Scripture references: Judges 6, 7, 8, and 9:1-21; Isaiah 58:1 and Isaiah 60: 1-2

        Israel cried unto the Lord and an angel was sent to Gideon and proclaimed him to be a "mighty man of valor". Gideon did not feel at all brave, declaring he was the least in his father's house. Even though he dwelt in Ophrah (dust, mire), he brought a kid of the goats to the messenger and it was consumed from off the rock where it was offered. Immediately Gideon obeyed the voice of the Lord and BUILT and altar on the Rock and offered a bullock unto the Lord, using the wood of the groves he destroyed as well as the altar to Baal. Here God revealed himself to Gideon as Jehovah-shalom. When we know Peace in God, we can be used of Him.

        The enemies rose up and encamped against Gideon and those following him, they had added the Amelekites (descendents of Esau) to their army. Gideon fleeced the Lord; being satisfied it was God's decree to war with the enemy, he gathered men of his tribe and brethren, by sounding a trumpet and calling them to him... but the army was too large for God to get the glory in battle. Immediately all FEARFUL were sent home, and still there were too many. The remaining were tested at the WATER and only those who took water into their hand and lapped it like a dog were chosen. The hand is five-fingered, can you see it takes those walking in the ministry of Jesus Christ to draw water out of the river and bring it to the mouth? His five-fold ministry is in HIS BODY, so arise go and kneel down (humble ourselves) and take and bring to our mouth the water of life. The others had knelt down at the water and could not possibly have been on guard to any one approaching. We must be vigilant. We must take hold of the Water of Life (with our hand) and drink of it in order to be used of God.

        Gideon, the son of Abiezer (father of helps), sent messengers throughout all Manasseh and they came to meet him. Children of God, this was in what is now called the Golan Heights and was given to two and one-half tribes on the other side of Jordan from Jerusalem. With a small army of 300 men having their victuals (bread) and their trumpets in their hands and God said this was the army He choose. Do you have bread of life and a trumpet to sound in your hands? God sent Gideon to check out the Midianite army and saw an army without number; then God instructed him to go among the host !! There he heard one in the enemy camp tell a dream where he saw a "cake of barley bread" had tumbled into camp and smote down their tents. They answered his dream saying, "This is the sword of Gideon ... God had delivered Midian into his hands". Remember the barley? This is the sheaves that were waved in the temple on the third day after the Passover on resurrection day. It was the spring harvest and the poor man's bread. On Pentecost this barley was made into two loaves, (with leaven) and eaten. This speaks of the Bread that became a man (leaven flesh) and then on that first Pentecost after Jesus death, resurrection and ascension, He sent the Holy Ghost to baptize us into His body. It is the ONLY feast of Jehovah that leaven was allowed.

        Gideon returned to his army and divided them into three companies, taking a trumpet in one hand and an empty pitcher with fiery torches within them in the other. Their instructions were to follow his lead and blow with a trumpet and say "The sword of the Lord and Gideon." When they sounded the trumpet and brake the pitchers shouting, "The sword of the Lord and Gideon", the enemy heard the sound and saw the light and became so shaken they began to slay each other with their swords and fled before Israel. Children, it is necessary we know that we must "Cry loud and lift up our voice like a trumpet", and break the earthen vessel to let the Light shine to defeat the enemy of our soul. Always remember what treasure we have in earthen vessels .. the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts. We must answer the trumpet call, humble ourselves at the Source of Water, obey to the breaking of this earthen vessel of our soul in order to have victory from the enemy. The enemy is always those not of the Promise. The two enemy kings destroyed at the Jordan were Oreb and Zeeb. Oreb meant intermixed swarm as flies and moquitoes. Zeeb meant yellow wolf. Get the picture, the wolves are destructive flesh eaters and the insects are annoying flesh eaters.

        The Israelites wanted Gideon to reign over them and he refused saying that he nor his sons would rule .. this was God's position. Even with this great victory, later Gideon took an ephod he had made of the gold taken from the Midianites and set it up in Ophrah causing the people to worship it. We cannot rest after victory. We must not use the riches received from the world to create an object and worship at it. We must worship Jesus Christ and Him only shall we serve.

        After Gideon's death, his son Jotham spoke a parable to the men of Shechem who made his half-brother their king. The gist of this is the trees wanted a king and approached the olive to reign over them, it said " I cannot leave my oil to rule you", then the fig said "I cannot forsake my fruit to rule you", the vine said "I cannot leave my wine to rule over you." The bramble accepted, being a growth of low stature, it desired the others to dwell in its shadow or burn. Think of it, why would we with His oil of anointing in us want to leave that and rule, or the fruitful to leave that and rule, or the preferred anointed (best wine for the last) forsake this anointing to rule?

        Jotham spoke the parable prophecy and fortold the destruction of those who would anoint a handmaid's son as king over them. It came to pass. It is time for the armies of God (like Gideon of old) to cast out FEAR, HUMBLE ourselves and drink of the Spirit, and allow the WORD (trumpet) to break away our earthen nature and rise to shine and go against the enemy and stop building costly "idols" and desire rulers we can see. Better is it to be ruled by Him Who We Cannot See, for it is Jesus who saved us; keeps us; has gone to prepare an eternal home for us; AND will soon return to receive us unto Himself.

        Keep in mind that the Israelites at Succoth (fenced in) and the ones at Penuel (show face and go away) refused to give bread to the advancing army as they drove the enemy from the coasts. Gideon promised to "teach" them when He returned victorious. He taught those "walled in" with the thorns of the wilderness and briers, tearing their flesh. It might inspire us to minister to those in the "fenced in churches" with what Jesus was crowned with (thorns). He broke down the tower at Penuel, reminding us that some have seen the face of God and need their tower of pride destroyed.