When have you faced an obstacle or setback that felt impossible or overwhelming?
Gideon felt overwhelmed but God told him to ‘Go in the strength you have and save
Israel’. Gideon had no strength in himself. In your own words, what did God mean?
Judges 6:34 says ‘the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon’. The ESV says ‘The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon’. He had the strength of God’s Spirit available. So do we. Why do we often look to and rely on our strength instead of God’s Spirit?
The Hebrew word for ‘clothed’ is labash = ‘the everyday act of putting on a garment.’ Being clothed with the Spirit enables us to function and to act in ways which are outside of our normal human patterns and capacity. What is something you are facing where you need to be clothed with His Spirit? Why do you think you feel that need?
Read Colossians 3:12-14. Paul exhorts us to ‘clothe’ ourselves with different virtues.
Pick one of these virtues that doesn’t come easily for you. How might it look different if you could live that virtue empowered by the Spirit instead of effort or will power?
Read Hebrews 11:32-34 Being “clothed with the Spirit of the Lord” doesn’t mean we never feel afraid or overwhelmed. Instead, it means that even if we are afraid or feel overwhelmed, we can still move forward in faith to take action. Which pleases God.
How has God helped you take action when you felt overwhelmed or paralyzed?