“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour…And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he [Gideon] said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
Judges 6:12, 14 &15
Have you ever felt like Gideon…that you are the least of those around you? That you are ordinary, unimportant and nothing special? If so, you are in good company. Time and again in scripture, God used those who appeared to be the least of the least to do mighty exploits for Him. This way, God gets all the glory.
Too many people judge by the outward appearance of a man, or woman. However, the scriptures say that God judges the heart. A great example of this is when God told the prophet Samuel to go to Jesse’s house to anoint a new king over Israel. When he arrived, Jesse brought all of his sons before Samuel, except one, his youngest son David. What must have Jesse thought of David to leave him out? He brought seven other sons before Samuel, but didn’t even consider calling David. Even when Samuel asked Jesse if these were all his children, Jesse responded by acknowledging David, but dismissing him as just a keeper of the sheep (a job considered menial at the time). Samuel had to insist that Jesse call for David in order for Jesse to finally send for him. Of course, we know the story; Samuel anointed David King over all of Israel. It took years for the prophecy to be fulfilled, but David never forgot it. He never gave up, no matter what opposition he faced; no matter how small the enemy tried to make him feel.
The same is true of Joseph. God gave Joseph a dream of greatness. However, his brothers despised him for it. He ended up as a slave and then imprisoned for many years. In the natural, it would look like he was the least likely candidate to be used by God mightily. Yet, he never gave up on the dream God gave him. He continued to believe and trust despite all odds. Finally, literally overnight, he became the most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh.
Moses was called by God to save his people when he was eighty years old and an unknown shepherd. In addition, he did not like to speak and told the Lord in Exodus 4:10: “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” He didn’t see himself the way God saw him. He only saw his own shortcomings and as a result actually asked God to send someone else. The LORD was not pleased with this and made it clear that he had chosen Moses to be His representative. He showed Moses that HE Himself, the Great I AM would be with him. Even with all this, Moses was still too embarrassed about his speech so the Lord agreed to allow his brother Aaron to speak on His behalf, alongside Moses. We all know what happened through Moses, as he was used by God to deliver God’s people with outstanding signs and wonders.
We of course remember Ruth who was an extremely poor widow. Through her love of God and faithfulness to her mother in law, she earned the favor of a wealthy farmer. Ruth went from an unknown poor widow to a forefather of King David and of course of Jesus Christ. There is also Rahab the prostitute who was also in the lineage of Christ for her faithfulness to turn from false God’s to the one true God and helped Israel to defeat their first major city when taking the promise land.
Time and again God used the least of society, the outcasts and forgotten, the seemingly ordinary to do mighty exploits.
1 Corinthians 1:26 & 27 says: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”
Think of the twelve disciples Jesus called: fishermen, tax collectors and many others. He didn’t call the great intellectual minds of the time, or even the religious leaders who where highly regarded in society and in the temple. Jesus didn’t look on the outside, He looked at the heart. He said in John 7:24 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Thankfully these men were willing to believe God over and above what others said and thought about them.
Never call yourself ordinary when the extraordinary one dwells on the inside of you. Once you receive Jesus as your Lord and savior, you are born again, you are become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, creator of all the Universe comes into your heart to dwell on the inside of you. You now suddenly become a King and Priest in His Kingdom. You are now Royalty! In fact, Jesus said of you in Luke 7:28: “For I say unto you. Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Meditate on that for a moment. Let it sink in. We see the accounts of these great men and women of faith throughout the Old Testament where God used them to do mighty exploits for him. Outstanding signs and wonders went forth by God through them. Yet, God says the least in the kingdom of God is greater than these. We are now in the Kingdom of God by our faith in Jesus Christ. God has translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son! Just think what He can do through us if we allow Him!
Yet, the enemy doesn’t want you to get the revelation of this in your heart. He wants you to continue to think you are too old, too young, too poor, and too ordinary to be used by God. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy, trying to make you feel small and insignificant. Psalm 37:11 says: “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” When you are humble and teachable, you are in the perfect position to be exalted. 2 Peter 5:6 says: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
God has placed desires in your heart that He intends to fulfill. Do not ignore them, even if you don’t know how it could possibly come to pass. Don’t worry about how God will do it; just trust that He will bring it to pass just as HE promised. He says in Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
Finally, if you are wealthy and gifted and have notability, that doesn’t mean you have to become poor in order to be used mightily by God. No, God will use whoever is willing to be used. God is no respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of faith! Therefore, whether rich or poor, notable or unknown, trust God, have faith and watch God work mightily in your life!
1 Samuel 16:7 & 10
“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart….Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither: And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”
Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
Revelation 1:6
“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 5:10
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 & 21
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new…For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
1 Peter 2:9
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
Colossians 1:13
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: IN whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins…”
Luke 17:20-21
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or; lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Luke 18:27
“And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Psalm 37:4
“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Psalm 113:7-8
“He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.”
Psalm 119:46
“I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.”
Psalm 40:1-4
“I WAITED patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear; and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
