Message Action Plan“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
“He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20
GIDEON’S CALL
“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.” Judges 6:1 (NIV)
LESSON 1: WHEN YOU WORSHIP THE GODS OF YOUR CULTURE, DON’T BE SURPRISED IF GOD GIVES YOU OVER TO
THE OPPRESSION OF YOUR CULTURE.
“Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help . . . The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’” Judges 6:2-12 (NIV)
ACTION PLAN: Make a list of idols that you are worshipping that keep you away from God. If you need help identifying them, ask somebody who knows you well and that you trust to speak into this. Is it wealth? Material items? Life style? Unhealthy relationships?
LESSON 2: DON’T EVER TELL GOD WHO YOU ARE NOT. LET GOD TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE.
“God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” Romans 4:17b (NIV)
“‘But sir,’ Gideon replied, ‘if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.’” Judges 6:13 (NIV)
“The LORD turned to him and said,‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’” Judges 6:14 (NIV)
LESSON 3: IF GOD IS SENDING YOU, THEN GOD IS OBVIOUSLY CONFIDENT THAT YOU ARE THE PERSON TO GET THE JOB DONE.
“If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” Ecclesiastes 11:4 (TLB)
“‘But LORD,’ Gideon asked, ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’” Judges 6:15 (NIV)
ACTION PLAN: Memorize Ecclesiastes 11:4 this week.
LESSON 4: GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR ABILITY. HE’S LOOKING FOR AVAILABILITY.
“The LORD answered,‘I will be with you, and YOU will strike down all the Midianites together.’” Judges 6:16 (NIV)
ACTION PLAN: Look at your daily calendar. Are you too busy? This week, try to slim up your schedule so that you have availability for God to use you in a way you might now see coming.
LESSON 5: WHEN YOU GO IN THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE, GOD WILL GIVE YOU MORE STRENGTH AS YOU GO.
ACTION PLAN: Decide on an idol you want to eliminate from your life. Pray to God asking for how to rid you of this idol. Listen. Once you know His answer, you may be afraid, but you need to take the first steps. God will show you the way; you just need to trust Him.
GIDEON’S SACRIFICE
“That same night the LORD said to him, ‘Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.’ So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him.” Judges 6:25-27(NIV)
LESSON 6: BEFORE GOD WILL USE YOU IN PUBLIC, HE WANTS YOU TO CLEAN UP YOUR PRIVATE LIFE.
“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8 (NIV)
GIDEON’S ANOINTING
“Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.” Judges 6:34 (NIV)
LESSON 7: GOD’S CALL COMES BEFORE YOUR REPENTANCE. GOD’S POWER COMES AFTER YOUR REPENTANCE.
Doable Discipleship: Check out this week’s episode of the Doable Discipleship, an interview on prayer and devotional life with Carolyn Baker. Go to Saddleback.com/maturity to watch or download.
