Fasting Devotional – Day Seven
Text: Judges 6:24-34
Written by: Justin Jaramillo
Thoughts
In Judges 6:24-34 we witness Gideon being faithful to God’s command not only to build the altar Yahweh Shalom (Lord is Peace) but also to tear down the altar to the false god Baal. God is showing Gideon that he is with him affirming that God is peace, and he will not be struck down for this, although Gideon is still skeptical, still searching for confirmation.
Gideon tears down the altar at night under the cover of Darkness while the people sleep. When the mob comes looking for Gideon the next morning. His actions are affirmed by God, and he is unharmed by the mob.
The mob mentality exists today in a very strong way. With a simple message - conform or be removed.
Perhaps more importantly, when Gideon’s father challenges the people in his city for their false god, it reminds me of how often we can build these same structures in our mind without realizing that a barrier has been put between us and God. It could be a stronghold in a relationship creating that space. It can be our own desires to be in the driver seat that continues to steer us down a road to nowhere. It could be cultural acceptance of sins that we no longer choose to stand against, to join the mob. How many people today would see a sin as Gideon did and stand fully against it to tear it down? Remember God calls us to be warriors!
Challenge
Ask God where are barriers creating space not only for yourself but for those in your family or even those who God could be waiting on you to deliver His good word.
Write them down and decide is the barrier of my own creation? Is it cultural? Is it fear?
Hold yourself accountable to be real, to be humble, to be thankful for your time with the father to grow.
Prayer
Father, thank you for opening my heart. Allow your light to fill my whole self so that barriers cannot hide in the shadows. Call them out in me so that I can see them and call them out for others so that all of your followers can grow stronger. I pray that in a world where group think is celebrated and conformity is the norm, you remind us that we do not conform to these patterns. It is your pattern your standards your grace and love that we must follow. Allow me to be a bold warrior standing against those who would see you forgotten and defeated. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
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