In just a few days, the life of Gideon, son of Joash, changed completely. From a regular person who sought to hide his harvest and preserve his family—at a time when the Midianites and other peoples of the East oppressed and plundered Israel—he came to be seen as the leader responsible for challenging enemies who cared about nothing but the annihilation of God's people.

The Lord led Gideon to make turning-point decisions, such as tearing down and destroying the altar of Baal that his father had built to honor this false and repugnant god. Then the son of Joash summoned other Israelites who also wanted to free the nation and their families from Midianite oppression. The angel of the Lord visited him and told him to fight against his adversaries, who had already returned to the fields to take the food to be harvested that season.

Gideon served God! Everything fit into the Lord's plan for him, but there was still fear in his heart that his prayers would not prevail. So the Angel went to Gideon again and instructed him to go to the camp of the Midianites to hear something that would strengthen his faith. He took his servant Purah (which means branch) with him.

When he went down to the camp, Gideon was encouraged by what he heard. One of the Midianites was recounting a dream that increased the faith of the son of Joash. He believed that everything he needed had already been provided by God. The war would begin, and the Israelites would be victorious. In the dream, a roasted barley loaf was circling the entire place, knocking down and destroying the tents. The enemies understood that God had delivered them into Gideon's hands.

After hearing about the dream, the Israelite leader returned to his camp, woke up the soldiers, and encouraged them to take on their opponents, for he no longer had any doubt or fear. He knew that the Lord was just waiting for His chosen ones to act so that He could make them victorious. When we understand, through the Word, that nothing will hinder our progress, we need to act according to what the Scriptures say about us. The time to act is now. Those who cower will be ashamed in the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Watch!

The Lord's commands are clear for our lives. Therefore, we cannot let the devil instill fear in us. Jesus gave us salvation and called us to minister. Those who do not use His Name to continue His work will suffer in the reckoning on that Day. Billions of people in the world still do not know the Savior. Our obligation is to bring them to Christ!

Imagine if people from past generations—when they didn't have the comforts we have today, and traveling from one continent to another was long and done by ship, passing through storms and even shipwrecks—said, “Lord, there is no way to obey You.” What would we think of them? It doesn't matter how far away or what condition the nation is in where God will take us, nor whether the natives are violent or not. “Go” is the great mission that should guide our lives!

In Christ, with love,

         R. R. Soares