Sunday’s message was a much-needed encouragement to my heart that we do not choose to side with fear, but instead, we walk in confident authority that our God will come through. We hold on to hope, and we know that our heavenly hope will not disappoint (Romans 5:5).
To tell you the truth, most days I feel like Gideon hiding in that wine press. I feel completely incompetent to do what He’s called me to, and it seems like all the odds are stacked against me.
When Pastor Jason mentioned this story from Judges 6 and 7, he pointed out that it was Gideon’s 300 men against over 130,000 Midianites…that’s how I feel daily as I put on my spiritual armor to go out and fight — outnumbered.
This feeling, along with changing emotions, waves of relational conflict, prayers that are left unanswered but still prayed about, and the life-altering events that seem to creep up on you in moments of grief — all of these things daily assault us and threaten to steal our peace.
But God calls us higher. He sees something in us that we don’t see in ourselves.
Like Gideon, when we look around and only see the fear…God sees the victorious solider we will one day become.
“Mighty man of valor”….that’s what God called Gideon.
What would God call you? If He could truly see past your fears and insecurites and shortcomings and mistakes…what name would He give you?
If He could see who you will be in 5, 10, 15 years from now…what would He say?
God is in the business of calling you higher.
I encourage you this week to sit down with the Lord and ask Him what He would speak over you. How would He call you higher into the man or woman you will become? What does He see in you that you don’t see in yourself?
Let’s pray this together:
Lord, let us be open to what you see, not just what we see. When we are stuck in fear, call us higher like you did with Gideon. Take us out of the pit and bring us courageously forward to answer our calling in you. Give us a word or phrase that you would speak over us in life and truth. In Jesus name, Amen.
To tell you the truth, most days I feel like Gideon hiding in that wine press. I feel completely incompetent to do what He’s called me to, and it seems like all the odds are stacked against me.
When Pastor Jason mentioned this story from Judges 6 and 7, he pointed out that it was Gideon’s 300 men against over 130,000 Midianites…that’s how I feel daily as I put on my spiritual armor to go out and fight — outnumbered.
This feeling, along with changing emotions, waves of relational conflict, prayers that are left unanswered but still prayed about, and the life-altering events that seem to creep up on you in moments of grief — all of these things daily assault us and threaten to steal our peace.
But God calls us higher. He sees something in us that we don’t see in ourselves.
Like Gideon, when we look around and only see the fear…God sees the victorious solider we will one day become.
“Mighty man of valor”….that’s what God called Gideon.
What would God call you? If He could truly see past your fears and insecurites and shortcomings and mistakes…what name would He give you?
If He could see who you will be in 5, 10, 15 years from now…what would He say?
God is in the business of calling you higher.
I encourage you this week to sit down with the Lord and ask Him what He would speak over you. How would He call you higher into the man or woman you will become? What does He see in you that you don’t see in yourself?
Let’s pray this together:
Lord, let us be open to what you see, not just what we see. When we are stuck in fear, call us higher like you did with Gideon. Take us out of the pit and bring us courageously forward to answer our calling in you. Give us a word or phrase that you would speak over us in life and truth. In Jesus name, Amen.
Erika Pizzo
Erika is an author of various books on the topics of faith, mental health, and victory in Christ. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach and a chai latte in hand.