Mighty Men and Women of Valor

God has called all of us to be mighty men and women of valor. This calling is not based on what we are capable of—it is based on who God is. If we are going to be mighty men and women of valor, we need to know what that means. And then it is our choice whether we will step into that calling or not.

The Calling

The most famous person in the Bible who was called a mighty man of valor was Gideon. At our first glimpse of Gideon, he was sitting under a tree, and the angel of the LORD appeared and called him a mighty man of valor. Interestingly, the angel called him this before he had done anything brave or bold; he had simply been threshing wheat. At the time, the oppression from the Midianites was so great that the Israelites were hiding for their protection.

¹¹And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. ¹²And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. Judges 6:11-12 KJV

The Response

Gideon’s response to God calling him a mighty man of valor was to argue. First, he pointed out the trouble they were currently in, and then, he questioned why God had not yet saved them.

¹³And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. Judges 6:13 KJV

But God’s answer was interesting—instead of defending why He had not delivered them, He charged Gideon to go out and save Israel from the Midianites. Gideon further protested by saying that their family was poor and he was the least in his family. And again, God encouraged him.

¹⁴And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? ¹⁵And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. ¹⁶And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. Judges 6:14-16 KJV

Prophetically Mighty

Honestly, I can understand why Gideon did not feel like a mighty man of valor. He was not at the top of any strength list, nor had he accomplished anything militarily. Instead, God called him while in a winepress where he was hiding. Gideon had no proof behind why God was calling him a mighty warrior or to save Israel. He had done nothing significant. God prophetically called Gideon a mighty man of valor before he ever did anything.

How often do we do this in our own lives? Do we evaluate what God has called us to do by what we can see or how we feel? Do we listen to all the reasons why we are not who God says we are? And what does it mean to be a mighty man or woman of valor anyway?

The Meaning of Valor

When we dig deeper into the word valor, it means strength, power, and might. Strength speaks of withstanding great force or pressure without quitting. Might is a great and impressive power, but not necessarily physical strength; it could be internal strength. Valor indicates efficiency and ability, and abundant wealth and supplies. It also means an attribute of energy or strength, as in action. In other words, it is not passivity but moving forward and being engaged.

In the United States, the highest military award for valor is called the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is awarded to service members who distinguish themselves by risking their lives above the call of duty. As Believers, we have a similar calling, but it is not a fight against flesh and blood. For us, it might look like overcoming and continuing to fight the devil and not running from the fight because we think we might lose.

Making a Shift

In verse 22, Gideon finally realizes he is speaking to an angel of the LORD, and he builds an altar unto the LORD and calls it Jehovah-Shalom. Somehow, he made a shift in his thinking. He still had not done anything yet, but he finally realized what could happen when God joined his life. Then, his response was to build an altar of peace.

²²And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. ²³And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. ²⁴Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Judges 6:22-24 KJV

Eventually, Gideon defeated the entire Midian army with only 300 men and some lamps and trumpets. He grew into the mighty warrior God called him, not because of his ability but because he knew God was with him. He trusted God’s plan and did not stop when it seemed insurmountable or that the enemy was great. He was brave when the odds were against him. Gideon became what God had spoken over him—a mighty man of valor—not because of himself but because God was inside him.

We are Mighty Men and Women of Valor

God has called each of us to be mighty men and women of valor. Thankfully, this calling is not based on what we are capable of or who we feel we are. We are mighty men and women of valor based on who God is. When we go up against giants in our lives, we can have peace that God goes before us. I encourage all of us to be brave when the odds are stacked against us. We must be courageous to stand for what we need to, fearless because we know Father God has our back, and strong in His Word to accomplish the task at hand. It is our choice to be God’s mighty men and women of valor and not listen to anything that says otherwise.

Blessings,