Open Heaven Now

Ps David Jones

Sunday Morning’s message 3rd of August 2025

citywestchurch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22yQww8sdGo

Gideon (Judges 6)

Judges 6:25-26 "That same night the Lord said to him [Gideon], “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”

God calls Gideon during a time when Israel is trapped in fear and idolatry. Gideon feels weak and unsure, yet God sees a mighty warrior in him. His first task? Tear down the altar of Baal and build a proper altar to the Lord. This moment of obedience marks a turning point for Gideon—and it can for us too.

Many of us need a fresh start—personally, spiritually, even in our families or communities. Like Gideon, we may feel unqualified or fearful, but God's call is clear. He invites us to tear down anything that opposes His reign and make room for His presence.

Tear Down Worldly Desires

1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

Gideon lived in a culture deeply influenced by pagan worship and compromise. The altars to Baal and Asherah weren’t just religious symbols—they represented desires, pleasures, and powers that stood in direct opposition to God. Today, we may not have literal altars, but the world still offers substitutes for God’s presence. Are we willing to confront and remove them?

Discuss:

• In what ways do “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life” show up in our culture?

• How do we know if we’re loving the world more than loving God?

• How can we be in the world but not shaped by its values?

  
  

Tear Down Fear

Judges 6:27 "So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime."

Fear is one of the most common and crippling barriers to obedience. Even after a encounter with the angel of the Lord, Gideon still felt afraid. His obedience was real—but it was cautious, hidden in the dark of night. Many believers today know what God is asking of them, but fear of rejection, conflict, or being misunderstood holds them back.

God didn’t rebuke Gideon for being afraid; He worked with his hesitancy and still used him powerfully. But the call is clear: fear must not have the final say. Obedience, even when trembling, is still obedience. But over time, the Lord wants to build courage in us, the more we know who we are in Christ, the more fear loses its grip.

Discuss:

• How can a church community help someone struggling with fear?

• What truths about God help you overcome fear?

• What steps can you take to tear down fear in your life?

  
  

Do Not Let Your Past Define Your Future

Judges 6:26 NIV (repeated)“Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God... using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”

God doesn’t just tell Gideon to destroy the old—He tells him to use it as fuel for worship. What a picture of redemption, our past doesn’t need to define us but it can be surrendered and transformed into something holy. Offering both our past and our future to God is a powerful act of devotion.

Discuss:

• What does it mean to offer your future to God?

• How might your story be used to honour God and encourage others?

  
  

Conclusion

2 Corinthians 3:18 "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

After Gideon tore down the old altar and built a new one, something shifted—not just in his village, but in him. Transformation always begins with surrender. This verse in 2 Corinthians reminds us that the Christian life is not static; it is a continual process of being shaped into the image of Christ. As we look to God— His nature, His Word, His Spirit—we begin to reflect what we see and the more clearly His glory is revealed in and through us.

This transformation isn’t instant, but it is “ever-increasing”. It grows in stages. For Gideon, it started in a winepress and moved to leadership of a nation. For us, it might start with a private decision, a quiet act of obedience, or a moment of conviction—but God always sees where it will lead. And He is committed to completing the work.

Discussion Questions:

• Where in your life have you seen God begin to transform you?

• How can we create space for the Spirit to continue His work of transformation?

• What does it mean to you to “contemplate the Lord’s glory”?