How to Handle Your Emotions (Counseling Through the Bible Series) (30 page)

Gideon’s greatest weakness eventually becomes his greatest strength. He discovers that when he acknowledges he is weak and inadequate, God’s strength and adequacy prevail in him. Imagine God having an encounter with a fear-filled Gideon, revealing truth to him about the fearsome man of God he will become and the plan God has for him—
then
supplying him with only 300 men against an army of 135,000—so the victory would clearly be the Lord’s! And though no one man could ever defeat 450 men in his own strength, Gideon wholeheartedly goes!

And the last kernel of fear is removed from Gideon’s heart as he creeps among the sleeping Midianites and hears one man give the interpretation of a certain dream to another man:

“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’”

(J
UDGES
7:14).

Once Gideon hears words of his upcoming victory from the mouth of a Midianite, he is immediately filled with praises toward God and the courage of God. Quickly, in the dark of night, he summons his men.

“Get up!” commands Gideon. “The L
ORD
has given the Midianite camp into your hands” (Judges 7:15). Obviously, something has changed in Gideon! His words could not be more direct, decisive, and divinely inspired. The stronghold of fear in his heart—that formidable fortress of fear—has finally fallen!

“I have no control over my fear. My only recourse is to avoid all fearful situations.”

“As I face my fear in the strength of the Lord, fear will not control me. Christ lives in me, and as I focus on His perfect love and His perfect truth, I will feel His perfect peace in the midst of every fear-producing situation.”

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love”

(1 J
OHN
4:18).

How to Have Freedom From Fear…Forever!

Throughout the Bible, God repeats the instruction over and over and over: “Do not fear…do not be afraid…fear not.” God tells us not to fear circumstances, people, or things. Rather, we are told, “Fear the L
ORD
your God, serve him only.”
²⁸
This fear is not fright in the sense that we would be afraid
of
God. The meaning of this kind of fear is
reverence
and
awe
for God.

How can you know freedom from fear forever? First, acknowledge that God is worthy of your reverence. Second, submit your life and your fears to His authority by receiving His Son, Jesus, as your Savior and Lord. What does that involve?

1. G
OD’S
P
URPOSE FOR
Y
OU
…I
S
S
ALVATION

—What was God’s motive in sending Christ to earth? To express His love for you by making salvation available to you!

“God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”

(J
OHN
3:16-17).

—What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth? To make everything perfect and to remove all sin? No, to forgive your sins, empower you to have victory over sin, and enable you to live a fulfilled life!

“I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”

(J
OHN
10:10).

2. Y
OUR
P
ROBLEM
…I
S
S
IN

—What exactly is sin? Sin is living
independently
of God’s standard—knowing what is right, but choosing wrong.

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins”

(J
AMES
4:17).

—What is the major consequence of sin? Sin produces death, both physical and spiritual separation from God.

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

(R
OMANS
6:23).

3. G
OD’S
P
ROVISION FOR
Y
OU
…I
S THE
S
AVIOR

—Can anything remove the penalty for sin? Yes. Jesus died on the cross to personally pay the penalty for your sins.

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

(R
OMANS
5:8).

—What is the solution to being separated from God? Belief in Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’”

(J
OHN
14:6).

4. Y
OUR
P
ART
…I
S
S
URRENDER

—Place your faith in (rely on) Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and reject your good works as a means of gaining God’s approval.

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”

(E
PHESIANS
2:8-9).

—Give Christ control of your life, entrusting yourself to Him.

“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?’”

(M
ATTHEW
16:24-26).

Prayer of Salvation

Father,

I want a real relationship with You.

I admit that many times I’ve chosen to go my own way instead of Your way. Please forgive me for my sins. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins, and for His rising from the dead to provide new life.

Come into my life to be my Lord and my Savior.

I’m giving control of my life to You so that I live by faith rather than fear.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you have placed your trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ, then the following promise from God applies to you:

“The L
ORD
himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”

(D
EUTERONOMY
31:8).

Dividing his men into three companies, Gideon gives each of them a trumpet for one hand and an empty jar with a torch inside for the other. Now, in yet another test of faith, God calls Gideon and his men to war—
weaponless!
They will face an army of 135,000 with not a sword, spear, or shield in sight!

God asks us to stand in His strength when we’re afraid—and that’s exactly what Gideon does.

“Watch me,” Gideon further instructs, “Follow my lead”

(J
UDGES
7:17).

These are not the words nor the actions of the Gideon first introduced at the winepress. The once-cowering man has now become courageous. Clearly he is operating in the strength of Another, in the power of Almighty God Himself!

The battalion of 300 proceeds to encircle the vast Midianite camp in the dark of night, with all eyes trained on their leader like a hawk.

“When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the L
ORD
and for Gideon’”

(J
UDGES
7:18).

A bone-chilling blast of trumpets startles the enemy camp, and the
terrifying smashing of jars exposes blazing torches that now encircle the Midianites in a ring of fire. Bedlam breaks loose, and absolute chaos consumes the camp.

Of course, the strategic mastermind of this brilliant battle plan was Gideon’s commander-in-chief—the Lord Himself!

Whenever you find yourself in a fearful situation, realize, like Gideon, that you are not alone. Rely on the Lord’s presence in your life, focus on His strength, and claim and memorize the promise in this verse:

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”

(I
SAIAH
41:10).

The result is that 120,000 of the mighty enemy lie dead
²⁹
without Gideon ever even raising a shield or losing a single one of his 300 men—
and God gets all the glory!

All the Israelites, along with all their surrounding enemies, know that only God could achieve such an awesome feat! Surely the God of Israel is the one true God!

In the blackness of night, the Midianites can’t see their opponents. Nevertheless, they draw their swords and attack…and attack…and attack…
one another!
Pandemonium runs rampant, and “the L
ORD
caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords” (Judges 7:22). Brother fought against brother; friend fought against friend.

As a result, Gideon learned to rely totally on the Lord, his Shepherd, even when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Gideon feared no evil because from the beginning, he was told, “The Lord is with you” (Judges 6:12).

When you are stricken with fear, open your Bible to the twenty-third Psalm. This psalm is the most beloved in all the Bible, and for good reason. It is full of truths we need to focus on so we can know comfort, restoration, and peace rather than fear. Every verse in the psalm reminds us of truths that can calm our hearts.

The Psalm 23 Strategy

“The L
ORD
is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.