The Pike Effect: Steve Deal speaks about an old experiment conducted in the 1950s involving a pike fish. Scientists placed the pike in a tank with minnows, then inserted a glass partition. The pike lunged repeatedly, failed repeatedly, and eventually gave up. When the scientists removed the glass, the minnows swam freely around it — and the pike starved to death surrounded by everything it needed to survive.

Using Gideon, Moses and Abraham, Steve posed some questions and challenges to the congregation by asking:

• What barrier have you accepted as permanent — that God removed long ago?
• Are you living in response to what is — or in bondage to what was?
• What if the thing holding you back no longer exists?

The central thread running through all three men was this: none of them felt ready. All of them had histories of failure, fear, or inherited defeat. And in every case, God didn't argue with their past or offer self-improvement strategies.

He spoke to their future instead.

The challenge Steve left the congregation with was direct — God called Gideon a mighty warrior before he'd won a single battle. He's doing the same with you.

What would you attempt if you genuinely believed the glass was gone and that God was absolutely with you every step of the way?