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Our text today is Judges 6:11–12.

Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” — Judges 6:11-12

Gideon is hiding. Not from some small threat, but from the Midianite army that’s been stripping Israel bare for seven years. He’s threshing wheat in a winepress — a pit designed for crushing grapes, not for separating grain. It’s cramped, awkward, and inefficient… but it’s safe and secure from their Midianties oppressors.

And that’s where God shows up. The angel of the LORD greets him, not with a rebuke, but with a declaration: “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

God finds him in a hidden place and calls him to frontline ministry, even giving him a new name and identity — a mighty man of valor.

Fear results in retreat. It convinces us to settle for survival instead of stepping into spiritual opportunities God is putting in front of us. For Gideon, it was a literal enemy outside the caves and outside the pits. For us, it might be the fear of failure, rejection, loss, or inadequacy.

Hiding feels safe, but it’s not always where God wants you to remain. He doesn’t call his people to stay in the winepress. He calls them to step into the places where his strength will meet their insecurities and deficiencies.

God might be calling you out right now — into a conversation you’ve been avoiding, a ministry you feel unqualified for, or a bold act of obedience that scares you. If you wait until you feel brave, you’ll never move. But if you step out in faith, you might discover God has already equipped you for the fight. Which is exactly what happens in Gideon's story.

ASK THIS:

1. Where are you hiding right now — spiritually, emotionally, or relationally?
2. What big opportunity might God be calling you into that fear is holding you back from?
3. How could believing “The LORD is with you” change your next step?
4. What would it take for you to leave your “winepress” and step into the open?

DO THIS:

Identify one opportunity you’ve been avoiding because of fear. Pray over it today, and then take one small but concrete step toward it — even if it’s just telling someone you trust.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, thank You for calling me out of my hiding places. Help me see the opportunities You’re putting before me and give me the courage to step into them, knowing You are with me. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Do It Again."