Throughout history, God has always chosen to use leaders. If He chose to, God could send an angel and disperse His enemies much more efficiently. But in His sovereign wisdom, God often decides to raise up ordinary people to do His bidding and thereby give Him the maximum glory.
The land had been oppressed for seven years. All that time the oppressed people had ample warriors with which to resist the enemy. What it lacked was godly leadership. In most cases, people are waiting for someone to lead them to overcome their nation’s problems.
As soon as Gideon had been transformed by a divine encounter, people began to recognize an authority in the young farmer they had never seen before. People who were earlier prepared to kill him for destroying their altar, were now strapping on armor prepared to put their lives on the line for him.
If you are presently struggling to have your people follow you as their leader, perhaps you first need a fresh encounter with God. Do your people clearly recognize God’s hand on your life?