God Builds Confidence

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.” 8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

14His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”  (Judges 7)

Thoughts: Gideon did not have much confidence.  He was hiding from the Midianites in a winepress while he was threshing wheat.  He told God that he felt abandoned by Him.  He told God that he was the smallest family member from the smallest clan in his tribe.  He was nervous and wanted God to show him he was real- and he did so by consuming a sacrifice and making two specific signs with a wool fleece.  God was very patient with Gideon as He is with us. 
     God told Gideon He could win with only 300 men against an army of 135,000.  He was also told to go into the Midianite camp and hear them mention that they had a dream that made them afraid of Gideon and his men.  God was building courage up in Gideon so that he would win the day. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are patient and kind to those who want to do your will and help your people.