June 28th, 2026
By: Tabitha White
This entire year, I have seen the words “all in” over and over again! From the theme of our kids crusade to the NextGen conference that Gabi and I attended to sermons in youth, I have seen the phrase constantly! God has been reminding us and having us challenge our students and team to commit to being fully “all in” this year!
If we are making a list of people in the Bible that were “all in” for running after God, we probably wouldn’t think of Gideon at the beginning of Judges 6. Judges 6:1 says, “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.” The Midianites were constantly cruel and stole their crops and cattle, to the point that the Israelites faced starvation!
That’s where we pick up the story of Gideon. Judges 6:11 tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon while he was hiding in a winepress.
We think of people that follow after Jesus as being bold and ready to face whatever the devil tries to throw at them…but that wasn’t the case for Gideon. He was in a winepress threshing wheat for his family. In Biblical times, a person would thresh wheat on an elevated platform, so that the wind could blow away what they didn’t want. Instead, Gideon was hiding from the Midianites…and while he was hiding the angel said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” (Judges 6:12)
The angel didn’t see Gideon as he was - hiding from the enemy - instead, he saw Gideon as the person he was created to be. In fact, the angel tells Gideon, “Go with the strength that you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” (Judges 6:14) Gideon wasn’t asked to go on his own to rescue Israel. No, he was being sent in God’s strength that Gideon didn’t realize was already placed inside him!!
Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Gideon had to feel like he was at one of the weakest points in his life, but God was with him! After God confirmed that He was truly sending Gideon, Gideon became the mighty warrior that he was created to be. Later in Judges 7, Gideon defeats the entire Midianite army with only 300 men!
So, what is God asking you to do with the strength that He has placed in your life?
Is He asking you to share a story of His faithfulness with a co-worker or neighbor? Is He asking you to boldly pray for a family member that has turned away from Christ? Or, is He asking you to take a step into a calling that feels much too big or scary?
No matter what He is asking, I want to encourage you! God will give you the strength that you need for the assignment He has placed on your life, and as Paul reminded us, “For when I am weak, then I am strong!” Take the step, make the phone call, pray the prayer! No matter what He is asking, go “all in” for following after God and walk in the strength that He is placing in your life!
This entire year, I have seen the words “all in” over and over again! From the theme of our kids crusade to the NextGen conference that Gabi and I attended to sermons in youth, I have seen the phrase constantly! God has been reminding us and having us challenge our students and team to commit to being fully “all in” this year!
If we are making a list of people in the Bible that were “all in” for running after God, we probably wouldn’t think of Gideon at the beginning of Judges 6. Judges 6:1 says, “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.” The Midianites were constantly cruel and stole their crops and cattle, to the point that the Israelites faced starvation!
That’s where we pick up the story of Gideon. Judges 6:11 tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon while he was hiding in a winepress.
We think of people that follow after Jesus as being bold and ready to face whatever the devil tries to throw at them…but that wasn’t the case for Gideon. He was in a winepress threshing wheat for his family. In Biblical times, a person would thresh wheat on an elevated platform, so that the wind could blow away what they didn’t want. Instead, Gideon was hiding from the Midianites…and while he was hiding the angel said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” (Judges 6:12)
The angel didn’t see Gideon as he was - hiding from the enemy - instead, he saw Gideon as the person he was created to be. In fact, the angel tells Gideon, “Go with the strength that you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” (Judges 6:14) Gideon wasn’t asked to go on his own to rescue Israel. No, he was being sent in God’s strength that Gideon didn’t realize was already placed inside him!!
Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Gideon had to feel like he was at one of the weakest points in his life, but God was with him! After God confirmed that He was truly sending Gideon, Gideon became the mighty warrior that he was created to be. Later in Judges 7, Gideon defeats the entire Midianite army with only 300 men!
So, what is God asking you to do with the strength that He has placed in your life?
Is He asking you to share a story of His faithfulness with a co-worker or neighbor? Is He asking you to boldly pray for a family member that has turned away from Christ? Or, is He asking you to take a step into a calling that feels much too big or scary?
No matter what He is asking, I want to encourage you! God will give you the strength that you need for the assignment He has placed on your life, and as Paul reminded us, “For when I am weak, then I am strong!” Take the step, make the phone call, pray the prayer! No matter what He is asking, go “all in” for following after God and walk in the strength that He is placing in your life!
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