Standing Up Against Evil

Judges 6:27

So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him.

Gideon is a heroic figure in the stories of the Old Testament but he started out a coward. While his story ends with him leading a 300 man army that routed the enemies of Israel, when the angel of the Lord came to announce that God had chosen him and was giving him a mission, he was hiding below ground trying to conceal his grain harvest from roving bands of marauders who would perpetually steal from him and his neighbors.

Once he was convinced that he should accept this commission from the Lord, he was instructed to tear down the false idol on his father’s property, an altar that was used by the locals to sacrifice to the false god Baal and the demon goddess Asherah.

The Jewish people had entered the promised land but over the years had allowed themselves to fall in step with the rest of the world. They were worshiping the true God one day a week and the false gods on another. This brought a generational curse on his family giving Satan a stronghold to conduct spiritual war in their lives.

And that’s what he does in our lives too. He wants us to give in to just a little sin here and little sin there which invites demonic forces to oppress us. They want to sew strife in our relationships, distract us with lusting after our flesh, and tempt us to believe lies from the father of lies, Satan himself.

When Gideon finally committed himself to obey God’s instructions, he did not want anyone to see him so he snuck in by night with 10 men to help him. The next morning the neighbors, who were demonic cult worshippers, were livid and threatened to kill him.

When we oppose the way the world thinks and stand up for God’s righteousness, we can expect the enemy to stir up opposition to try and get us to back down. But the Bible says (verse 34) that the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon. He was anointed with power to defeat the evil that was against him.

You and I don’t have to wait for the Spirit to visit us because we have Him inside us continually ready to equip us for any task.

Do you have demonic forces preying on you because you hold on to a habit or pattern that the world worships? You need to tear them down today and get them out of your house.

Some may be obvious like that statue of Buddha or books on Eastern religious meditation that were given to you by a friend years ago. Throw them out. But others are more subtle like the television shows you have been watching that fuel your flesh in ways you know are not pleasing to the Lord.

Have you decided to make Jesus Christ the Lord over all the areas of your life?

Take a stand now. Go to a quiet place and ask the Lord to show you if there are things you need to tear down today. Ask Him for the strength to stand up to that evil and do what He says is right.

God blessed Gideon because he obeyed and He promises the same for you.