Let us continue to follow Gideon's path to see how God changed him from a wimp to a warrior.

Many years ago I was taking an extended walk with the Lord.

In a moment of feeling that I wanted to totally consecrate myself to Him I said, "Lord, write your purpose on the tablet of my heart by the pen of the Word dipped into the ink of Holy Spirit." I just wanted whatever God wanted for my life, no more, any less.

I could see some sort of canvas inside of me with the Lord writing His plan on it for my life. "Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart" (Proverbs 7:2,3).

The Lord responded, "I don’t have to write; the plan for your life was written on your heart before the foundation of the world. The counterfeiter has stolen your canvas and has painted his plan on it, covering up My plan. What needs to be done now is to scrape away the counterfeit paint."

The Lord knew that I had met an artist many years before that would steal beautiful paintings from galleries, not for their art beauty, but just for the value of the canvas. He would then paint his work over the original. This is the picture I saw.

I believe that God has a beautiful purpose for you, here on earth, one that will satisfy you beyond your greatest dreams, dreams that you may have never dreamed, but that are locked up inside of you (Ephesians 3:20).

I also believe that much of the counterfeit paint consists of old sin and especially generational curses, including things that happened to you when you were young, and things that happened to your forefathers before you were born. I can tell you two things from my experience. First, God has been taking me into my purpose, and is still working it out. Second, it has not been easy; it has taken "overcoming" at every step of the way. But nothing in life is easy, so why not go for the "gold."

God was intent on changing Gideon’s self-image.

God had a plan for His glory, and He needed to change Gideon before it could be accomplished. God focused on two things.

1. "The LORD is with you." Strongs Concordance defines "Lord" as Jehovah, the existing One.

2. "you mighty man of valor!" Strongs Concordance defines "mighty" as intensive strong, strong man, upright man, champion, chief, excel, giant mightiest, strongest, brave man.

Strongs Concordance defines "valor" as army, host, forces, valiant, strength, riches, wealth, power, substance might, strong, efficiency, ability.

If Jehovah, the self-existing one, is with you, and He who cannot lie tells you that you are a "mighty man of valor," then you are in good shape, no matter what your circumstances look like, and no matter what your past has been.

Hear the Lord say, "Hello mighty, intensively strong, upright champion, you who excel as the chief, you who are the strong brave person I see you as. You may not know this, but you are an army, you are strong, valiant and efficient, you have great ability with wealth power and substance. I will not only be with you, I will abide in you. You and I will do great things."

My self-image will come from what I consider my true worth or value to be.

How can I know my true worth and value? Humans were created to obtain their true worth by the evaluation of another person. What others think about us will eventually determine what we feel our worth to be. The problem is, we have been listening to the wrong person. God Himself is supposed to give us our worth. What He thinks about us is what should give us our true appraisal and that will develop our self-image.

The trouble is that mankind has been separated from God and we have allowed liars to determine our worth. God is the only one who cannot lie.

The actual worth of anything is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay for it. You may have a house appraised at $150,000 but if every prospective purchaser who comes along is only willing to pay $99,000 then that is its value. But if someone desires to pay $500,000 then your appraisal is insignificant, your house was really worth $500,000. That purchaser must have really loved this house in order to pay $500,000 for it!

Extravagant love!

God’s extravagant price that He paid for us is what gives us our true identify. The price that He paid for us demonstrated the extent of His love for us. A person invests His assets in what he loves.

Sometimes it is difficult to feel that God loves us. We hear about it, read about it, sing songs about it, but so often life’s circumstances seems to contradict His love. Like "If He loves me, then why is this happening, or why did that happen?"

The very nature of God is love. God is so much bigger and greater than we can imagine and this is true of His love, as well. Our human love is often so petty, stingy and self-centered.

But God’s love is vast; it is boundless; it is extravagant!

The only way we can really know this is to depend upon God’s Word more than our feelings. Ask yourself, are you spending more time with your feelings than you are with God’s Word? Your feelings are not always the truth, God’s Word IS TRUTH!

 

Paul prayed that we would experience this love. The Holy Spirit will make this real to you!

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, That you may really come to know, practically through experience for yourselves, the love of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience; that you may be filled through your whole being unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!)" (Ephesians 3:14-19, NIV-amp).

Notice that Paul’s prayer is for the church to know God’s love not just by intellect, but by experience. Notice, also, the four dimensions; we only have three space dimensions. That gives us a clue that His love cannot be fully explored!

 

We thought that we were not worth much, but God sent another "appraiser" here to correct the lie.

 

These parables can help us understand our true worth.

The field and the treasure.

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field" (Matthew 13:44).

The man who found the treasure is Jesus. The field is the world. This is stated in Matthew 13:38 in another parable. When the man discovered that there was a treasure, he hid it. This is like Jesus putting a cover on us so that Satan cannot steal us. He did not really want the field, but he was realistic enough to know that in order to get the treasure, he had to pay the price for the field. The price of the field was very high. It cost him all he had.

God cannot be bankrupted, however, His main priority was creating a family, and Jesus was all He had for that. But he did it with joy because he knew the value of what he was getting in the treasure. If this was a natural man his neighbors and friends probably would have thought he was crazy paying that kind of price for a field that was apparently good for nothing, but they did not know about the treasure. This goes along with John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Only the "whoevers" here are the ones he gets. Those are the treasures in the field. He redeemed the world (purchased it) for the sake of the "whoevers."

Titus 2:14 says, "who [Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

That is His treasure, a people that are His very own. A people who have been purchased out of the world, redeemed from wickedness, purified and made zealous to do what is good. The price was Himself, all He had and all He was. He laid down His life. He gave Himself to buy that field for the sake of the treasure, His redeemed people.

What a man spends his money on will tell you what he loves. If someone spent EVERYTHING he had for you, you must be special in His eyes!

The Pearl of Great Price

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:45-46).

The first parable shows God’s love for His people collectively, but the parable of the Pearl reveals the measure of God’s love for each human soul, individually. We are not just part of a group; you know a number in a large group with a faceless relationship with the boss. No, we have a personal one to one value. We are not just a number; we are a name and a face. He knows how many hairs are on our head. He knows our thoughts before we think them. He cares about our hurts and fears.

The merchant in the parable is Jesus. He was not just a tourist; He was a person who really knew the value of that for which He was looking. When He found this one pearl, He realized that it would be a good bargain to sell all He had just to buy that one pearl. One’s wife would have probably complained when her husband told her that he sold the house, the car, and the furniture, everything just for one pearl. Can you imagine how she would have reacted? How many of us would do that? That is the love of Jesus; it is extravagant!

God wants to give you His generic identity and your personal identity. We all need to know our generic identity in Christ; that we are new creations, we are righteous, we are His children, we are holy, that we are seated in Heavenly places in Christ. The Lord also wants you to realize your personal identity, the very destiny of your life that He ordained before you were conceived. Most people never achieve this destiny because they do not totally submit to Jesus as Lord. However, it is never too late. He conceived you with a vision written on your heart, your personal destiny but sin, Satan and the flesh has distorted and tainted it. Now allow Him to bring that back into your life. This is called "abundant life."

 

The cost of the pearl is the same as the cost of the field, all He had. What did that price represent?

A pearl suggests suffering. All the gateways into New Jerusalem are made from pearl; there is no other way in! The suffering of the oyster produces a pearl. A grain of sand gets in to the shell and causes great pain. The oyster excretes a substance that turns that pain into a thing of beauty. Then the pearl has to be found and raised from the depths of the sea. Again, there is a lot of work for us, His servants. Picture Jesus holding that one pearl (you) in His hand and saying to you "It was for you that I paid that price. I gave all I had."

Our true identity cannot be totally realized without death and resurrection.

In much the same way as the pearl indicated suffering, the treasure in the field was a "dead" and buried object. I submit that these two parables indicate that not only are we the treasure, but that our new identity in Christ, our new self-image comes out of our death and resurrection.

Soak that in for a moment. He saw that our "death" was only the prerequisite to our resurrection. If you have been dealing with a bad self-image, poor self esteem, then this is the time to rejoice for resurrection is coming! So many of us deal with rejection, inadequacy and low self-esteem. But the value of something is always determined by the price that someone is willing to pay.

Some facts about God’s love.

1. It is individual:

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The LORD appeared to us in the past [it is not a new thing it is from old], saying: ‘I have loved you (individually, personally) with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’"

2. It is everlasting.

3. It precedes time. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will --."

4. It is irresistible. Song of Solomon 8:6 says, "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame."

Picture yourself, the Pearl in the hand of Jesus, and He says to you, " My love for you is individual (personal), everlasting (will never end), it precedes time and it is irresistible."

 

Our purchase price was His blood! What did it mean for Jesus to give His life (blood) to purchase us?

The life is in the blood. The blood simply represents the entire life of an individual. Jesus did not just give us a little of His blood; He poured it all out unto death.

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:18-19).

What does the blood have to do with the purchase of a human being? Why did the price have to be blood?

 

The purchase price of anything must be equal to or exceed the value of the item.

Leviticus 17:11 says, "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."

The Blood must be shed a perfect 7 times.

The most important day of the year in Israel was the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). On that day alone, the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies (the Presence of God) with the blood of the sacrifices that covered the sins of Israel for one more year. Leviticus 16:14 says, "And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."

It was the blood alone that could atone for the sins of God’s people. The blood had to be brought right into the presence of Almighty God in the Holy of Holies. Notice it was sprinkled seven times. Seven is the number that indicates a perfect work that has been done. This was exactly fulfilled in the way that Jesus shed His blood. His blood was sprinkled precisely seven times before the sacrifice was complete.

1. Luke 22:44 takes place in the Garden of Gethsemene. "And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."

2. Matthew 26:67 is in the house of the High Priest. "Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists (rods). Others slapped him…."

3. In Matthew 27:26 Pilate had him flogged. "Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified."

4. In Isaiah 50:6 They pulled out his beard. "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting."

5. Matthew 27:28-29 describes the crown of thorns. "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said."

6. Matthew 27:35 tells of the crucifixion. "When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots."

7. John 19:34 says they pierced His side. "…but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water."

What did we receive in Christ when He purchased us?

Not only was God extravagant in the price He paid for us, He was equally extravagant in what He gave us after the purchase.

We became heirs, joint heirs and children! Romans 8:15-17 says, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and joint (co)-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Notice that we not only share in His riches, but also in His sufferings. Our share of His sufferings are trials and tribulations when we stand on His Word.

In 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 it says that all things (of God) belong to you, and you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. All things is quite an inheritance! We cannot work for God’s inheritance; it is a gift by grace. But we must be able to hear the Holy Spirit speaking our inheritance to us; otherwise, we might end up being paupers and beggars, and forfeit our inheritance.

We receive this inheritance through the Holy Spirit and the Word.

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you" (John 16:13-15).

How can we respond to God’s love?

We must stop being mean, stingy and petty with others; we must learn to be EXTRAVAGANT LIKE GOD!

Do you really know God’s Love? If you do, you will rely on it.

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16).

 

Read the story of the woman pouring out approximately $20,000 worth of ointment on the head of Jesus.

Read Mark 14:3-9. Jesus said that what she did will be remembered every time the Gospel is preached. The disciples complained, Judas the treasurer objected with gusto. Jesus said she did what she could. He was very happy with her total devotion. She wasted her very security and life savings on Jesus, and He, God, was happy and excited about it.

It really takes faith and a personal encounter with the living Jesus to waste your life on Him; to be extravagant with Him. The reward is tremendous, like it was for this woman.

How can you "waste" your life on Jesus? He does not call us to be great performers, or Bible College graduates. We may not even be called to be pastors or evangelists, but each and every one of us has an opportunity to waste our lives on Him. Ask yourself how you can do it today, then the next day and the next. Be extravagant with your time you give to Him and others, your money, your love, your forgiveness, the list goes on and on - how about your entire life?

Treat others with extravagant love!

When you speak about and treat others with a negative attitude you are actually an instrument of Satan. When you see the best in others, when you treat them with love and build them up, you are an instrument of God.

He was and is extravagant for us; let’s return the same!

Much of this lesson was taken from the International School of the Bible’s discipleship series lesson 204. Extravagant Love, which lesson was greatly influenced by the book by Derek Prince, Extravagant Love.