How You Are Known in Heaven

Gideon was a man easy to overlook. In the book of Judges we learn the history of Israel when it was under oppression from surrounding nations, suffering from frequent raids. These raids were the consequences of turning their backs on God for years, but finally, the people were beginning to call out to Him for deliverance. God heard them and picked Gideon to lead His people to freedom in battle.

Gideon, from the smallest tribe, was a man of no reputation and not much backbone. His story begins with him hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat, and generally remaining out of sight of anyone who might see the little bit of food he had and steal it. This is the scene unfolding on earth as an angel steps through the veil from Heaven into the physical realm.

The angel sees Gideon, hiding, worried, and a bit frantic as he tries to scrape enough wheat together for his family without getting himself killed. The angel greets him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” (Judges 6)

How encouraging is that? He didn’t address Gideon by his current situation, or the fact he was hiding and scared. He knew him by a different name, one that called him up into identity and forward into destiny. Gideon was not alone. God was with him. He was not weak and helpless; he was mighty. And he was expected to fight and win the victor. He was a warrior.

When Heaven looks upon your life, I want you to know that God is not using your current circumstances, your fear, or your hiding to define you. Heaven knows you by a different name, and if a messenger of God stepped into your room right now, I daresay they would have an entirely different name than you expect.