Opening

• Have you ever been afraid to do something but did it even though you were afraid? [Allow for responses] How were you able to have the courage to do what you needed to do?
• In our Bible story today, God asked a young man named Gideon to do something he was afraid to try. Listen to hear how God helped Gideon have courage.

Bible Story

• The Israelites had disobeyed God and were being ruled by another king. This was not God’s perfect plan for His people, but His people had disobeyed Him. The country that ruled over them destroyed their crops and took their cattle and sheep. The people had become very poor and were living in the caves of the mountains to protect themselves. The Israelites prayed and asked for help. Even though they had disobeyed, God loved them and wanted to help.

•  God’s helper would be a young man named Gideon. One day Gideon was outside his home working. Gideon was the youngest boy in his family. An angel of the Lord came and said to Gideon, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” The angel told him to go and deliver Israel from the enemy, but Gideon did not feel like a warrior at all. He felt afraid. He told the angel he was the youngest of his family and he could not go. The angel told Gideon that God would be with him and he would be able to defeat the enemy.

• Gideon obeyed, and God helped him to gather an army, but the army was bigger than God thought it should be. God told Gideon to send anyone home who might be too afraid. Lots of men went home.

•  After that, Gideon thought God was ready for them to go to battle, but then God told him he still had too many soldiers. He asked Gideon to take the men to the river to get water. Some men bent down and drank water right from the river; others got some water in their hands and drank it from their hands as a dog would drink water with its tongue.

• God told Gideon to take only those men who drank from their hands. There were only 300! Gideon was really frightened. How could he win a battle with only 300 men? The enemy had hundreds and hundreds of soldiers. God helped Gideon to not be afraid. He assured him that he would win the battle.

• What did God have in mind? Gideon and his men would circle the enemy camp during the night carrying torches, jars, and trumpets. When Gideon gave the command, they would blow their trumpets, break their jars, lift their torches, and then shout as loud as they could.

• When they did these things, the noise and lights confused the men in the enemy camp so much that they started fighting each other! The Israelites won the battle! God gave Gideon courage, and God caused his army to win. The soldiers did not even bring a sword.

• In today’s Bible story, the battle was not won by Gideon’s or his army’s strength or might, but by God’s power. God wanted Gideon to know He was his strength and power. Gideon could have courage because God was with him.

Questions

1. Why were God’s people in trouble?
2. How was the king treating the Israelites?
3. How did Gideon feel when the angel asked him to fight the enemy
4. What was one way God gave Gideon courage?
5. How did God help His people win the battle?