“The worst thing that can happen to us is to get a call a day or two before the Derby and not be prepared. So we trained. Against all odds. Nobody thought we could get in.”

The Enemy doesn’t need to invent new lies… he just keeps replaying the old ones until we believe them.

Andy Stanley calls it “living in the land of -er.”

Bett-er, Rich-er, Thinn-er, Smart-er, Pretti-er, Fast-er, Funni-er.
And we just… don’t measure up.

“Satan doesn’t need to make you fall into a big sin. He just needs to surround you with enough noise and pressure that you constantly feel like you’re not enough, and you’ll bench yourself.”
-Sean Kelly's Notes

Which one of these do you feel most often?

2. God has already given you more than you think.

That word “turned” comes from the Hebrew word "panah"

“Go… with the strength you have.”

Faith is not the absence of fear. It’s obedience in the presence of it.

3. God working through you depends less on you than you think.

It’s not about your ability. It’s about your dependency.

Here’s what they get:
· A trumpet
· A jar
· A torch

Gideon didn’t win because he was powerful. He won because he was obedient.

If God is reducing your resources, it might be because He’s increasing your dependence.

Gideon’s weakness didn’t disqualify him… it positioned him.

God doesn’t need your strength… He wants your surrender.

Will you stay in the winepress… or will you step into the calling?

Action Steps for this Week:


Here are 3 action steps you can begin thinking through this week:

1. Name the lie that’s been holding you back and replace it with what God says is true.

Think about the voice that’s been keeping you sidelined. Maybe it’s criticism you’ve carried, comparison that’s consumed you, or insecurity that’s made you feel disqualified. Write it down, and then write a truth from Scripture beside it. (Examples: Judges 6:12, 2 Peter 1:3, Galatians 6:4)

Want To Go Deeper?
Try reading Judges 6 this week with a pen in hand… circle what God says to Gideon and imagine He’s saying it to you.

2. Take one step “in the strength you have.”

Don’t wait to feel ready. Don’t wait to be fearless. Just take one obedient step… serve somewhere, talk to someone about your faith, join a group, or sign up for something you’ve been avoiding. The strength you have right now is enough when God is with you.

Key reminder from the message:
God doesn’t need your strength. He wants your surrender.

3. Start every day this week by praying: “God, I’ll go where You send me today.”

Simple. Bold. Dangerous in the best way. He may nudge you to encourage someone, confess something, offer help, or share your story. Obedience begins with availability.

Don’t want to forget:
Put it on your mirror, Make it your phone wallpaper, Set an alarm on your smart phone, Write it on your hand if you have to.