Judges 6:30-35: a reflection

30Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.” 31Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!” 32Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.” 33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. 34But the LORD’s Spirit came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together to follow him. 35He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

When Gideon is called to deliver Israel, and a great enemy army gathers against him, he is enabled not by his own strength but by the Spirit of God, who comes upon him and empowers him to rally the people. The LORD's Spirit came on Gideon, the account says, and he blew a trumpet, and the people were gathered to follow him. Gideon, an ordinary man who had felt himself the least in his family, faced a task far beyond his own ability, a vast enemy army. But the Spirit of God came upon him, enabling him to do what he could not have done alone, to rally the tribes and lead them. What Gideon could not do by himself, God's Spirit enabled him to do. This shows that God empowers by his Spirit those he calls, enabling them for what they cannot do alone. God empowers by his Spirit those he calls. The Spirit enabled Gideon to do what he could not do alone. God equips his servants for what is beyond their own ability. What God calls us to, his Spirit enables us to do.

Notice the source of Gideon's ability. Gideon was an ordinary man, who had thought himself the least, weakest, and most insignificant; and now he faced a task far beyond him, a vast army of enemies gathered for battle. By his own strength and ability, he could not have led Israel against them. But the account says the Spirit of God came upon him; and enabled by the Spirit, Gideon blew the trumpet and rallied the tribes to follow him. What he could not do by his own strength, God's Spirit enabled him to do. This reveals how God works through those he calls: not by their own strength and ability alone, but by his Spirit, who empowers them for what is beyond them. This encourages us. God often calls us to things beyond our own ability, tasks we could not do by our own strength. But when God calls, he also equips; his Spirit enables us to do what he calls us to, even what is beyond us. We are not left to accomplish God's calling in our own strength; his Spirit empowers us. We do well to trust, when God calls us to what seems beyond us, that his Spirit will enable us to do it. God's Spirit enables us for what is beyond our own ability. When God calls, he equips by his Spirit. We do not serve God in our own strength alone, but by his Spirit. Trust God's Spirit to enable you for what he calls you to.

That is worth taking to heart, for God empowers by his Spirit those he calls, enabling them for what is beyond their own ability, as the Spirit came on Gideon and enabled him to rally the people against a vast army. We can feel unable to do what God calls us to, seeing only our own weakness and the greatness of the task; but the Spirit of God came on Gideon, an ordinary man, and enabled him to do what he could not do alone. God equips those he calls. When God calls you to what seems beyond you, do not rely on your own strength alone; trust his Spirit to enable you. Trust God's Spirit to enable you for what he calls you to, even what is beyond your own ability, rather than relying on your own strength alone, as when Gideon was called to deliver Israel and a vast enemy army gathered against him, the Spirit of God came upon him, enabling this ordinary man who had felt himself the least to blow the trumpet and rally the tribes to follow him; for Gideon faced a task far beyond his own ability and could not have led Israel by his own strength, but what he could not do by himself God's Spirit enabled him to do, which reveals how God works through those he calls, not by their own strength and ability alone but by his Spirit who empowers them for what is beyond them, and this encourages us, since God often calls us to things beyond our own ability, tasks we could not do by our own strength, but when God calls he also equips, his Spirit enabling us to do what he calls us to even what is beyond us, so that we are not left to accomplish his calling in our own strength but can trust his Spirit to enable us.

Lord, when Gideon is called to deliver Israel, and a great enemy army gathers against him, he is enabled not by his own strength but by your Spirit, who comes upon him and empowers him to rally the people. The LORD's Spirit came on Gideon, the account says, and he blew a trumpet, and the people were gathered to follow him. Gideon, an ordinary man who had felt himself the least in his family, faced a task far beyond his own ability, a vast enemy army. But your Spirit came upon him, enabling him to do what he could not have done alone, to rally the tribes and lead them. What Gideon could not do by himself, your Spirit enabled him to do. This shows that you empower by your Spirit those you call, enabling them for what they cannot do alone. Show me the source of Gideon's ability. Gideon was an ordinary man, who had thought himself the least, weakest, and most insignificant; and now he faced a task far beyond him. By his own strength, he could not have led Israel against a vast army. But your Spirit came upon him; and enabled by the Spirit, Gideon rallied the tribes to follow him. What he could not do by his own strength, your Spirit enabled him to do. This reveals how you work through those you call: not by their own strength alone, but by your Spirit, who empowers them for what is beyond them. This encourages me. You often call me to things beyond my own ability. But when you call, you also equip; your Spirit enables me to do what you call me to, even what is beyond me. Take that to my heart, for you empower by your Spirit those you call, enabling them for what is beyond their own ability. When you call me to what seems beyond me, keep me from relying on my own strength alone; help me trust your Spirit to enable me, Lord, as your Spirit came on Gideon and enabled him to do what he could not do alone.