From Judges 7:9-18.

Fear and complacency always bring us back. We know the fear. We know the situation we find ourselves in. Getting out is an unknown.

And we like the oppressive known rather than the free unknown.

We get excited about Gideon’s 300 men defeating the major army. Yet, do you know Gideon still had fear the night of the victory?

God told Gideon he had something to show him in the enemy camp. God told him, “If you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp” (Judges 7:10-11).

So Gideon left his camp to spy.

Come on…you would be scared too! You had 300 men. They had 10’s of thousands of the most wicked, bad, nasty people who ever walked on the face of the earth. Do not think you’d play it tough and not go down to see what secret God had for you!

While Gideon still had fear, he did take the step to go see what God wanted to show him.

When God starts to prune, it’s easy to give up just short. Pruning hurts. We do not know how long it will last. When we face our difficulties, we think we won’t have what it takes to fight the battle and find freedom. We feel like 300 facing 10’s of thousands.

God will give us everything we need for the mission.

You don’t know how.
You don’t know when.
You don’t know where.

But if you’re inside a Hear & Follow relationship, God will show you what you need, when you need it, where you need it to finish what God started.

I’ve been Gideon on the cusp of God doing something great. And yet, I didn’t go spy. I told God the known fear is better than the unknown. I didn’t find freedom because I feared the step.

You may find yourself in the same exact spot. You know the battle is coming. You know you could come up short. The known fear is better than the unknown tomorrow. You know if you find victory, freedom will come. Yet, that next step is a doozie.

Step out like Gideon. He had fear, but he wanted to see what God had for him. Keep praying. Keep following. God will give you what you need, when you need it, right where you need it to finish what God started.