1. The story of Gideon Judges 6-8

2. “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Cor. 10:11 NKJV

3. Education The process by which society transmits its knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another.

4. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Rom. 15:4 NKJV

5. Gideon 5 th Judge Enemy: Midianites, Amalekites, children of the East Israel’s bondage: 7 years Time as judge: 40 years

6. Hid in Caves In Poverty Cried to God For Help

7. “The Lord is with you”

9. Destroy the altar to Baal

10. Gideon wants a sign

11. Army of Gideon Too Many 4 to 1

12. 135,00010,000 Still too Many in Army 13 to 1

13. 300 135,000 This is the Army 450 to 1

14. Spy on the enemy. Dream “Sword of Gideon”

16. 300 Standing Around The Enemy

17. “The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon”

18. The enemy destroyed themselves

19. They fled And the rest of the army of Israel cut them off at the Jordan

21. 1. Trusting God If But WhyWhere “You have to be kidding” Lack of Faith and Obedience

22. 1. Trusting God Do not place full trust in God  Snag in life  Question God Paul endured – 2 Cor.4:7 ff  “walk by faith not by sight”

23. 2. Inferiority Gideon Felt Unqualified  Why Me ?  Felt he could not do the job

24. 2. Inferiority I am not qualified God says “I will be with you” Matt. 28:20 “I am with you”

25. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil.4:13 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil.4:19 God did not accept the excuses of Gideon

26. If you cannot you serve a God who can! “And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,” 2Cor.3:4-5

27. 3. Fear Gideon was scared  Of those close to him  Of the Midianites But he was willing to serve God

28. 3. Fear At times we are afraid Devil uses fear to stop us 2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

29. 3. Fear Paul had fear - Acts 18:5-11 Fear was overcome by obedience God did not remove their fears but he enabled them to overcome. God will provide us the strength

30. Heb. 11:32

31. God accepted Gideon with His struggles. He gave him strength to overcome. He did much good in Israel

32. God takes us with our struggles He will give us strength to overcome. We can do much good in the church today

34. Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga. 30809 706-855-1249evanscoc@bellsouth.netwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org Sunday Morning January 10, 2010