Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.”
Judges 6:23
When Gideon was confronted with burnt food and a vanishing visitor (Judges 6:21), it suddenly occurred to him that he had spoken with an angel. He was sure he was doomed because he had seen an angel of the Lord face to face (Judges 6:22). His not-so-valiant moments continued as he bewailed his fate to the Lord, completely forgetting that the angel had just told him that God had something for him to do. How would that happen if he fell down dead because he saw an angel?
Spiritual High to Down in the Dumps
Sometimes when we have a calling from the Lord, we give in to fear or doubt. Even if the Lord’s call on our lives is still ringing loudly in our ears, we can look at events or circumstances around us and be convinced that we are doomed. We take fright at getting out of our comfort zone or getting out of control. We have not-so-valiant moments as we listen to the lies of the enemy or our own fearful thoughts and suddenly, we go from a spiritual high after being with the Lord to being down in the dumps. The Lord’s calling looks impossible. 
Letting Go of Our Not-So-Valiant Moments
The Lord was merciful to Gideon. He reassured His fearful servant that he would not die. And He reassures us, too. He tells us that we can do this huge, scary, or uncomfortable thing that He has called us to do. It looks impossible from where we are standing, but He confirms that we can do it. His call to us includes His direction to get out of the pit and become the mighty man or woman of valour that He can see in us. He tells us to let go of our not-so-valiant moments and take hold of the strength and courage that He is offering us.
Gideon took courage from the Lord’s reassurance. And that night, when the Lord told him that his father’s altar to Baal had to go, he obeyed straight away. He took ten servants and they worked through the night to tear down the altar, cut down the grove surrounding it, and replace it with an altar to the Lord. Gideon wanted to do it at night because he feared the reaction from the men of the town and his father’s house.
Gideon had good reason to be afraid. When the men of the town saw what he had done to Baal’s altar, they wanted to kill him. But his father told them that Baal could look after himself and they left Gideon alone.
Tearing Down Idol Altars
When God tells us to tear down an idol’s altar, even if it is in our own lives, the enemy is not happy. He is furious at losing the territory that we reclaim for the Lord. Our interference poses a threat to his dominion. He rises up to stop us through fear, intimidation, threats, adverse circumstances, or constant spiritual attack. When we persist in fulfilling our calling, he wants us to believe that we are doomed. He tries to tell us that our not-so-valiant moments are our reality and we can never succeed.
But when God calls us to work for Him, He is not going to allow the enemy to overcome us. Gideon’s father stepped in with an argument that the men of the city could not refute.
“Baal is a god, isn’t he? Why should we defend him? Let him take revenge for his own altar!”
His words were effective. They turned the men of the city aside from their purpose of putting Gideon to death. God often steps in to save His servants from what appears to be certain failure or destruction. When He is with them, their not-so-valiant moments turn into victories for Him.
God Looks for Willing Servants
One thing that stands out in the story of Gideon is his relationship with God. He communicates freely with the Lord. God speaks to him in conversational dialogue, and this tells us that they have had a well-established relationship prior to the opening of the story recorded in the Bible. This is what God looks for in a servant to liberate His people from their enemies – someone who is willing to listen and obey.
We might think that we have nothing to offer God. But all He asks for is open ears, a surrendered heart, and willingness to obey. He will help us to conquer our fears and doubts and protect us from Satan’s determination to stop us. He can turn our not-so-valiant moments into complete triumph. When He calls us to do something for Him, He will give us what we need to do it.