Encourage One Another
Jun 8, 2018 15:54:05 GMT -6
Post by Gene Whitehurst on Jun 8, 2018 15:54:05 GMT -6
“But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp…” (Judges 7:10)
Gideon: Purah, may I speak to you privately?
Purah: Yes sir, Gideon, what can I do for my commander?
Gideon: Our Almighty God has asked me to walk down into the camp of the enemy tonight – and afterward, He has promised to strengthen me for battle. Further, the Lord said that if I am afraid to go into the enemy’s camp, to ask Purah to go with me. Well, I hate to admit it as the commander of this army, but I am afraid to go.
Purah: Sir, why me? Why would you want me to go with you?
Gideon: Well, actually, it was the Lord that specifically chose you to go with me if I am afraid to go alone.
Purah: May I speak freely sir?
Gideon: Yes, Purah.
Purah: Yes, absolutely, I will go with you. And that means that there will be three of us: You, me, and the Almighty God who has said that He will go with us and further, He will go before us. And He has given you the promise of victory in this battle.
Gideon: Yes, I know. Most of my soldiers think that I am an assured, confident, fearless, and godly leader. They have a high opinion of me. Yet, I know that I’m fearful to do what God has asked of me.
Purah: Gideon, God has a high opinion of you! He has called you a valiant warrior. You have demonstrated valiant leadership and courage. And God has promised the enemy into your hands!
Gideon: Thank you young man, but today, in this moment, I am fearful to walk down into the enemy camp – I know many of them will be awake and I don’t want to be seen and captured.
Purah: Then let us go into the enemy’s camp. As we walk in the night, we can encourage one another.
“But encourage one another day by day, as long as it is still called Today”…. (Heb 3:13)
Be that Purah for someone today. The Lord may have specifically chosen you, a Purah, a virtually unknown servant, to be the one to come alongside the one that everyone sees as the confident champion - and encourage that one. Or perhaps you are the Purah today for your wife or husband or child or friend. Be Purah and encourage!
And if you are the Gideon in this story, then don’t be fearful to share your worries and fears that you are going through. Tell a friend your fears.
In a very stressful and difficult moment for our Lord, He asked his companions to remain with Him. He didn’t ask them to speak or solve problems. He asked for them to stay with Him – just be there. Sometimes just being present with a friend, with little or no conversation, is a way to help one through a trial.
“And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” (Matt 26:37-38)
Gene Whitehurst
Gideon: Purah, may I speak to you privately?
Purah: Yes sir, Gideon, what can I do for my commander?
Gideon: Our Almighty God has asked me to walk down into the camp of the enemy tonight – and afterward, He has promised to strengthen me for battle. Further, the Lord said that if I am afraid to go into the enemy’s camp, to ask Purah to go with me. Well, I hate to admit it as the commander of this army, but I am afraid to go.
Purah: Sir, why me? Why would you want me to go with you?
Gideon: Well, actually, it was the Lord that specifically chose you to go with me if I am afraid to go alone.
Purah: May I speak freely sir?
Gideon: Yes, Purah.
Purah: Yes, absolutely, I will go with you. And that means that there will be three of us: You, me, and the Almighty God who has said that He will go with us and further, He will go before us. And He has given you the promise of victory in this battle.
Gideon: Yes, I know. Most of my soldiers think that I am an assured, confident, fearless, and godly leader. They have a high opinion of me. Yet, I know that I’m fearful to do what God has asked of me.
Purah: Gideon, God has a high opinion of you! He has called you a valiant warrior. You have demonstrated valiant leadership and courage. And God has promised the enemy into your hands!
Gideon: Thank you young man, but today, in this moment, I am fearful to walk down into the enemy camp – I know many of them will be awake and I don’t want to be seen and captured.
Purah: Then let us go into the enemy’s camp. As we walk in the night, we can encourage one another.
“But encourage one another day by day, as long as it is still called Today”…. (Heb 3:13)
Be that Purah for someone today. The Lord may have specifically chosen you, a Purah, a virtually unknown servant, to be the one to come alongside the one that everyone sees as the confident champion - and encourage that one. Or perhaps you are the Purah today for your wife or husband or child or friend. Be Purah and encourage!
And if you are the Gideon in this story, then don’t be fearful to share your worries and fears that you are going through. Tell a friend your fears.
In a very stressful and difficult moment for our Lord, He asked his companions to remain with Him. He didn’t ask them to speak or solve problems. He asked for them to stay with Him – just be there. Sometimes just being present with a friend, with little or no conversation, is a way to help one through a trial.
“And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” (Matt 26:37-38)
Gene Whitehurst