1May 30, 2010

God gavegave the victory to Gideon's army.

They stood and watched as their enemiestheir enemies killed one another in fearfear and confusionconfusion.

Judges 8 1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide (rebuke; argue) with him sharply (vehemence; force).

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A desire for gloryglory in battle.

2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

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They were in on the mopping upmopping up, after the initial victoryinitial victory at Mount Moreh.

Gideon told them theirs was the greater victorygreater victory and greater glorygreater glory.

Proverbs 15 1 A soft answersoft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

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Gideon practiced this TruthTruth, and used it well.

He defuseddefused a potentially dangerous situation.

Pride would never give such an Pride would never give such an answer.answer.

Pride would get mad and speak Pride would get mad and speak harshly.harshly.

They chided him sharplysharply, without justification.

Only humilityhumility could return a soft answer.

Gideon was God's man of the hour.

He was leader of the nation.

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How easy it would have been for him to sayto say,

"How dare you questionquestion my decisions!"

"Get out of my face.""To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals

courtesy, and to inferiors nobleness."

Thinkexist.com Benjamin Franklin

Humility has to be the condition of the heartcondition of the heart.

To trytry to give a soft answer when insideinside we are fuming with angeanger, will be ineffectualineffectual.

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If a soft answer is insincereinsincere,

It will come acrosscome across as condescending or as

manipulative.

We have seen all alongseen all along that Gideon was a man of humilityhumility.

He had no desireno desire for glory.

He just wanted to obey Godobey God.

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"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."

Harry S. Truman

4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faintfaint, yet pursuing yet pursuing themthem.

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"yet pursuing yet pursuing themthem."

Gideon and his 300 have crossed Jordan in pursuit of a band of Midianites.

They are exhaustedexhausted and hungryhungry.

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. 

~Newt Gingrich

Gideon and his 300 men did not quitdid not quit,

And we must nevernever quit either.

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The hill may be steep and the going rough,

But we must keep onkeep on keeping on.

5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

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We too need to learn to ask for helpask for help when we need it.

It's not weaknessnot weakness to need help.

Don't expect people to read your mind.

They come first to the city of Succoth, and Gideon asked them for food for his men.

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6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

What if Gideon lost?

They should have thought, "What if he won!"

7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your fleshtear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

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They should have been more afraidmore afraid of rejectingrejecting the man of God,

Than of helping himhelping him.

No matter what the situation, it is betterbetter to choosechoose to be on the side of God.

Paul Davis spoke Wednesday night on "ExpectationsExpectations".

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Faith produces positivepositive expectations.We serve The Almighty GodThe Almighty God, Creator of all that is.

We can always expectexpect a miracle.

We can remain strongremain strong in the Power of His Might.

Gideon said, "WhenWhen the Lord delivers"

Not ifNot if the Lord delivers.

8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. 9And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.

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"I don't have time right now, but when I come back, I will destroy your city.

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were leftall that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fellfell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

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120,000 + 15,000 = 135,000

OnlyOnly 15,000 left

How many men did Gideondid Gideon have with him?

11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.

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"For the host was secure"

They thoughtthought they were safe in this place.

They had no idea that Gideon had pursued them this farthis far.

There's 15,000 of the enemy.

Gideon surprised them and attacked with his 300.Verse 4

12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited (to shudder with terror) all the host. 13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,

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God again gave them victory in the face of insurmountable oddsinsurmountable odds.

Before the sun came up!

We serve the same God.We serve the same God.

Trust Him completely!Trust Him completely!

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