Don’t Bypass the Altar
Author: Bob Shafer
Judges 6:25-32
"And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down" (Judges 6:26).
The same day the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he gave him instructions to tear down the altar his father had built and build a new altar to the Lord. People often skip over this and go straight to Gideon’s great victory over the Midianites, but rebuilding the altar to the Lord was a very important detail.
An altar is where we worship. This symbolized Gideon forsaking all other forms of worship and committing himself to God alone. This was no small deal! The townspeople would kill Gideon for it, which is why he built the altar at night. He knew the risk he was taking, and his actions showed a total commitment to the Lord. Gideon was willing to follow God even unto death.
Our faith and victories come out of relationship with the Lord. Failure to maintain intimacy with Him is the biggest reason for defeat in battle. Before God could really use Gideon, He needed him to be committed and focused on Him.
Notice God didn’t have Gideon tear down the altar before calling him. God’s gifts and callings are independent of our performance. The Lord has never called anyone because they were worthy. But once the call comes, we will never succeed apart from an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.
Are you trying to bypass the altar and go straight to the battle? That’s not God’s way. Remove anything that takes away from your devotion to the Lord, and then you will be ready to meet all the challenges of your day.
[Editor's comment: Bob Shafer is a friend of mine who resides in King Fisher, Oklahoma. I have traveled through that small city several times on my way to Vance Air Force Base, and Enid, Oklahoma. Bob has great compassion for people, and God has used him to minister healing to many people through the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Bob is gifted with the spirit of laughter, and whenever I am with him or talking with him over the phone it is not long before we start laughing. I love to laugh, but don't do it often enough. I am grateful for Bob's ministry in word in our newsletter.]
Author: Bob Shafer
Judges 6:25-32
"And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down" (Judges 6:26).
The same day the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he gave him instructions to tear down the altar his father had built and build a new altar to the Lord. People often skip over this and go straight to Gideon’s great victory over the Midianites, but rebuilding the altar to the Lord was a very important detail.
An altar is where we worship. This symbolized Gideon forsaking all other forms of worship and committing himself to God alone. This was no small deal! The townspeople would kill Gideon for it, which is why he built the altar at night. He knew the risk he was taking, and his actions showed a total commitment to the Lord. Gideon was willing to follow God even unto death.
Our faith and victories come out of relationship with the Lord. Failure to maintain intimacy with Him is the biggest reason for defeat in battle. Before God could really use Gideon, He needed him to be committed and focused on Him.
Notice God didn’t have Gideon tear down the altar before calling him. God’s gifts and callings are independent of our performance. The Lord has never called anyone because they were worthy. But once the call comes, we will never succeed apart from an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.
Are you trying to bypass the altar and go straight to the battle? That’s not God’s way. Remove anything that takes away from your devotion to the Lord, and then you will be ready to meet all the challenges of your day.
[Editor's comment: Bob Shafer is a friend of mine who resides in King Fisher, Oklahoma. I have traveled through that small city several times on my way to Vance Air Force Base, and Enid, Oklahoma. Bob has great compassion for people, and God has used him to minister healing to many people through the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Bob is gifted with the spirit of laughter, and whenever I am with him or talking with him over the phone it is not long before we start laughing. I love to laugh, but don't do it often enough. I am grateful for Bob's ministry in word in our newsletter.]