His purposes, they were just plain ordinary people but God still used them.

Consider Abraham he wasn’t even a Christian but God called him and gave him a new name “A father of many nations and the father of faith”.

Well what about Moses? He was a stutterer but he became a deliverer. Let’s move a little forward in time, the Apostle Paul, he was a murderer but he became such a powerful servant of God that half of the New Testament are his works!

Let me surprise you that God is not surprised by you or at a loss as what to do with you because of the way you are.

God already has a plan for your life and your current situation doesn't limit him from doing what He needs to do with your life. God tells us in His word that He often uses the weak things of this world to bring to shame those things that are lofty. God manifests Himself strong when you are weak.

Additionally, God calls you in your complete state. He calls you prophetically because you eventually will become who and what He created you to be. Remember that the good work God began in you will come to completion.

Social Media and Self-Worth

I know that in this day and age of social media, image is everything and if you aren't living up to the standard then you’re a lost cause.

To tell you the truth, I feel very sorry for the people that go by that philosophy because of how volatile image is. If you draw your worth from worldly standards then as soon as that standard is not ‘a thing’ anymore you’re done in.

A wise person draws their worth from God and they that do, remain relevant at all times and seasons.

Therefore, don't go with the latest fad to feel or look important, stick to the word of God and you won’t feel the need to keep validating yourself or updating yourself like some kind of software.

I invite you to take encouragement from the word of God. God says so many wonderful things about you and he has wonderful plans for you.

Like Gideon , if you have written yourself off or doubted your ability, God hasn't.

Instead He is calling out for you, He is calling you by your prophetic name so that He can use you to do great and mighty things for it is He working through you and empowering you to fulfill your calling.

So trust God with your life, trust Him even when you don’t see it, trust Him to do the impossible through you, trust Him for who you are.