*THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE AGENCY OF MAN II.* _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 NIV)._ Good evening dear friend. Leading people while walking by faith or following a leader who is walking by faith often requires a whole different level of courage. This we know about Gideon's story which we began to consider yesterday. Those 300 men who eventually fought alongside Gideon were right there when 22,000 men walked away because they were afraid. They were also there when God disqualified 9,700 people because of how they drank water. I wonder if any of them began to doubt their life choices when they realized that the battle they thought they were going to fight with thousands of men had become a suicide mission. I wonder if any of them would have desperately wished they had drank water differently or that they had walked away when they had the chance. But you see, those 300 men must have recognized _"the grace upon their leader"_ and bought into his vision. They may not have had the full picture but they trusted that it was God leading Gideon and they chose to follow. Today, I want to invite you to think about the kind of leader or follower that you are. Are you like Gideon who trusted the Lord wholeheartedly not just for his own safety but for the safety of those he led. Can the people who follow you see that you have a relationship with God, hear Him clearly and are fully surrendered to being led by Him? As a follower, are you a quitter when the going gets tough or do you trust the vision God has given to the people He has chosen to lead you? Do you question your leader at every turn or despise their God-given plan for executing their vision? Can you be trusted to go the extra mile in following someone else and helping them to fulfill God's purpose for their lives? In the pursuit of God's purpose for our lives, knowing, trusting and obeying God are crucial both when we are called to lead from the front and from behind. *Pray by faith with me thus:* "Lord, help me to trust you wholeheartedly and to always say Yes as You lead me in the direction of Your purpose for my life." Amen. *Keypoint:* To be effective in the pursuit of God's purpose for our lives, we must commit to trusting God not only when we lead people but also when we are called to follow. _______________ #justpurposedaily ©AimPurpose IfeOluwa 🗓 May 14, 2025 https://bit.ly/hi-aimpurpose