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Finding God in the Storms of

Life

A Tested FaithGideon

Judges 6-7Three lessons in

developing a tested faith

Lesson 1: In difficult times, God is still working.

Judges 6:11-14

Judges 6:11 – 14The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Judges 6:11 – 14“But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”

Judges 6:11 – 14The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

Lesson 1: In difficult times, God is still working.

Judges 6:11-13

(Psalm 46:1-3)

Psalm 46:1 – 3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1 – 3 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Lesson 2: When we need a sign, God will provide. (Judges 6:36-

40)

Judges 6:36 – 40Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Judges 6:36 – 40Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Lesson 2: When we need a sign, God will provide. (Judges 6:36-

40)

Lesson 3: God will give us the

power to stand. (Judges 7:2-7)

Judges 7:2-7The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’

Judges 7:2-7Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

Judges 7:2-7But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men.

Judges 7:2-7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

Lesson 3: God will give us the

power to stand. (Judges 7:2-7) (Eph. 3:20-21)

Eph. 3:20-21Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory church and in Christ Jesus

throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Amen.

in the

Three lessons in developing a tested faith

Lesson 1: In difficult times, God is still working. (Judges 6:11-14)Lesson 2: When we need a sign, God will provide. (Judges 6:36-40)Lesson 3: God will give us the power to stand. (Judges 7:2-7)