This is an incredible segment from a book we're currently in the middle of by Bill Johnson. It's from Chapter 4 called A Presence that Empowers.
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... Sometimes the best place to go to get encouraged is the enemy's camp. That's where the two spies (of the 12 sent by Moses to get a look at the promised land which also happened to be an enemy's land) got their encouragement, and they refused to allow the fearful ten to feed them their fear. And now this is where God sent Gideon, the fearful one. It almost seems like divine humor—if you're afraid, go to the one you're afraid of. As he did, he heard that one of them had a dream, which the other interpreted as being about Gideon wiping them out (see Judg. 7:13-14). That indeed encouraged him.
THE ULTIMATE PICTURE
The story goes on to report that Gideon and his men did exactly that. They beat the Midianites and restored Israel to a place of strength and out from under the abuse of surrounding nations. It's a wonderful story. But in the middle of this miracle is a most unusual verse. "So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon" (Judg. 6:34). That would be good enough just as it is. But it really says so much more. The word "came upon" actually means to put on, wear, clothe, be clothed. In the footnotes of my study Bible it says, "In Hebrew this literally means 'The Spirit of the Lord clothed Himself with Gideon.'" Stunning! God is clothed with Gideon. I can't think of any picture of the Spirit-filled life that more accurately describes my heart more than this one: God put Gideon on like a glove.
Here is the picture: The Presence of God is hosted by a person so significantly that He actually lives through them. It's not cancelling out who they are. It's capturing it to the fullest, immersed in divine influence. It is as though their personality, their gifts and demeanor are all being expressed through God living in them. Most importantly, here is another grace moment. Gideon had received favor that brought the enabling Presence of God into His life to empower him to do what was impossible for him to do.
From some, this would imply that it's all Jesus and none of us. I don't believe that. There's no question that He is the determining factor in any significant situation. But we sometimes get an unhealthy view of our lives and our own place in His plan. I've heard so many pray, "None of me, all of You!" It's a noble prayer. I'm sure it comes out of a desire to not have our selfishness exert any influence on the outcome of things. But shouldn't our righteousness have an effect on the outcome of things if He has in fact made us so? God had none of us before we were created. He didn't like it. That's why He made us.
It's not as though we don't matter and only Jesus matters. Many take John the Baptist's prayer as a model, "He must increase but I must decrease" (John 3:30). That is actually not a legal prayer for us. John was closing out a season as the greatest Old Testament prophet. He was passing the baton on to Jesus who would initiate the existence of the Kingdom of God on earth. The focus was shifting from John and the Law to Jesus and the Kingdom. John had to decrease. Jesus had to increase. But when Jesus left the earth He didn't say we were to decrease. Instead He passed that same baton on to us with His Name, power, and authority and commissioned us to continue in what He started. "As the Father has sent me, I also send you" (John 20:21). What is needed is not less of us and more of Him. What is needed is all of us covered and filled by all of Him!
There's no question Jesus is the answer. But He won't do it without us. That has been His plan from the beginning. So we need to think consistently with His ways, pray according to His promises, and live according to His provision and be put on like a glove-again.
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