Three hundred men lapped water with their hands to their mouths. All the rest of the men knelt down to drink water. God was determined, and more of the men had to leave the front line. The three separations in this story remind me of much of the church today.

Whoever is scared or frightened should leave Mount Gilead and go back home. Fear has such power in our lives, and is one of satan's strongest tools. As I am preparing this study early in 2021 many people are fearful. Many are afraid of death, others are afraid of life.

You have too many men with you for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag and say, 'We saved ourselves.' God will share His glory with no one. It was God's call, God's battle and it would be God's victory.

Then Gideon said, "… But let me ask one more thing." We must not be afraid to ask for a sign from God if He is asking us something out of the ordinary. The Bible tells us of other times when He did that. Here are a few examples:

Having sounded the trumpet and rallied the troops Gideon finds himself now surrounded by an army ready to fight. That was when the doubts returned to his mind. Praise God for His patience with you when you have doubts about what He might be asking you to do.

Gideon sent messengers to summon the people to follow him. Gideon got excited and got carried away. He ended up with an army of thirty two thousand men! How often do we get a favourable response to prayer, and then rush off into our own ideas?

Then the Lord's Spirit gave Gideon strength. So Gideon blew the ram's horn. When people are affected by the Holy Spirit, this can lead to strange happenings in church gatherings. God is looking for people yielded to Him, who will let Him use them to sound the battle cry.

If Baal is a god, let him defend himself. There are many demonic forces in the world today trying to deceive believers and non-believers alike. The Bible tells us there is only One True God, He is all powerful, and that Jesus is pleading our cause at His side.

Tear down your father's altar dedicated to the god Baal and cut down the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah that is next to it. Idols have real authority, there is a spirit behind them that is not of God and does not seek to glorify Him in any way.

The Lord said to him, Calm down! Do not be afraid. How many times in the New Testament did Jesus tell us to be at peace? But then on another occasion He told us He had not come to bring peace but a sword! How do we reconcile these verses?