God’s Suit of Clothes
From Judges 6:15-16 we read, “And he (Gideon)said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
GOD’S SUIT OF CLOTHES! Pressure. Ever felt it? In sports, I’m amazed at those who can step up in a pressure moment and sink the winning putt. What about in a nail biting football game where a field goal will win it on the final play? Then the kicker walks out on the field and kicks the winning field goal. That takes nerves of steel. Or, what about the guy making the winning free throws in the closing seconds of a basketball game? It’s like he has water in his veins! Have you ever felt great pressure to try to live the Christian life? Have you ever felt great pressure to be the person God wants you to be? Have you ever felt great pressure to knock one out of the park for Jesus as you teach or preach or witness or sing or serve in His name? Have you ever wilted under the pressure, and then beat yourself up for failing?
MY FIRST SERMON. Talk about wilting under pressure! It’s was my first ever sermon (if you wanna call it that). My pastor asked me to preach for him while he was away. I nervously agreed to do it. My mom told me not to worry. She said, “The moment you stand up to speak, the Lord will give you the words!” I trusted my mom! So I believed when I stood up to share with that small Wednesday evening crowd, God would literally put the words in my mouth. The day came. I got up to speak. I read my text, I prayed and then expectantly waited for, like my mom said, the words to just suddenly start flowing into my mind. But nothing happened! My mind went blank. I remember thinking, “Ok Lord, I’m ready..give me the words!” But no words came! I remember sweating bullets and thinking, “Boy is it sure is hot in here!” My first “sermon” lasted two minutes! I went home, knelt by my bed crying and prayed, “Lord, You made a complete fool out of me! I’ll never do this preaching stuff again!” Later the Lord showed me this important verse, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
GIDEON, YOU THE MAN! Israel had been invaded, conquered and were in bondage to the Midianites. In answer to His people’s cry, the Lord appeared unto Gideon and told him He wanted to use him to deliver Israel. Gideon is stunned. He questions the Lord and argued, “There is no way I can do this, Lord! I am a nothing nobody from a family of nothing nobodies. I don’t have what it takes to deliver Israel. I can’t make the putt, kick the field goal, sink the free throws or deliver a sermon. I am not up to the task and can’t take the pressure.” And in our verses first today God replied, “I know YOU can’t, but I will be with you and will enable you.” The Bible tells us in Judges 6:34 that “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon.” Literally, it says that God clothed Himself with Gideon. He wore Gideon like a suit, and delivered Israel through him. God did it through him! The results were not dependent on Gideon, they were dependent on God. You see, the pressure is gone when God shows up and does it through us!
A SUIT OF CLOTHES FOR GOD TO WEAR. Just as God clothed Himself with Gideon, He wants to clothe Himself with you. God wants to do amazing and miraculous things THROUGH you! The best ability is simple availability. As Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). Perhaps you are trying so hard to do this, that and the other, thinking it all depends on you. Perhaps you are starting to crack under the pressure of trying to be the perfect spouse, the perfect parent, the perfect boss, the perfect employee, the perfect pastor or deacon. A tell tale sign that YOU are trying to do it on your own is anger, frustration and irritability. Do you see those things leaking out of your life more and more frequently? Jesus said, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Listen, your only real job is to present yourself to the Lord as an empty vessel for Him to fill. You don’t have to do it all yourself. He will do it through you, if you let Him.
PRAY A PRAYER LIKE THIS TODAY…
Dear God, I have been trying so hard, when I really just need to be trusting. I don’t have what it takes to do what You want me to do. So, I humbly ask You to wear me today like a suit of clothes. I surrender to You and claim the truth that the pressure is off and the power is on. Today is going to be a great day of victory as You, Lord Jesus, live your life through me. In Jesus’ name. Amen! Think it over…