“And the Lord said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.’” Jud 6:16

We cannot serve the Lord effectively without confidence. The enemy knows this too, so of course he also attacks us in this vital area. We have to know this and resist him, and learn this simple lesson from Gideon in order to stay and stand strong in our callings.

There are several keys here, but let me just highlight a few:

1. Gideon heard what the Lord said about him. He said he was a “man of valor!” We are constantly tempted to see ourselves through our own eyes, and judge ourselves on the basis of our weaknesses or the areas in our lives where we are vulnerable. Though Gideon was far from perfect, the Lord chose him because he saw something amazing in him. God has not chosen you by accident or mistake, and if the Angel of the Lord was to appear to you today, he may well call you a man (or woman) of valor too. It is up to you to believe what HE says about you.

2. “Have I not sent you?” Great question. God COULD have sent many others more “qualified”, talented, even “spiritual”. The fact that He did not speaks volumes of how He thinks of you. Answering this question with a “YES!” (and not just a “yes”) is critical to your confidence quotient. It is worth spending some moments on your knees until you can get this settled.

3. “Surely I will be with you”. Check it out, ALL the people God uses throughout the Word hear this promise spoken personally to them. Have you heard it for you? Because if you have, if you know that God will be right by your side, that He will not leave you or forsake you, your confidence level has just gone through the roof. The fact that he adds “surely” seals it. This is a word of finality, like absolutely or without a doubt. Hebrews 6:14 calls it a swear word. I know, you thought God doesn’t swear, right?! For Him, swearing means He will do it not matter what.  Heb 6:15 says it is “an oath for confirmation…and end of all dispute.”

4. The promise of victory. In battles there are ebbs and flows. In life there are highs and lows. Sometimes we feel strong, at other times weak. Knowing the outcome, having that assurance that our victory is a done deal, causes us to walk tall with our heads high and to press through difficulties and not to give up even when there are setbacks. Before Gideon even lifted a sword, he had heard God say “you shall defeat the Midianites as one man”. By the strength of this promise, Gideon exuded confidence even when God had shrunk his army down to 300 men to face the Midianite hordes.

Beloved, now is a good time to do a heart check. How is your confidence quotient? Are you hearing what the Lord is saying about you, or are you listening to the voice which constantly reminds you of your flaws and defeats? Take some moments to affirm His call and His presence in your life, and watch the confidence meter rise some more. Finally, take up a pen and write down His personal promise of victory to you. You might start with “I know I will be victorious because…” As you confirm it in writing, you are giving another boost to your confidence, deepening and broadening the foundation for standing tall under your feet.

Confidence. If you lack it, go back and lock it in by these few simple steps. The time it takes to raise your confidence quotient could not be time better spent.

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble…” 2 Peter 1:10