Then there's the third stage God takes us through when He wants to use us:
#3. STEP THREE: GIDEON'S CONFRONTATION: God will test me! (6:25-32)
Before God will ever use you in a significant way He will test you. A test of whether you're really going to trust God and obey him. This is what happened in Gideon's life.
The background of the story is that during this time of oppression and depression in Israel, they had decided to worship false gods. They were compromising their faith. God said, "Gideon, I have a task for you to do. Before you do anything else, I want you to go and tear down the idol that your dad built -- the false god that's in your little village."
v. 25 "That same night the Lord said to him, `Take the second bull from your father's herd, one of seven years old and tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah [which was another god. Baal was a fertility god. It was a sexual cult] Then build the proper kind of altar to the Lord, your God, on the top of this bluff and using the wood of the Asherah, that you cut down, offer the second bull as an offering.So Gideon took ten of his servants and he did as the Lord told him."
Gideon passed the test! He tore down the idol in his life. Let me ask you, what's the idol in your life? What is the Baal in your backyard? This incident shows us the three ways that God may test you before he uses you.
1. God may test you spiritually. This is a test of Who's going to be God in your life. Exodus 20:3 the very first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." God says I want complete allegiance. I want total obedience. I don't want any compromise. I want to be number one in your life." A spiritual test is "What is number one in your life?
2. God may test you emotionally. Notice who's altar it was. It was his father's altar. It says he went and tore it down at night because he was afraid of his family. We're talking about a confrontation with tradition. We're talking about a breakdown from the past. He's saying, "My whole family has been worshipping this for years. I'm going to break with tradition." That's an emotional test. Family ties. The point is, service for the Lord always begins at home. In your own backyard. He said, "Gideon, before you can go out and take on the world let's clean up your act right here in your own family. Service for the Lord starts at home.
3. God may test you physically. There may be a physical test in your life that God will use to see how willing you are to follow directions and instructions. When you think about this, this was a risky move -- In fact, it could have cost him his life. When you read the next few verses, you'll find that when they woke up the next morning the town formed a lynch mob and came after Gideon because he had done this.
v. 28 "In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar demolished and the Asherah beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the altar. They asked each other, `Who did this?' When they carefully investigate they were told Gideon, son of Joash did it.' So the men of the town demanded of Joash his dad, "Bring out your son. He must die because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah beside it." This is a physical test. He could literally lose his life.
What’s The Lesson?: If you really get serious about serving God expect fireworks. You may cause a riot. You may upset a few traditions or something. 2 Timothy 3:12 (CEV) says “Anyone who belongs to Christ Jesus and wants to live right will have trouble from others.” Anytime you make a stand for God, someone will give you trouble – count on it!
I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!
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