Gideon still doesn’t get it yet. He still has some objections for God in verse 15…

15 So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”

16 And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

Gideon is still trying to refer to his earthly status and lowly position. In essence, Gideon is saying, “I don’t qualify Lord!” Yet God is trying to say that none of that matters anymore, seeing that I will be with you. When will we ever get it, that God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. You see if you’re going to be a man or woman of valor you’ve got to recognize that…

God Sends the Unlikely

God gets the glory for sending the most unlikely candidates.

Ellen Harmon, do to a serious injury, was never able to finish the 3rd grade. Yet when God called her to the prophetic gift, she too objected. She was sickly, uneducated and a young woman. Who was going to listen to her? Yet today she is the most translated woman writer in the entire history of literature, and the most translated American author of either gender. Why? Because God sends the unlikely.

This should have been no shock to Gideon. Just look at the judges who came before him. Ehud was left-handed, Deborah was female, and Jael wasn’t even an Israelite! By sending these unlikely candidates God is showing that deliverance comes from Him and not by human power. Just look at some of God’s recruits:

Moses claimed not to be a good speaker
Jonah ran from God
Jacob was a liar
Noah got drunk
Rahab was a prostitute
David had an affair
Jeremiah was depressed
Solomon was rich in wisdom but poor in lifestyle
John the Baptist was just plain poor
Timothy was too young
Abraham was too old
Lazarus was dead
Sarah was barren
Neomi was a widow
And Peter lacked self-control

God just needs some people who are willing to say yes to Him! You may feel insignificant or unqualified. You may feel like, “God you got the wrong person.” You may even say to Him, “God, I just can’t do this!” And He will look at you and say, with a big smile on His face, “Perfect.” “Surely I will be with you, you mighty man (you mighty woman) of valor! Have I not sent you?

Friends, as Jesus stood before Pilate, bleeding, He didn’t look very mighty. As a matter of fact, the Bible says in John 19:10 Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
11 Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” And then when they raised Jesus up on that cross, to the on looking crowd He didn’t look so valiant. That Friday evening when they placed Him in the tomb, He didn’t look so victorious. But early Sunday morning, my Jesus got up from the grave with all power in His hands! He is victorious! He is triumphant! And I declare to you today that Jesus is the Mighty Man of Valor!

And so He comes to you now. Right were you are in life. And He calls you today to Get His Perspective…to Go in His strength and to recognize that He calls the unlikely. He’s calling you to stand up and like Him be… a mighty man…a mighty woman of valor.

Gideon goes on to defeat the Midianite army with just 300 men. They were the original 300! But before God sends him to go and fulfill his purpose. Before God sends him to fulfill his destiny, He asks him to tear down an idol and build an alter to the Lord in its place. Today God calls you to be men and woman of valor, but He needs you to tear down some idols in your life. And in that same area of your life, He wants you to set up an alter and live your lives as a living sacrifice to Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Surrender your all to Christ. Let go of your idols! He wants it all today...you mighty man of valor!