The Lord turned to him (Gideon) and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand.  Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:12

How many people would have hired someone for the job who talked down about their future boss!  Gideon felt God had abandoned him and his people.  God refused to cave to Gideon’s doubt.  He called the doubter a warrior.  He hired the skeptic to be the deliverer.

Go in the strength you have!  There’s so much irony in that statement.  Gideon’s hiding out!  What kind of strength does he have.  The answer:  none.  Gideon’s strength has been depleted by his own fear.  His strength has given way to frustration.  He has no strength.  God has no regard for Gideon’s lack of strength.  God’s purposes are never thwarted by our insufficiencies.  God will have His way.  Period.

So if Gideon had no strength, then where did his strength come from?

God.

And, by the way, in case you haven’t notice, the angel of the Lord is God Himself!  The author of Judges says, “The Lord turned to him.”  I believe that the angel of the Lord is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Himself.  Consider that.  A mission so significant (which involves rescuing stubborn, rebellious people) that God would send Jesus Himself.  Could this at all foreshadow another event?

In Judges 6, God sent Jesus to talk to Gideon.

In the fulness of time, God sent Jesus to die for all the Gideons.

What an awesome God!

So back to the question:  where did Gideon’s strength come from?  God’s final question ironically enough contains the answer.  And I not sending you?  When God sends you, He gives you strength.  God will never send you on a mission for which He has not prepared you.  He will never send you out without suiting you up!  His mission comes fully equipped with His power.

So the question for you is:  what is God’s mission for you?  Feeling weak lately?  Like you might have to do it in your own power?  You don’t…and you can’t.

Tomorrow we’ll hear Gideon’s reply (aka argument).