When the Focus Is on God’s Purposes

Reading Time: 6 minutes

An exploration of the victories that can be won when we walk selflessly and trust God.

In a previous post, I wrote about how the focus on ourselves, and our own comforts, desires and even shortcomings can have devastating effects. Here, I’d like to explore what happens when we take the focus off ourselves and place it on God’s word.

Gideon: Seeing Ourselves Through God’s Eyes

As someone who has struggled with fear, the story of Gideon is one that gives me a lot of hope and encouragement. It brings to light the fact that God can do wonders through anyone who is willing to be used by Him. The willingness to be used by God requires one to take action in spite of their personal feelings and hold firmly onto God’s word.

Gideon lived during a time when the Israelites were under extreme oppression by the Midianites. It is obvious that Gideon was someone who thought little of himself; when the Lord called Him, Gideon expressed how he wasn’t the man for the job because he didn’t come from an esteemed family, and he was the youngest of said family.

“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour!” Gideon said to Him, “O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.””  Judges 6:12-16 NKJV

Before the Lord had even told Gideon what his mission would be, He spoke life over Gideon. Firstly, reassurance was given to Gideon that the Lord was with him. Secondly, Gideon’s identity in the Lord was revealed – God saw him as a ‘mighty man of valour’!

Fortunately for Israel, after further discussions with the Lord, Gideon agreed and went on to ultimately deliver the Israelites from Midianite bondage which led to 40 years of peace.  Imagine if Gideon refused to trust God and begin to see himself how God did?! When we take ourselves out of the way, and we begin to see ourselves as God does, remarkable things can be achieved. Let me be clear though, walking with the Lord will often require us to do things that seem impossible or extremely difficult to do. Such situations rightly expose our dependence on God, and they teach us that we can do nothing in our own strength. When God calls us to greatness, there is often a much bigger picture at play than our own circumstances and comfort. Our gifts, projects, pursuits etc. are not just for us to feel good about ourselves, they are the execution of a God-ordained calling that can benefit the masses.

On one of the battles the Lord had called him to, Gideon managed to win the battle in a seemingly impossible feat! Before going into battle, the Lord told Gideon that there were too many men in the army and He did not want Israel to boast about the victory, not acknowledging that it was God who would’ve won the victory. So, the Lord instructed Gideon on how to reduce the number and it swiftly went from 30,000 to 300!   With only 300 men against an army that were “as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude” (Judges 7:12 NKJV), Gideon managed to win a battle that hung on nothing but complete and utter trust in the Lord. That level of trust in the Lord requires an equal measure of total surrender.

Gideon and his army were not a vision of might or strength but the God they served is MIGHTY! Sometimes we talk ourselves out of doing exactly what God has told us to do because we overthink about how it’ll be done with what WE have. We forget that the battle and glory is ultimately the Lord’s and He will figure out the how – I think we sometimes stress about the how because we want to be able to take the credit. Surrendering to Him, who can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask think and imagine, means that we must also surrender our self-made identity. We must bring our weakness such as anger and unforgiveness, and anything or anyone else that we look to for security. It’s not easy, but it’s possible if we sincerely ask for His help. Once we unload all our ‘stuff’ we are then able to pick up and cling onto His Word and who He says we are.

Esther: You Are Exalted for Such a Time as This

Esther was a beautiful Jewish babe who married the most powerful man in the land, the king of Persia (King Ahasuerus). Personally, the story of Esther highlights the fact that when people are promoted to high positions in society, particularly as proclaimed lovers of Jesus, it is their duty to allow God to use them in that position, whether or not they see it that way. The story of Esther calls us to trust that God will deliver us when we are willing to put ourselves at risk for the benefit of others. (I must stress that even if He doesn’t for His own reasons, we are still called to trust in Him – the New Testament has a lot on this, but that’s a discussion for another day).

After King Ahasuerus had dethroned his wife and banished her from his presence, a campaign was launched to search for a new queen for the king among the virgins in the land. After much preparation and training, Esther was presented before the king; she found favour in him, and he made her queen. “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins…” (Esther 2:17 NKJV). As well as pleasing the king, Esther was looked upon with favour among those in the palace. In short, she was very popular.

When Esther first entered the palace, she hid her Jewish identity as advised by her older cousin and guardian Mordecai. When there was a plan to annihilate the Jews, Mordecai appealed to her in her position as queen to speak to the King about the situation and protect the Jews somehow. Although initially reluctant to do so, Esther eventually agreed. Mordecai made it plain that perhaps Esther had “come to the kingdom for such a time as this’’ (Esther 4:14 NKJV). Thankfully, she was a woman of wisdom who sought the Lord for help before taking action, and asked the rest of the Jewish population in the capital to do so as well:

“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” Esther 4:16 NKJV

Esther’s beauty and favour was a gift from the Lord, but she did not place power in that gift alone. She remembered where true salvation and security truly comes from, and she made sure that she was submitted to that source so that she was not reliant on her own strength and wisdom. Her surrender was so sincere that she was willing to go against the norm, and potentially die, if it came to it.

Ultimately, there was victory for the Jews, and there were no negative consequences for Esther’s boldness in approaching the king against the law. The detail of the Jews’ victory can be explored in the book of Esther, and I encourage all who read this to delve into it. Although in an exalted position in society, Esther recognised that she and her position, though grand in human eyes, were simply tools through which God would execute His purpose.

We Are Vessels: Our Life, and All That’s in It, Is Not Our Own

I think the conclusion to be drawn from both Esther and Gideon’s stories is that that hand of God is upon those who are courageous enough take their eyes off themselves in order to be used by Him.

Every good and perfect gift comes from above and is for the glory of God. I’m sure that Esther enjoyed the attention and privileges that came with her beauty and position, but like Esther, I believe we are called to not let it end there. We are called to use our gifts to glorify God, and what this looks like for each person will differ.  Likewise, Gideon probably enjoyed the victories he led, and the accolades that came as a result. His journey started with his weakness, but God’s power is made perfect in our weakness because His grace is sufficient.

So, beloved, are you willing to let God use you, for a time such as this?