The Not-So-Hidden Practice That Changes Everything: Giving
1. Before the victory came, he gave.
Don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.” He answered, “I will stay here until you return.” Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with a basket of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel, who was under the great tree. Judges 6:18-19 NLT
Gideon brought:
A sacrifice that cost him (goat)
Purity (unleavened bread)
Daily provision (flour)
Completeness (broth)
Urgency (haste)
Privacy (under a tree)
The fire fell after the offering was laid down.
The angel of God said to him, “Place the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour the broth over it.” And Gideon did as he was told. Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and bread with the tip of the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed all he had brought. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. Judges 6:20-21 NLT
2. Gideon’s Victories After He Gave
Moral Victory — He Tore Down His Father’s Idol
Spiritual Empowerment — The Spirit of the Lord Came Upon Him
So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon... Judges 6:34 NAS
Leadership Authority — He Summoned an Army
He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them. Judges 6:35 NIV
He blows the trumpet — tribes gather.
Faith Refinement — God Reduced the Army
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Judges 7:2
From 32,000 to 300.
Strategic Victory — 300 Defeat 135,000
When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Judges 7:22
Not by sword strength — by obedience.
3. The Bible reveals levels of giving.
Generosity grows in maturity.
Level 1: Give Something
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
Level 2: Give Regularly
Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. 1 Corinthians 16:2 MSG
Level 3: Tithe (10%)
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. Malachi 3:10 ESV
Level 4: Tithe + Offerings
...whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 ESV
Level 5: Leverage Your Life: Tithe plus planned offerings.
...I thought I should try to get the brothers to visit you ahead of time. They will finish the plans for the large gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a gift that is freely given. It will not be given by force. 2 Corinthians 9:5 NlrV
I appeal to you...to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 ESV
Just take a step..
Giving is not strategy. It’s surrender.