Mario Angel Posted January 18, 2003 Report Share Posted January 18, 2003 How did God see Gideon? (6:12) How did Gideon see himself? (6:15). Whose self-perception is most accurate? How can our own self-perception prevent us from becoming what God has made us to be? God saw in Gideon as a mighty warrior that could bring freedom to Israel, God knew Gideon's potential and strength, also he knew his weakness. But Gideon saw himself from the humanistic point of view, he saw himself weak in his own strength, the least in his family according with his own words, he failed to notice that God can transform the weakest man into a mighty warrior. Many times we failed to trust the Lord when we are thinking about our own strength, we failed to see that we have the power of God within us to accomplish any task that God put in front of us. many times we need to learn to trust in God and not in our own human strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Angel Posted January 18, 2003 Report Share Posted January 18, 2003 What is God's answer to Gideon's self-image? (6:16) Does this spiritual principle apply to our lives as Christians? Can you recall any New Testament passages that teach the same principle? What is an appropriate prayer to pray in light of what God has taught you from this passage? God tells Gideon that he didn't nead to fear because God was with him and will empower him to strike down all the Midianites and will help him set his people free. This principle applies to our lives every day, we need to learn to lean in the Lord and to trust him and not to trust our own strength. There are many passages in the New Testament that speak about this principle, I like Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil". Because all our figths at the end can be enclosed in one big fight and that one is against the devil. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you Lord for given your eternal hope to me and the power that lives within you to me, I ask you Lord to give me the strength to face the daily tempations and obstacles that the evil one put in my journey towards you and I ask you Lord to be with me always, empowering me with your might that I can face any danger and distress without fear of the outcome. be with me always Lord and forgive my sins. In the name of your Son Jesus Christ I ask, amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dickinson Posted January 18, 2003 Report Share Posted January 18, 2003 Gideon believes that contrary to God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dickinson Posted January 18, 2003 Report Share Posted January 18, 2003 (edited) How did God see Gideon? (6:12) How did Gideon see himself? (6:15). Whose self-perception is most accurate? How can our own self-perception prevent us from becoming what God has made us to be?see exposition. God saw Gideon as a Edited January 18, 2003 by Mike Dickinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna J. Smith Posted January 19, 2003 Report Share Posted January 19, 2003 God saw Gideon's inner strength. He saw him as a warrior, which he did not see in himself. When God told him to "Go in the strength you have...", He was telling him that what He has already endowed him with, was sufficient. Gideon was looking at what the eyes could see by saying that his clan was the weakest in Manasseh and that he was the least in his family. He didn't think much of himself. It is no doubt that God's perception is more accurate. Our own perception limits us because we look with the eyes and not from the heart in faith. God said with Him all things are possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna J. Smith Posted January 19, 2003 Report Share Posted January 19, 2003 I believe God was telling Gideon that if he just trust, believe and have faith, that He would be with him and together, they would conquer. The principle does apply to all Christians. God said that the battle was not ours and that vengeance was His. I feel that asking what is the appropriate prayer, has a universal answer. Simply praying, "Father, help me to fight my battles. In the name of Jesus", will get results. Just the same as: Father, In the name of Jesus, I pray for guidance with this situation. You said that You would be my Comforter, my Helper and my Strength. I know it is Your will that peace should be a part of my day, so I am giving this situation to you and I am believing right now that You have already began to give me victory. I am thanking you, in the name of Jesus, for I know it is already done. This battle is yours. In the name of Jesus Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omie Posted January 19, 2003 Report Share Posted January 19, 2003 To me, this is not saying that God saw beyond Gideon's weakness, but that God saw beyond Gideon. Â We so often fail to see beyond ourselves, but God always sees what we can be in unity with Him.Not only does God see beyond the weakness I see in myself. Â God sees beyond my inflated self-assessment of my abilities too. Â He sees beyond all my insecurity and self-sufficiency. We don't need self-confidence, we just need God-confidence, because there is no other power source. Lois Turley has approached this in a way I had not thought about. I think she has good insight on Gideon and us. God does "see beyong ourselves and the present circumstances we may find ourselves in." Thank you Lois, Omie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Henhawke Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 God seen Gideons as something he can and will be through obidence to his directions. Gideon seen himself as only he can through the human condition he existed in, It seems to me they both were right to a degee. Because we cannot see the outcomes of most things completely, we tend to fill ourselves with doubt and apprehensiveness of the unknown, wouldnt we have to be divine to see or know the outcomes of things?? i think its only natural. I think we need to be most trustful in the Lord whether we understand it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted January 21, 2003 Report Share Posted January 21, 2003 God saw Gideon as a Mighty warrior and Gideon saw himself as a weakling belonging to the weakest clan of Mannaseh as well as being the least in his family. Gods perception of Gideon was the most accurate. After all who made you and what is His purpose over your life? he made you for a reason.God saw the bigger picture and how he could use Gideon like he used Moses and Joseph. He knew Gideon better than Gideon knew himself. He has BIG plans for Gideon but Gideons eyes were blinded with fear, doubt, worldly views and his own beliefs not GODS. Our perception of ourselves is usually small, limited and keeps us from progressing in the kingdom. Fear Doubt , discouragement are the strongholds in our lives that hold us back and limit us from being who we really are in Christ and achieving our purpose. HIS word says that We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. HE who is in us greater that he who is in the world. Can you imagine if we and Gideon would trust and believe in Gods word over us and stand in faith and fight all the "goliaths" in our lives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violet Posted January 21, 2003 Report Share Posted January 21, 2003 God saw Gideon as a mighty warrior while he viewed himself as a nobody and a nothing. This was Gideon's genuine perception of himself. God's perspective was and in always right and He does choose to work with the nobodies and nothings to bring His own glory! Our perspective of ourselves from a humanistic view may deter us from what God has called us to if we fail to understand that it is God in us who will do a task.This may deny us opportunities to experience God's potential in ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debs4jc Posted January 21, 2003 Report Share Posted January 21, 2003 How did God see Gideon? (6:12) How did Gideon see himself? (6:15). Whose self-perception is most accurate? How can our own self-perception prevent us from becoming what God has made us to be? God saw Gideon as the mighty warrior that he would become. Gideon saw himself as someone trapped by his circumstances--as the least important person in the least important clan of Israel. I wonder if that is what other people had called him as in insult. I can imagine years of being taunted by such a remark which would have resulted in Gideon coming to see himself that way. Of course God's perception is most accurate. Our own self perception can keep us trapped in the mindset that we will never be able to do great things for God. Praise God, He can replace that mindset with His perceptions and free us from that trap. He want us to become the "mighty warriors" He created us to be, not the defeated prisoners that Satan and the world want us to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted January 22, 2003 Report Share Posted January 22, 2003 Gods answer to Gideons self image was "I WILL BE WITH YOU AND YOU WILL STRIKE DOWN ALL THE MIDIANITES" It applies to our lives because if we trust God enough to "BE WITH US" no matter how we perceive, see or face the mountain, we can be overcomers, and "do all things through Christ who strengthens us" Lord I love you. Lord help me see myself through your eyes and reach for your purpose and will over my life. Help me rid fear and doubt out of my heart and learn to trust and obey you totally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted January 22, 2003 Report Share Posted January 22, 2003 Gods answer to Gideons self image was "I WILL BE WITH YOU AND YOU WILL STRIKE DOWN ALL THE MIDIANITES" It applies to our lives because if we trust God enough to "BE WITH US" no matter how we perceive, see or face the mountain, we can be overcomers, and "do all things through Christ who strengthens us" Lord I love you. Lord help me see myself through your eyes and reach for your purpose and will over my life. Help me rid fear and doubt out of my heart and learn to trust and obey you totally. In Jesus Name Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debs4jc Posted January 22, 2003 Report Share Posted January 22, 2003 What is God's answer to Gideon's self-image? (6:16) Does this spiritual principle apply to our lives as Christians? Can you recall any New Testament passages that teach the same principle? What is an appropriate prayer to pray in light of what God has taught you from this passage? God's anwer is to tell Gideon that He will be with Him and that Gideon WILL triumph over the Midianites. God keeps focusing on what Gideon will be and what He will do, keeping Gideon from focusing on who he has been and what he has done. Of course this applies to our lives as well. We are citizens of heaven and God already can see us as the glorious creations He is transforming us into. I greatly enjoyed reading all of your posts, all the comments and scriptures shared were so uplifting. Here is one to add: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able to subdue all things to Himself." Col. 3: 20-21. Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for the favor you have shown me in choosing me to be your child. Help me to see myself as you see me and be bolder because of it. Help me also to see my brothers and sisters in the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmetsgar Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 God saw the potential in Gideon to be a "mighty warrior" , his potential due to God being with him to proceed into his task. He did not see Gideon's inadequacies because he knew he would be able to do anything asked as long as he went with God. Gideon believed he was not able to be a warrior, he was inadequate and weak. God's perception is correct because he knows the outcome before it starts. We cannot listen to our own voices about our lack of abilities or the circumstances that we are surrounded by. We must listen to God in order to have the complete potential to be "mighty warriors" and overcome the circumstances that we are in. God sees no weaknesses in us .... but he does see the capabilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 God saw Gideon as He knew he could be (calling things as though they were). Gideon could only view himself based on his perception of his circumstances. Only a couple of things about this. As humans, I think we all tend to look at ourselves based on our circumstances (the physical and emotional conditions that we perceive) quite a bit of the time. When we do this, then we are only confirming the circumstances and perception and not pulling ourselves out of the situation and declaring the inheritance that God has told us is ours based on our convenant with God. I know that when I do this, it affirms that I trust in what I can sense (which is always changing) rather than what I believe (which is eternal). I'm trying to get better at kicking this habit and moving forward in God's vision of myself rather than my own perception which only limits me. The other thing I wanted to share is a quote I heard from Tony Campanolo, a Christian speaker from Eastern College in the U.S. He noted that we tend to perceive ourselves in the light of the responses from whoever is most important in our lives. For example, if a Mother is close to and supportive of her child and is the most important individual in the child's life, the child will perceive themselves in terms of how the Mother perceives him, regardless of how any other person perceives him. The question Tony asked was....who is the most important person in your life? This is the person who will shape the perception of yourself. If we keep God as the most important person in our lives, we will automatically align ourselves with His views and standards (isn't it great the way He created us???!!!) Just some food for thought. God Bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 GOD SAW GIDEON AS HE WOULD BE WITH HIM TO GUIDE AND DIRECT HIM. WE TEND TO SEE OURSELVES WITH ALL OUR FLAWS AND IMPERFECTIONS. WE THEN BECOME PARALYZED IN OUR USEFULNESS TO THE KINGDOM AND GOD'S PURPOSES FOR OUR LIVES. WHEN WE SEE OURSELVES AS GOD SEES US, WE CAN BECOME PROSPEROUS FOR THE KINGDOM. THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS WANTS US TO SEE OURSELVES AS WITH NO VALUE. Amen to that! Totally agree that this is the very way that the devil keeps trying to distract us and keep us less than effective against HIM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda biloni Posted January 26, 2003 Report Share Posted January 26, 2003 God's answwer is that Gideon will overcome the Midianites because He will be with him. If we remember that God is with us, we can see our way through the obstacles that confront us. 1 JOHN 4:4 You, dear children are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater then the one who is in the world. God, I pray for the wisdom to know your will in my life, and I pray that my faith will be strong enough to stay on the path of your will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda biloni Posted January 26, 2003 Report Share Posted January 26, 2003 God saw Gideon as a warrior. Gideon saw himself as a weak, lowly person. Considering Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press because of his fear of the Midianites, and his doubting character, I'd have to say Gideon's perception is the most accurate at the moment. When we listen to the words of our mind, we hinder our ability to listen to God speaking to our heart. This makes it hard to accomplish God's will because our mind and our spirit are in conflict. Therefore, pray for God to speak to our hearts and keep the enemy from using our mind against us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjcollin Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 How did God see Gideon? (6:12) How did Gideon see himself? (6:15). Whose self-perception is most accurate? How can our own self-perception prevent us from becoming what God has made us to be?see exposition. God saw Gideon as a mighty warrior which he eventually would become. Gideon saw himself as a weak nobody as he was the last child and in the weakest clan of his tribe. God's perception is always most accurate because He has foresight knowledge that we do not have. If our own self-perception causes us to be fearful or to not walk in God's plans for us then we are in bondage and need to be released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjcollin Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 What is God's answer to Gideon's self-image? (6:16) Does this spiritual principle apply to our lives as Christians? Can you recall any New Testament passages that teach the same principle? What is an appropriate prayer to pray in light of what God has taught you from this passage? God's answer to Gideon's self-image is "I will be with you". Yes, this spiritual principle does apply to our lives as Christians today. These same words are spoken as Jesus' last words on earth before He leaves, from the Great Commission. Matthew 28:20 "... I am with you always, even to the end of the age." This idea is also present in NT teaching about the Holy Spirit. John 14:16-17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." An appropriate prayer in light of what God has taught me from this passage: God please help me to discern your voice and act to obey what You will speak to me. Thank you that as Gideon found out Your thoughts toward us are higher than our own thoughts toward ourselves, and thank you that your promise of 'I will be with you' is still available for us today. Help us to hear, trust, and obey what You have for us. In Jesus name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDrew Posted February 7, 2003 Report Share Posted February 7, 2003 I would not say anthing different than Diane (jan 25th post) As long as we see ourselves through human eyes we will not see the potential that God sees. We need to look to Him, and then back again at ourselves through Him to be able to see what could be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeM Posted February 9, 2003 Report Share Posted February 9, 2003 God saw Gideon as a mighty warrior. Gideon saw himself as the least in his family. God's perceptions are accurate. Our self perceptions can prevent us just like Gideon. Gideon saw himself as weak and fearful. We all struggle with things that "MAN" and the world have put into our minds. Such as lazy, shy, weird, stupid, and many other things that have been afflicted by others. Those words and our own self perceptions mingle together, creating in ourselves that those words are true. Because of this, we tend to be fearful, insecure, angry and more destructive things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeM Posted February 9, 2003 Report Share Posted February 9, 2003 Gods answer to Gideon self image is that God sees Gideon destroying the Midianites in one battle, but with the strength of the Lord. Yes this does apply to our lives as Christians, because we fight a battle everyday with ourselves and with the evil one. An appropriate prayer: Lord God, you have shown me through this lesson that you are with me in every battle I encounter. Lord, I ask that you take away the fear and any other form of bondage that blinds me to the path that you have created just for me. Bring out in me the characteristics that make me uniquely yours. And as you bring these out, let me be a candle to those who are in the dark, because I believe that you put deep inside of me, the ability to reach others for you!! I ask this in the Precious Name of Jesus, AMEN!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDrew Posted February 9, 2003 Report Share Posted February 9, 2003 When Gideon says how can I.....he is once again forgetting that God is with him. We forget more often than we remember. I have seen this week how the Lord is indeed with us, a family tragedy has indeed opened my eyes and shown me that MY God is very near. His strength is the only strength to rely on and my prayer is to 'draw me closer Lord' Teach me to look to you before I look elsewhere even into myself.' God made us and HE know our strengths and weaknesses and will not ask what we cannot do. Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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