Wake up!
Photo Credit: Getty
Our oldest son Kedar, who’s fifteen, loves to set his alarm daily and convince himself he’s going to get up at a certain time and shut it off. But every morning, without fail, the alarm blares and he lies in bed, sound asleep, until someone calls him multiple times in a row.
This morning, that task fell to me.
“Kedar!” I called repeatedly, until finally, he was stirred awake. “Turn your alarm off.”
The alarm he sets requires specific tasks or codes to disarm it. He’ll have to work out a math equation, take a picture of something specific in the house, or do some other strange task. The purpose of that is to force some level of mental engagement in the morning. Kedar set his digital alarm up this way to help him wake up.
I think, at this point, it’s safe to say that doesn’t quite work. No matter the task or sound, his brain does not wake up. He has set the alarm to mimic various sounds like bells, sirens, music, bazookas… you name it.
Still nothing. He stays asleep.
Today, as I stood in the doorway of his room, I chuckled to myself watching him look back at me with red eyes and a blank stare, unsuccessfully trying to process what I was saying. I must have had to tell him to turn the alarm off five times in a row before his mind caught up to my words.
Isn’t it funny how your eyes can be open but you’re not fully awake; you can be looking at someone or something and yet not see? Your brain can truly fail to process images, words and sounds. It’s the funniest thing.
In my book, God Did it, I talk about a man in the Bible who could not process a message and failed to see something that was clearly right in front of him. His name was Gideon. He wasn’t conscious of the power he possessed through God to defeat his enemies. The Lord had to tell him and show him multiple times and in various ways before he got it.
When the Angel of the Lord first addressed Gideon as a mighty man of valor and told him God was going to use him to save Israel out of the hand of the Midianites in Judges 6, he basically looked back blankly and confusedly. Like Kedar, whose mind isn’t awake in the morning, Gideon was in a haze brought on by doubt, fear and intimidation.
Gideon, whose name means “cutter” or “cutter of trees,” was ordinary in every sense of the word. His family wasn’t esteemed. His tribe, Manasseh, wasn’t formidable. He was a coward. And yet, God called him.
How could that be?
“God sees and knows things about you that you don’t see and know about yourself. He is aware of the amazing future, great blessings and grand harvest you will reap if you don’t faint and give up! ”
Blinded by his feelings of smallness and unworthiness, he was hiding out from the enemy. So Gideon replied, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15, NKJV).
This poor guy was so down on himself and had such poor self-image that he could not wrap his mind around the fact that God commanded little old him to save Israel. Gideon asked God for several signs and God was merciful enough to prove Himself, even though the Lord didn’t have to do that.
Finally, after much back and forth, God got Gideon to fight, but not before reducing his army of 32,000 men down to 300.
By doing something like that, which didn’t make much sense in the natural, God was waking Gideon up to a spiritual principle: physical strength, numbers and prowess are not necessary to win the battle when the Lord is fighting for you!
With only those chosen 300, Gideon and the Israelites went up against the Midianites, blew rams’ horns, shouted, broke jars, and just like that, God sent the enemy running. They didn’t even have to fight.
Friend, through this biblical example today, wake up your courage. Wake up your confidence in God. Wake up your memory and reflect on how He has defeated the enemy before and will do it again. When you reflect, although you may be going through some tough things, your mind and spirit will be alert. You’ll be well aware that the enemy is no match for the great God you serve.
You’ll dry those tears, square those shoulders, lift up your head, stand tall and be assured that the battle is already won. When you’re staring at those bills, you’ll remember that God is a provider. When you’re faced with the negative doctor’s report, you’ll recall that God is a healer. When your children are rebellious and acting up, you’ll declare that God is a deliverer. When a loved one goes astray, you’ll say that God is yet a redeemer. When you can’t seem to get things off the ground and nothing is lining up, you’ll exercise the authority you have to speak over your situation.
It’s so important to stay alert. Remain on guard. Keep your heart and mind fixed on the word of God. It will remind you that every battle is already won for you.
To reiterate this truth, I’m stirring a portion of 2 Chronicles 20:17 NLT into your cup of inspiration, which says, “But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD's victory. He is with you…”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, also remember that Romans 8:37 says, in all these things, you are more than a conqueror through Christ.
Whatever comes against you, don’t worry. Why? Because God is for you.
If you internalize this word, your mind will be awake and your heart will remain alert to the fact that the Lord has made you victorious. The fight is already fixed. You don’t need to be stressed, worried, doubtful or anxiety-ridden.
God has it all under control and He’s already worked it out in your favor.
Now let’s pray.
God, thank You for opening my eyes today and awakening my spirit to the truth—that You are for me and no weapon formed against me shall prosper! I will meditate on Your word and rest in Your promises, knowing full well that You are with me, fighting for me and securing victory for me at every turn. I am more than a conqueror through You, because You are greater than whatever I’m facing. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
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