Judges 6:27. “Then Gideon took ten me of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not it by day, that he did it by night.”
Baal had to go! There was no easy way to do it. The trees had to be cut down. Any vestige of evil has to be removed and burned. Baal had to go now! Not tomorrow or some other day more convenient. When the Lord gives us His instruction, we are not to wait on our time but must act on His. Baal had to go now no matter what people might think! Not everyone, and perhaps not anyone will understand or agree with the Lord’s directive, but I must obey Him in spite of the consequences. We can expect opposition from apathy, but that is no reason to hesitate to care out God's revealed will. The altar and sacrifice had to be established, and in faith Gideon did what God said. "Jehovah-Shalom" (the Lord sent peace) was the result of an act of faith.
When Gideon threw down the altar of Baal, the altar to God could be erected and the right sacrifice made. I must pull down all “Baals” in my life if God can use me to lead His people to victory. Anything that seeks a prior claim on me in any way, has to go. Gideon did this by night and probably in fear, but he did it! His initial act of faith may have been done in fear so he acted at night. God recognized the work of faith, not needing the fearlessness of His chosen vessel to make the work a success. The ten men were adequate witnesses to satisfy the claims of the law. I may be afraid and not be willing to make a big deal of the needed change – but Gideon’s boldness by night made his father bold by day. A solid, serious, God-directed action will have God’s blessing and He can make changes where and when I least expect it. God began His work of saving Israel through Gideon quietly without excitement. God's work does not depend on some strange emotion and pent up excitement, but is solid and serious as any work of God should be. God is sovereign and can use me, and through me, use others. May I truly be ready and willing.
The actions of faith will usually cause anger on the part of some people. They do not want anything to disturb what they have become used to even if they know it is sin. Apathy and complacency do not like to be interfered with. Others may rise to the occasion and follow the lead of a person God is using. The Holy Spirit acted through Gideon to produce the needed result for the time and place. We are thankful that the Holy Spirit is in us in these New Testament times, and is able to act on our behalf at any moment. We have already received all the guidance we need to fulfill the call of God. Our guidance is the Word of God - our Guide is the Spirit of God.
In spite of victories that God has brought about through vessels that He can use, we often still have fear and unbelief. For some reason they don't seem to go away permanently. Those two enemies of a believer stick together. The only way we can deal with them is to apply the opposite duo of facts and faith. The facts are contained in the scriptures of truth and faith acts on those facts. God acts in sovereignty according to His will. His will is already known. it is there for us to read for ourselves. How we apply those facts is up to us. It is a waste of our time to try and deal with our doubts about a matter when we already have the truth defined. God intends us to act in faith rather than seek to put demands on Him by using the "fleece method." A problem is not solved by knowing the answer but by acting on what the Guide has already said we are to do.
Some biblical principles that we need to keep in mind are that God has already given us the Guide, and He is much more important that what we would consider guidance. We have the word of God for guidance and "the peace of God" is the umpire or referee who controls our actions. The fact that God gives us the desire to please Him and serve Him is guidance enough. It is up to us to take each step into the unknown future with full confidence in the Guide. There are times when the counsel of other people will assure us as to the actions we are to take.
Shall I go ahead or shall I wait? The answer is unclear. I have a lot of things on my plate - There's a lot to do right here. But the call of the Spirit is unmistakable I don't have any options. The sovereign plans of God are unbreakable I have been given only one direction.
So in faith it is time to step into the unknown Even though the future is obscure. It would only be self-will if I were shown All God intends me to endure. Instead with confidence in the Guide We step out in faith assured. That He knows the end and will not hide What His grace has already procured.
The problem is known, it is nothing new - Sin is still rampant in our day. I will not ever in this life get through With all that I should do and say. But there's a calm assurance that the Lord controls Everything so He can work His will. Those who to His will give the keeping of their souls Enjoy in this life the words, "Peace, be still."
“O God, I know there are times for planning and times for action. I admit I have sometimes spent a lot of time in planning and very little time in action. Other times there has been a lot of action and not a lot of planning. I am asking that I will have sense enough to know when to plan and when to act. It seems that this trip has been going the way we had planned, but this last couple of nights has made me wonder whether we are in the right place here. The need is obviously great so maybe that is the assurance I needed. Thanks very much in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”