Fleece…testing
Judges 6:36-40 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said–“look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said t God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said to him “It is written again. ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'”
Luke 4:12 Jesus answered, “It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
The sermon preached the day I grasped onto the Lord was in Judges 6:36-40. And for the first several years, I would seek validation to WHATEVER I thought I was being directed to do. But I was a child of mistrust, I must say.
I’d already made many mistakes and no longer trusted myself to make decisions. Many of the mistakes were costly, and then involved my children. So I couldn’t afford to make mistakes which could affect them.
I lived for signs, for validation. Judges 6:17 says, Then he said to Him, “If I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign, that it is You who talk with me.” Because at the time, I did not know enough to do my own research and seek the knowledge of His words and promises, I sought signs, a way to know until my spirit developed a “hearing system” for Him. And I lived like that, as an infant Christian for years; because I couldn’t trust myself and had to be sure of His direction before moving ahead. So, instead of growing in my relationship and developing into more of the person He wanted me to be, I was fairly stagnant.
Everyone who knew me well knew I sought signs, and when I got answers through this manner, I told everyone to prove I had moved ahead because God had “justified” through a sign, answered the ‘fleece.’ Thankfully, I have grown from having to be constantly guided in such manner. I know the guidance is in His words, but more importantly with the relationship which has deepened over the years, so I more clearly recognize His voice.
I’ve said before that I am unsure if my occasional bouts of unease are because God is trying to prevent me from some wrong move on my part, or is Satan trying to make me anxious, nervous, and tell me lies attacking me. And when those periods of unease and uncertainty come, I immediately seek God, and ask for His direction. God is not a God of unease, and will answer your concerns. So if I am not reassured when asking, I know it is from the Liar—and then can immediately send him packing, denying his lies, and quoting scripture. And the unease fades until his next attack. I have weapons of God’s promises, words, all imprinted in my mind and I am armed therefore and am able to face Satan in a fight. And win. . . because I know the lifesaving words from scripture.
I now have my own verses tucked into my heart and mind and they are easily retrieved when the deceiver lies and tries to force me to make a misstep. I am so fortunate that I’ve grown from questioning everything and looking for a ‘sign’ to validating through His word and my prayers. Now my heart recognizes God’s directions and approval much easier than my first years walking with Him.
I continue to read His words, to study His promises and savor and imprint them deeper and deeper into my mind. It is important to me and my well being to learn more, delve deeper, spot all these things that I missed on previous readings….because they were not the most important part of my life need at that time. It amazes me how often I have read the bible through, but still spot thoughts, promises, commands whatever, that I have missed previously, but now stand out as those in BOLD AND ITALIC lettering. God is so awesome giving us what we need when we need it, and taking us deeper when the time is right. It’s an amazing book filled with promises, reassurances, directions, comfort, guidance, and love. There is lots and lots of love.
Thank You for being there steadily, continually and comfortingly. You are my Rock for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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