“The angel of Adonai appeared… and said, “You valiant hero! The Lord is with you!” Judges 6:12 CJB

Gideon was an obscure nobody living in a time of oppression, suffering and evil, his homeland occupied by an enemy. Life was not good. Life was filled with darkness.

I love Gideon’s reply “Excuse me, sir.”

We, too, live in a time where life does not always seem good. Life is filled with darkness. We want to know the Lord is with us.

But when we see another horrendous act of evil, we say “Really? Is he? Excuse me?”
Like Gideon, we want to know “if Adonai is with us, then why is this happening to us?”

Gideon goes on to say, “Where are all his miracles our ancestors told us about when they said ‘Didn’t Adonai bring us up from (slavery)?’ For now Adonai has abandoned us and handed us over to (the enemy).”

Sure seemed like God had abandoned Gideon and his people. And it seems like He has abandoned us and handed us over to the enemy.

We want to be the generation of miracles. The heroes of old. Not the ones leading up to God’s miracles. Not the hurting masses. Not the oppressed. Not the victims.  We want to see the miracles. The mighty acts.

Will we hide like Gideon, fearful of the enemy, thinking God has abandoned us?

Or

Will God find us faithful in the midst of trials and tragedy?
Will we wait with eager expectation?
Will we count it all joy?
Will we exchange ashes of mourning for a crown of beauty?
Will we allow our suffering to turn to praise?

In Gideon’s case, the Lord was preparing to raise an army.

He can do the same today. Not a physical army. An army of prayer warriors. Ready to do battle against the evil seeking to steal kill and destroy. Warriors prepared to stand with our spiritual armor. A battle not using worldly weapons but weapons with God’s power for demolishing strongholds. Not against human beings, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers governing darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. If God is for us who can be against us! Stand firm then.
Pray.

Pray for those who persecute you!

Keep watch and pray.

Pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.

Pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Pray for God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Keep on praying, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.

Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people,

Pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

Pray this way for… all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Never stop praying.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, God of Angel Armies, raise up your people to pray. Ignite the hearts of your people, who bear your name, to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek your face and turn from our evil ways. Hear us from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land.
(from 2 Chronicles 7:14)

Grace and Peace