“And he (Gideon) said unto Him, ‘If now I have found grace in Thy sight, then show me a sign that Thou talkest with me.'” Judges 6:17
Dear Ones:
There is nothing automatic in the life of the believer. This is not to say that the work of God cannot be accomplished quickly, and with great effect. It does mean that God works in a mysterious way, but always to bring the believer increasingly to faith in Him. Faith is progressive. This was the case with Abraham, who after receiving his calling from God in Mesopotamia, headed towards the promised land. However, he only went as far as Haran. The Lord’s calling was again brought to his remembrance, and eventually he came into Canaan. Abraham did not learn to trust God wholly, immediately. It would take the Lord’s word, and circumstances which the Lord brought about, to teach Abraham HOW to believe and obey. With Abraham’s progressing faith would come an ever-deepening assurance of God’s faithfulness. This assurance would eventually become a conviction which would propel Abraham through the greatest trial of his life, that of being willing to offer Isaac on Mt. Moriah.
All the great men and women of faith learned how to live by faith. It was not an easy life to live, especially because it was a personal, individual matter. It is true that they would be encouraged by believers around them, and by the testimony of those who had gone before, but they would need to be brought to a personal, individual faith in God, in Christ. The difficulty in this exercise of growing in faith lies first in the matter of the mind, and one’s remembrance. The Christian is called to live, not trusting in what he sees or hears, but in God, who alone sees, hears, and understands ALL things, visible and invisible. Secondly, the believer is called to live by the true perception, or vision, of “Him that is invisible.” The miracle of such a life of faith is clearly seen in the fact that every believer is called to trust wholly, and fully, in that which his natural eye cannot see, the invisible God, the God of truth and life. This is not possible without the working of God in the heart, and the revelation of God by the Spirit. Thirdly, there is great difficulty with regard to the opposition to faith, in a world of unbelief. In the face of this reality, the Lord Jesus’ words are so powerfully applicable: “I have overcome the world.” Christ has overcome all that is of unbelief, and faithlessness. Nothing could deter Him from believing His Father, not friend nor foe alike. The Lord was able to do this because of two things. First, He ever had before Him the vision of His Father, in His Almighty glory, love, and power. From the truth of that relationship, and perception, would come a strength and power, by the Spirit, that was superior than any other. The power of the Spirit is the Almighty, overcoming power of God. Christ lived by a perfect faith, receiving this power.
When Gideon was called by God to save the people of Israel from the Midianites and Amalekites, God brought him to a faith that not only overcame the disaster of Israel’s defeated state, but to a place of absolute victory over innumerable enemies. How did God do this? First, God took the initiative to reveal Himself to Gideon, getting his attention by the manner and means by which He spoke to him. The presence of the Angel of the Lord, and His consequent act of causing fire to come out of a rock to consume Gideon’s sacrifice, certainly arrested Gideon’s attention. After the Spirit of God came upon Gideon, he still had some reservations about his role in saving Israel. God would answer those concerns by giving him two signs, and encouraging him by the miraculous interpretation of a dream by an enemy soldier. The point is this: God is determined to make of all believers, men and women of faith, increasing and victorious faith.
Dear Father, Anoint our eyes to see Thee, strengthening our hearts to believe increasingly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad