If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp (Judges 7:10,11a NIV).
There are times when we should listen to what our enemies are saying. We think that our enemies are always talking of demolishing us. So we are afraid.
Yet at times, as in this case, God would have us listen to the talk of the enemy camp.
From this incident we can learn that God uses different methods to cure our fear. He is very realistic. He does not condemn us when we are afraid. He accepts it as a natural tendency in us when we are about to undertake great projects for God.
Yet God does not want us to start something in fear. He knows that anything born out of fear would fail. So even when He gives a command to us, He makes sure that we go forward without fear.
In this case He used an unusual method of asking Gideon to go and listen to the talk at the enemy camp. Even then, God was gracious by asking him to take his servant along with him for company.
The purpose of such an unusual method was to encourage Gideon to attack the enemy camp. God had told him that He would give the enemies into his hands. Yet God wanted him to be encouraged.
That means that God wants us to be encouraged to obey His commands. He not only desires us to be encouraged but also makes ways to do so. Sometimes it will be such an unusual method of listening to the talk at the enemy camp.
We are also encouraged to know that all is not well at the enemy camp even though they appear to overwhelm us. So listen to their talk and be encouraged to attack.
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