And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
– Judges 6:15–16
This is the story of Gideon. A man who was weak in every way and knew his weakness. God called him to deliver God’s people. This question that Gideon asks is one we’ve seen already at different points in the Old Testament. Who am I? God, how can I do this? Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? He says my family is weak ,and I am the weakest in my family.
Judges 6:15–16 teaches us that God’s presence overcomes our weakness.
Do you ever feel like that? Do you ever feel like you can’t do what God is calling you to do?
If so, well, I have a couple words of encouragement. One, you’re in good company. All throughout God’s Word, we see God using weak people to do his work. The other piece of encouragement is that it’s good to have a proper view of yourself and your weaknesses. You and I need to see that, yes, apart from God, we can do nothing. So it’s good to recognize our weakness and, at the same time, not stop there. Hear verse 16: “the Lord said to him, but I will be with you”. Notice God doesn’t say, “No, Gideon, you’re so strong. You can totally do this. You have all these gifts and skills”. He doesn’t say that. He says, “Yes, you’re weak, but I will be with you, and that will make all the difference”. And I just want to encourage you with that today.
One, see your weakness. See yourself on a long line of weak people whom God has put in positions where when you realize your weakness, he says, “I’m with you. And that’s all that matters”. For when God is with you, then you have supernatural strength, peace, wisdom, and help to do all that God calls you to do. Oh God, I pray this over every single person listening right now.
Judges 6:15–16 shows that God equips those He calls.
One, I pray for those who don’t feel their weakness. That they would realize their weakness apart from you. And God for all who find themselves in positions in their lives and circumstances where they feel like “God, I can’t do this”. I pray that they would indeed realize, yes, that’s true. They can’t do this on their own. But they don’t have to do it on their own. Whatever you are calling them to do, you promise to give them everything they need to do it all flowing from your presence with them.
God, I pray that reality over them, even right now, especially those who are going through hard times, difficulties, challenges, even things that seem impossible, that they would know that because you are with them, they are able to do the impossible. Whatever you call them to do, you will help them to do. Oh God, I pray this, and we pray this together over brothers and sisters around the world who are on the front lines of reaching unreached people with the gospel. They can’t do this on their own.
Prayer for the Bosniak People
So, as we pray for unreached people today, for the Bosniak people of Bosnia, Herzegovina, and surrounding areas in Eastern Europe… God, we pray for this people group of over 3 million men, women, and children. This Muslim people group that they would be reached with the gospel. Please, oh God. And we pray that you would give your strength and your help and your power to the brothers and sisters who are among that people group, the few believers there are others from outside that people group.
God, for your church to buy your strength and your power with us to make the gospel known among the Bosniak and all kinds of other people groups like them so that they might know the Lord who is with them. Jesus, we praise you for the promise you gave to us right after the Great Commission. To go and make disciples of all nations for your promise that you will be with us always to the end of the age. Help us to live today in light of the reality that you, the Lord, are with us and will enable us to do all you call us to do. We pray all of this according to your Word in Judges 6:15–16. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
