Come Out of Hiding: What Gideon’s Story Teaches Us About Breaking Generational Strongholds
“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
Judges 6:12
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord says your days of playing it safe are over. Like Gideon and the Israelites, the Midianites have wreaked havoc on your life for far too long. For seven long years, the enemy has stolen all the harvest the Lord Jesus helped you produce.
Every time you tried to take one step forward, every time healing started to take root, something came to tear it all down. But God saw it all—and He’s saying enough is enough.
It’s time to arise, beloved.
It’s time to come out of that hole. You have what it takes. With God on your side, no weapon against you shall prosper.
Gideon wasn’t just facing external oppression—he was dealing with two battles at once. Yes, Israel had suffered under the enemy’s hand for seven long years. But on a deeper level, Gideon was also confronting a bloodline issue—a generational stronghold within his own family. And remarkably, the Lord addressed both battles through this unlikely, rising leader.
As we step into April, it’s time to flourish. That’s the word I heard in my dream last night: flourish, flourish, flourish.
However, first we must address what has been holding you back.
THERE WILL BE AN END TO YOUR OPPRESSIVE STATE
When we find God’s people in Judges 6, they were in a traumatized state because “the power of Midian was so oppressive.”
Every time the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites came and destroyed the harvest. This wasn’t a one-time trial—this happened over and over for seven years.
Seven years of destruction. Seven years of fear.
Seven years of hiding in survival mode.
Let’s be honest—trauma changes a person.
When you live in survival mode for too long, your soul starts to forget what safety feels like. You don’t just feel tired—you feel humiliated, unstable, and insecure.
God’s people were literally on the run. They were spiritually, emotionally and physically depleted.
And maybe this sounds like your story.
You’ve seen God move. You’ve tasted breakthrough. But just when things begin to shift, here comes the enemy—again.
You take one step forward, and two back. It starts to feel like nothing will ever change.
But hear me: that cycle is breaking. Victory is coming.
GOD RESPONDS
In their desperation, the Israelites finally cried out to the Lord.
And God, rich in mercy, sent a prophet with a word to bring truth.
Here’s the thing: when we go through very real, repeated trauma, it starts to cloud our faith. In this state, our relationship with Christ starts to feel distant. We stop praying and lose hope. Fear becomes our default response instead of faith. But the moment the Israelites turned back to the Lord, He responded.
God wastes no time when His children cry out in truth. He is a Father who loves us so very much and is an ever-present help in times of trouble.
The prophet reminded them of everything God had already done. He also revealed the source of their oppression:
“I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not listened to me” (Judges 6:10).
The issue wasn’t just the enemy—it was about compromise. And compromise still costs us today.
While we may not bow to carved statues, we often hold on to things He’s asked us to release:
People from our past who no longer walk in the light.
Family members we try to help but they continue to cause harm and destruction.
Memories, mindsets, and soul ties that quietly sabotage our forward momentum.
Living with the mindset of the culture and society around us.
Obedience is the pathway to freedom. We must follow the Lord’s instructions and do exactly what He says even when it’s hard.
Jesus wants to help you, but it will require great courage.
A SHIFT IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE
LIKE GIDEON, THE LORD JESUS IS ABOUT TO SPEAK TO YOUR IDENTITY FIRST
Gideon was a child of God—but by his own words, he was the least in his family. He didn’t come from a long line of prophets, warriors or leaders. He wasn’t the obvious choice. In fact, he considered himself an outcast.
Some of you can relate. Maybe you’ve felt like the black sheep in your family, the one no one expected to rise. You aren’t the favorite one. You aren’t the most qualified on paper. But still—God picked you.
He sees something in you that others have overlooked. Just like Gideon, you are God’s choice. But to step into your assignment and reclaim what the enemy has stolen, you’ll have to do what Gideon did—put your faith into action.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he didn’t dwell on Gideon’s pain, his failure, or his fears. He didn’t even mention the oppression Gideon had lived under for years.
Instead, God called him by a new name:
“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” —Judges 6:12
God spoke identity and purpose to a man who was still hiding.
Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress—a sunken place meant for crushing grapes. He should have been out in the open, on higher ground, doing the work in boldness.
But fear drove him into hiding.
Shame drove him into silence.
Oppression drove him underground.
PROPHETIC IMPLICATIONS
TO OVERCOME, YOU HAVE TO FIRST TEAR DOWN SYSTEMS
In Judges 6, the word used for “oppression” refers to an intense crushing and suffocating pressure that left the Israelites in fear, survival mode, and constant instability. There’s no peace in this state.
Yet it’s from the squeezing, that God’s wine is about to start flowing in your life. In fact, long-suffering is a fruit of the spirit.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord knows exactly what happened to you.
He saw who tried to silence you—those who were supposed to protect you but instead contributed to your trauma. He knows the weight of betrayal, the pain of abandonment, and the sorrow inflicted by the very people who should have protected you. The pain they have caused has never gone unnoticed by our Savior.
God hears every slanderous word spoken in secret. He saw the false accusations meant to destroy your name. He knows how those words pierced deeper than knives and how their impact made you question your identity and your worth.
But here’s the prophetic truth: your pain has not disqualified you—it's prepared you.
Just like Gideon, before you rise as a warrior, there’s a holy call to first tear down the altars—starting with your father’s house.
“That night the Lord said to him, ‘Take your father’s bull... Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.’” (Judges 6:25)
Gideon obeyed—but he did it at night. Why?
Even though Gideon had a clear word from the Lord, he was still afraid to challenge family structures (Judges 6:27).
And yet, he still did it.
This is such a beautiful reminder: obedience doesn’t always look bold—we just have to do our best to break free. God never shamed Gideon for doing it at night. He honored the obedience and used it to break the first layer of spiritual bondage.
And maybe that’s where you are right now.
You’re being called to break generational cycles, to speak truth in places where silence has reigned for years, to dismantle spiritual altars that have kept your family bound in addiction, codependency, fear, gossip, slander, lies, idolatry, abuse, sexual perversion and other dysfunction. Please understand that if you’re the chain-breaker in your family line, people will not like it when you start speaking the truth. DO IT ANYWAY. Bloodline issues always have the most resistance.
Remember, you’re fighting for the children that come after you!
YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT, MIGHTY WARRIOR!
Healing won’t come by hiding anymore. You must walk with confidence into your future and help others through what you’ve experienced.
This is the moment where bold obedience births breakthrough.
God is not only healing the wounds of your past—He’s using you to rebuild the future.
Just like Gideon, you are stepping into your identity as a mighty warrior.
It’s very important that you speak the TRUTH at this hour. What you endured will bring healing to others.
The seventh year is ending.
The cycle of oppression, silence, and hiddenness is coming to a close.
In the Bible, the number seven represents completion—and the Israelites endured seven years under Midian’s oppressive hand.
But the eighth year represents something new. Biblically, eight is the number of new beginnings, resurrection, and covenant renewal.
As you tear down old altars and rise into your true identity, you’re not just surviving the end of a hard season—you’re stepping into a fresh move of God.
A new assignment.
A new authority.
A new release.
This is the year where the former things break off, and you flourish, just as the Lord spoke.
You will not just recover—you will reign.
You will not just rebuild—you will lead.
Get ready, warrior. Your eighth year has begun. Jesus loves you! He’s the very best Father and you are His precious beloved child!
