May 7th, 2025
by Dalton Jenkins
by Dalton Jenkins
Stepping Up in Faith: Lessons from Gideon's Journey
After receiving God's call, Gideon faced the challenging task of tearing down idols and stepping into his role as a leader. His story provides powerful lessons for believers today who are seeking to grow in their faith and answer God's call on their lives.
What Happens After God Calls Us?
When God calls us to step up, the real journey begins after saying "yes." While the initial call is significant, what happens afterward shapes our faith journey. Just like Gideon, we must:
What Are Modern-Day Idols We Need to Tear Down?
Today's idols may look different from ancient times, but they compete just as strongly for our devotion:
How Do Ancient Idols Relate to Modern Challenges?
The same spiritual battles continue today:
Gideon's journey teaches us to:
This week, examine your life for competing idols that may be hindering your relationship with God. Ask yourself:
Take action by:
Identifying one "idol" in your life
Remember: God isn't looking for perfection - He's looking for surrender. Are you ready to tear down the idols and step up in faith?
What Happens After God Calls Us?
When God calls us to step up, the real journey begins after saying "yes." While the initial call is significant, what happens afterward shapes our faith journey. Just like Gideon, we must:
- Tear down competing idols in our lives
- Reaffirm our faith in God
- Learn to fight battles God's way
- Trust in His direction and resources
What Are Modern-Day Idols We Need to Tear Down?
Today's idols may look different from ancient times, but they compete just as strongly for our devotion:
- Materialism and wealth
- Self-pride and achievement
- Popularity and social acceptance
- Entertainment and pleasure
- False teachings and ideologies
- Business and distractions
- Relationships that take priority over God
How Do Ancient Idols Relate to Modern Challenges?
The same spiritual battles continue today:
- Baal (prosperity/power) → Career and self-sufficiency
- Asherah (pleasure/beauty) → Sexual immorality and appearance obsession
- Molech (child sacrifice) → Abortion and family neglect
- Chemosh (war/nationalism) → Political ideologies over faith
- Beelzebub (divination) → Horoscopes and occult practices
Gideon's journey teaches us to:
- Seek God's confirmation when uncertain
- Test our faith through prayer and listening
- Trust God's unusual methods
- Rely on His strength rather than numbers
- Be willing to fight battles God's way
- Worship and praise even before victory
This week, examine your life for competing idols that may be hindering your relationship with God. Ask yourself:
- What takes priority over my relationship with God?
- Are there areas where I trust in my abilities more than God?
- What idols do I need to tear down to fully step into God's calling?
Take action by:
Identifying one "idol" in your life
- Making a specific plan to remove its influence
- Replacing it with increased devotion to God
- Seeking accountability from fellow believers
Remember: God isn't looking for perfection - He's looking for surrender. Are you ready to tear down the idols and step up in faith?
Devotions
Day 1: Called for More
Devotional
Have you ever felt like you were hiding from your true potential? Like Gideon, who was found threshing wheat in a wine press, many of us operate below our divine calling. Yet God sees beyond our current circumstances to who we can become. When God encountered Gideon, He didn't address him as a fearful farmer but as a mighty warrior. This reveals an amazing truth about how God sees us - not for who we are in our weakness, but for who we can become through His strength. God has a way of calling out the champion within us, even when we feel most inadequate. Your current situation doesn't define your destiny; God's calling does. Today, consider the areas where you might be 'hiding in the wine press,' and remember that God sees your full potential.
Bible Verse
'You shall have no other gods before me.' - Exodus 20:3
Reflection Question
What areas of your life are you operating below your divine potential, and what's holding you back from stepping into God's calling?
Quote
When God met Gideon at the Wine Press, he addressed Gideon as he saw Gideon. God saw him as a mighty warrior, not as a farmer hiding.
Prayer
Lord, help me see myself as You see me. Give me courage to step out of hiding and into the calling You have placed on my life. Remove my fear and replace it with faith in Your vision for me. Amen.
Judges 6:12 – “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
Reverence
* Lord, I praise You for seeing beyond my fears and calling me according to Your purpose.
* You are faithful to call even the least likely, and I worship You for Your sovereignty.
Response
* Forgive me for doubting my worth and shrinking from Your call.
* Today, I confess my fear and choose to respond in faith.
Requests
* Help me to see myself through Your eyes and not my insecurities.
* Give courage to others in my life who are wrestling with their calling.
Readiness
* I yield to Your plan and say, “Yes, Lord,” even if I don’t feel ready.
* I commit to walk in obedience wherever You lead.
Day 2: Breaking Free from Modern Idols
Devotional
In our contemporary world, idols rarely take the form of stone statues. Instead, they manifest as materialism, career success, social media validation, or anything else that competes for our ultimate devotion. Just as Gideon had to tear down the altar of Baal, we too must identify and remove these modern-day idols that hinder our relationship with God. This process might need to happen quietly, away from public view, but it must happen nonetheless. Sometimes, the most significant spiritual victories begin with private decisions to prioritize God above all else. The challenge isn't just recognizing these idols but having the courage to eliminate them from our lives.
Bible Verse
'No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.' - Matthew 6:24
Reflection Question
What modern-day idols have taken priority in your life, and what specific steps can you take to dethrone them?
Quote
If you have to hide and tear it down, hide and tear it down. If you don't want nobody know that you're throwing out those gods you have in your purse, hide and throw them out.
Prayer
Father, give me wisdom to identify the idols in my life and courage to remove them. Help me place You first in everything. Amen.
Judges 6:25 – “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal...”
Reverence
* Lord, You alone are worthy of all my worship and allegiance.
* I exalt You above every idol, every ambition, and every competing desire.
Response
* I confess that I’ve allowed things—even good things—to take Your place.
* I repent for keeping my devotion to You hidden from others.
Requests
* Reveal the hidden idols in my life that I’ve justified or ignored.
* Empower me and others to break free from anything that rivals Your rule.
Readiness
* I commit to serve You wholeheartedly, both in public and private.
* I stand ready to influence my home, church, and culture with truth.
Day 3: Trusting God's Process
Devotional
God often works in ways that seem counterintuitive to human wisdom. When preparing Gideon for battle, God repeatedly reduced his army until victory seemed impossible by human standards. This demonstrates a profound truth: God's power isn't limited by our resources or abilities. In fact, He often works best when we have less to rely on besides Him. This principle still applies today. Whether facing financial challenges, relationship struggles, or career decisions, God might be creating situations where we have no choice but to trust Him completely. These moments of apparent reduction might actually be God's setup for a miracle.
Bible Verse
'Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.' - First John 5:21
Reflection Question
In what situation are you struggling to trust God's process, especially when His methods seem contrary to conventional wisdom?
Quote
God is setting you up for a miracle. A miracle that requires your complete trust faith in him. He don't want you to have something else that you got to lean on.
Prayer
Dear God, help me trust Your process even when it doesn't make sense to me. Strengthen my faith to believe that Your ways are higher than mine. Amen.
Judges 7:2 – “You have too many men... lest Israel boast.”
Reverence
* I worship You, God, for using small numbers to do great things.
* You are the God of strategy and sufficiency, even in what seems weak.
Response
* Forgive me for resisting Your process and desiring control.
* I surrender my tendency to trust in numbers, credentials, and comfort.
Requests
* Teach me to trust Your method, even when it seems unorthodox.
* Help me encourage others to follow You with patient trust.
Readiness
* I stand ready to obey, even when I don’t see the full picture.
* I choose to walk by faith, not by sight.
Day 4: Available Over Able
Devotional
Sometimes we disqualify ourselves from God's calling because we focus too much on our abilities - or lack thereof. We might think we're not educated enough, talented enough, or prepared enough for what God is calling us to do. However, God's criteria for choosing His servants is different from the world's standards. He's not looking for the most capable, but for the most available. When God chose Gideon, he wasn't seeking a seasoned warrior but a willing heart. This truth liberates us from the pressure of having to be perfect or completely prepared before stepping into God's calling.
Bible Verse
That night Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. - Judges 6:27
Reflection Question
What opportunities might God be presenting that you've been hesitant to pursue because you feel inadequate?
Quote
God's not looking for your skill or your ability. He's just looking for your availability.
Prayer
Lord, thank you that You don't require perfection, just availability. Help me to say yes to Your calling, trusting that You will equip me for whatever You call me to do. Amen.
Judges 7:9 – “Go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.”
Reverence
* I thank You, Lord, for using the available, not just the able.
* You are the One who qualifies the called and strengthens the willing.
Response
* I repent for saying “no” because I felt unworthy or unprepared.
* I lay down comparison and insecurity before Your throne.
Requests
* Use me, Lord, despite my limitations.
* Strengthen others who are willing but feel inadequate.
Readiness
* I am available today. Use me as You see fit.
* I commit to show up in obedience, not waiting for perfection.
Day 5: Standing in Victory
Devotional
The final step in Gideon's journey wasn't about fighting - it was about standing firm and watching God work. This teaches us a powerful lesson about spiritual warfare: sometimes our primary role is to stand firm in faith while God fights our battles. This doesn't mean we become passive; rather, we actively maintain our position through prayer, worship, and trust in God's promises. When we face challenges today, our victory might not come through our own strength or strategy, but through our steadfast faith in God's ability to fight on our behalf.
Bible Verse
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, 'Come back to me on the third day.' - First Kings 11:17
Reflection Question
What battles are you trying to fight in your own strength that you need to surrender to God?
Quote
God don't want you to fight. He just want you to worship him. He'll fight the battle. He'll deliver you. He'll take you to the next level.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, teach me to stand firm in faith while You fight my battles. Help me trust in Your power rather than my own strength. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Judges 7:21 – “While each man held his position... the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other.”
Reverence
* I praise You, God of victory, who fights battles I cannot.
* You are my Defender, and in You I find rest.
Response
* Forgive me for trying to win spiritual battles in my own strength.
* I confess any pride or fear that keeps me from depending fully on You.
Requests
* Teach me to stand firm and trust You to bring the breakthrough.
* Strengthen those I know who are in battles right now—spiritual, emotional, or physical.
Readiness
* I will stand in faith, even when the outcome is not yet visible.
* I am ready to testify of Your faithfulness and point others to Your power.
Devotional
Have you ever felt like you were hiding from your true potential? Like Gideon, who was found threshing wheat in a wine press, many of us operate below our divine calling. Yet God sees beyond our current circumstances to who we can become. When God encountered Gideon, He didn't address him as a fearful farmer but as a mighty warrior. This reveals an amazing truth about how God sees us - not for who we are in our weakness, but for who we can become through His strength. God has a way of calling out the champion within us, even when we feel most inadequate. Your current situation doesn't define your destiny; God's calling does. Today, consider the areas where you might be 'hiding in the wine press,' and remember that God sees your full potential.
Bible Verse
'You shall have no other gods before me.' - Exodus 20:3
Reflection Question
What areas of your life are you operating below your divine potential, and what's holding you back from stepping into God's calling?
Quote
When God met Gideon at the Wine Press, he addressed Gideon as he saw Gideon. God saw him as a mighty warrior, not as a farmer hiding.
Prayer
Lord, help me see myself as You see me. Give me courage to step out of hiding and into the calling You have placed on my life. Remove my fear and replace it with faith in Your vision for me. Amen.
Judges 6:12 – “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
Reverence
* Lord, I praise You for seeing beyond my fears and calling me according to Your purpose.
* You are faithful to call even the least likely, and I worship You for Your sovereignty.
Response
* Forgive me for doubting my worth and shrinking from Your call.
* Today, I confess my fear and choose to respond in faith.
Requests
* Help me to see myself through Your eyes and not my insecurities.
* Give courage to others in my life who are wrestling with their calling.
Readiness
* I yield to Your plan and say, “Yes, Lord,” even if I don’t feel ready.
* I commit to walk in obedience wherever You lead.
Day 2: Breaking Free from Modern Idols
Devotional
In our contemporary world, idols rarely take the form of stone statues. Instead, they manifest as materialism, career success, social media validation, or anything else that competes for our ultimate devotion. Just as Gideon had to tear down the altar of Baal, we too must identify and remove these modern-day idols that hinder our relationship with God. This process might need to happen quietly, away from public view, but it must happen nonetheless. Sometimes, the most significant spiritual victories begin with private decisions to prioritize God above all else. The challenge isn't just recognizing these idols but having the courage to eliminate them from our lives.
Bible Verse
'No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.' - Matthew 6:24
Reflection Question
What modern-day idols have taken priority in your life, and what specific steps can you take to dethrone them?
Quote
If you have to hide and tear it down, hide and tear it down. If you don't want nobody know that you're throwing out those gods you have in your purse, hide and throw them out.
Prayer
Father, give me wisdom to identify the idols in my life and courage to remove them. Help me place You first in everything. Amen.
Judges 6:25 – “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal...”
Reverence
* Lord, You alone are worthy of all my worship and allegiance.
* I exalt You above every idol, every ambition, and every competing desire.
Response
* I confess that I’ve allowed things—even good things—to take Your place.
* I repent for keeping my devotion to You hidden from others.
Requests
* Reveal the hidden idols in my life that I’ve justified or ignored.
* Empower me and others to break free from anything that rivals Your rule.
Readiness
* I commit to serve You wholeheartedly, both in public and private.
* I stand ready to influence my home, church, and culture with truth.
Day 3: Trusting God's Process
Devotional
God often works in ways that seem counterintuitive to human wisdom. When preparing Gideon for battle, God repeatedly reduced his army until victory seemed impossible by human standards. This demonstrates a profound truth: God's power isn't limited by our resources or abilities. In fact, He often works best when we have less to rely on besides Him. This principle still applies today. Whether facing financial challenges, relationship struggles, or career decisions, God might be creating situations where we have no choice but to trust Him completely. These moments of apparent reduction might actually be God's setup for a miracle.
Bible Verse
'Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.' - First John 5:21
Reflection Question
In what situation are you struggling to trust God's process, especially when His methods seem contrary to conventional wisdom?
Quote
God is setting you up for a miracle. A miracle that requires your complete trust faith in him. He don't want you to have something else that you got to lean on.
Prayer
Dear God, help me trust Your process even when it doesn't make sense to me. Strengthen my faith to believe that Your ways are higher than mine. Amen.
Judges 7:2 – “You have too many men... lest Israel boast.”
Reverence
* I worship You, God, for using small numbers to do great things.
* You are the God of strategy and sufficiency, even in what seems weak.
Response
* Forgive me for resisting Your process and desiring control.
* I surrender my tendency to trust in numbers, credentials, and comfort.
Requests
* Teach me to trust Your method, even when it seems unorthodox.
* Help me encourage others to follow You with patient trust.
Readiness
* I stand ready to obey, even when I don’t see the full picture.
* I choose to walk by faith, not by sight.
Day 4: Available Over Able
Devotional
Sometimes we disqualify ourselves from God's calling because we focus too much on our abilities - or lack thereof. We might think we're not educated enough, talented enough, or prepared enough for what God is calling us to do. However, God's criteria for choosing His servants is different from the world's standards. He's not looking for the most capable, but for the most available. When God chose Gideon, he wasn't seeking a seasoned warrior but a willing heart. This truth liberates us from the pressure of having to be perfect or completely prepared before stepping into God's calling.
Bible Verse
That night Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. - Judges 6:27
Reflection Question
What opportunities might God be presenting that you've been hesitant to pursue because you feel inadequate?
Quote
God's not looking for your skill or your ability. He's just looking for your availability.
Prayer
Lord, thank you that You don't require perfection, just availability. Help me to say yes to Your calling, trusting that You will equip me for whatever You call me to do. Amen.
Judges 7:9 – “Go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.”
Reverence
* I thank You, Lord, for using the available, not just the able.
* You are the One who qualifies the called and strengthens the willing.
Response
* I repent for saying “no” because I felt unworthy or unprepared.
* I lay down comparison and insecurity before Your throne.
Requests
* Use me, Lord, despite my limitations.
* Strengthen others who are willing but feel inadequate.
Readiness
* I am available today. Use me as You see fit.
* I commit to show up in obedience, not waiting for perfection.
Day 5: Standing in Victory
Devotional
The final step in Gideon's journey wasn't about fighting - it was about standing firm and watching God work. This teaches us a powerful lesson about spiritual warfare: sometimes our primary role is to stand firm in faith while God fights our battles. This doesn't mean we become passive; rather, we actively maintain our position through prayer, worship, and trust in God's promises. When we face challenges today, our victory might not come through our own strength or strategy, but through our steadfast faith in God's ability to fight on our behalf.
Bible Verse
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, 'Come back to me on the third day.' - First Kings 11:17
Reflection Question
What battles are you trying to fight in your own strength that you need to surrender to God?
Quote
God don't want you to fight. He just want you to worship him. He'll fight the battle. He'll deliver you. He'll take you to the next level.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, teach me to stand firm in faith while You fight my battles. Help me trust in Your power rather than my own strength. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Judges 7:21 – “While each man held his position... the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other.”
Reverence
* I praise You, God of victory, who fights battles I cannot.
* You are my Defender, and in You I find rest.
Response
* Forgive me for trying to win spiritual battles in my own strength.
* I confess any pride or fear that keeps me from depending fully on You.
Requests
* Teach me to stand firm and trust You to bring the breakthrough.
* Strengthen those I know who are in battles right now—spiritual, emotional, or physical.
Readiness
* I will stand in faith, even when the outcome is not yet visible.
* I am ready to testify of Your faithfulness and point others to Your power.
Discussion Guide
Summary
The sermon continues a series on 'It is your time to step up' focusing on Gideon's story after his initial calling by God. The pastor emphasizes how after receiving God's call, Gideon had to tear down the idols in his father's house, specifically the altar of Baal. The message draws parallels between ancient idols and modern-day idols such as materialism, self-pride, entertainment, and false teachings that compete for our worship and loyalty to God. The sermon highlights how God takes people through a process of building faith and dependency on Him alone.
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather to discuss Your Word and the lessons from Gideon's life, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive what You want to teach us today. Help us to be honest about the idols in our lives and give us the courage to tear them down. Guide our discussion and help us to apply these truths to our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What's the first thing you typically do when you wake up in the morning?
Key Verses
Judges 6:27
Exodus 20:3
Matthew 6:24
1 John 5:21
Questions
Life Application
This week, take time to honestly evaluate your life and identify any 'idols' that may be competing with your devotion to God. Choose one area where you've been placing too much trust or importance and make a concrete plan to realign that area under God's authority. It might mean adjusting your schedule, changing your spending habits, or redirecting your focus.
Key Takeaways
God calls us to tear down idols that compete for our worship and loyalty
Ending Prayer
Lord God, thank You for showing us through Gideon's story that You desire our complete devotion. Give us the courage to identify and tear down the idols in our lives that compete with our worship of You. Help us to trust completely in Your methods and timing, even when they don't make sense to us. May we, like Gideon, learn to depend fully on You and experience victory through worship and obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.
The sermon continues a series on 'It is your time to step up' focusing on Gideon's story after his initial calling by God. The pastor emphasizes how after receiving God's call, Gideon had to tear down the idols in his father's house, specifically the altar of Baal. The message draws parallels between ancient idols and modern-day idols such as materialism, self-pride, entertainment, and false teachings that compete for our worship and loyalty to God. The sermon highlights how God takes people through a process of building faith and dependency on Him alone.
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather to discuss Your Word and the lessons from Gideon's life, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive what You want to teach us today. Help us to be honest about the idols in our lives and give us the courage to tear them down. Guide our discussion and help us to apply these truths to our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What's the first thing you typically do when you wake up in the morning?
Key Verses
Judges 6:27
Exodus 20:3
Matthew 6:24
1 John 5:21
Questions
- What are some modern-day idols that people struggle with in today's society?
- Why do you think Gideon tore down the idols at night? What does this tell us about the challenges of confronting idolatry?
- How can we identify idols in our own lives?
- What makes it difficult to tear down idols once we identify them?
- How does God's process of reducing Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 relate to our own spiritual journey?
- What role does worship play in achieving victory over our spiritual battles?
- How can we ensure that we're putting our complete trust in God rather than in other things?
- What steps can we take this week to begin removing idols from our lives?
Life Application
This week, take time to honestly evaluate your life and identify any 'idols' that may be competing with your devotion to God. Choose one area where you've been placing too much trust or importance and make a concrete plan to realign that area under God's authority. It might mean adjusting your schedule, changing your spending habits, or redirecting your focus.
Key Takeaways
God calls us to tear down idols that compete for our worship and loyalty
- Modern idols can include materialism, self-pride, entertainment, and false teachings
- Complete dependence on God is necessary for spiritual victory
- God often reduces our resources to increase our faith in Him
- Victory comes through worship and complete trust in God's methods
Ending Prayer
Lord God, thank You for showing us through Gideon's story that You desire our complete devotion. Give us the courage to identify and tear down the idols in our lives that compete with our worship of You. Help us to trust completely in Your methods and timing, even when they don't make sense to us. May we, like Gideon, learn to depend fully on You and experience victory through worship and obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Dalton Jenkins
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