When the Odds are Against You

Judges 7

    The story of Gideon offers scriptural guidance for times when the odds are overwhelming and defeat seems imminent.  No matter what your challenges are, the Lord is able to demonstrate His awesome power and deliver you.

God uses difficulty to build faith.  Gideon was willing to believe God and to go up against an army four times larger than his own.  Trusting the Lord is a process that needs to be learned through experience.  At times God takes the people He uses and places them in impossible situations; in that way, they discover that He is faithful.  We may prefer to acquire faith by reading a book, but the Lord knows that the best classroom is a place of utter helplessness.

God may require us to do what seems unreasonable.  The Israelites were already outnumbered, but the Lord instructed Gideon to reduce the army to a mere 300 men.  That made the odds 450 to one!  And what were these men armed with?  Trumpets, pitchers, and torches!  A seemingly pitiful array of arms for battle!  Although God's ways may seem illogical to us, His wisdom and power and plans can be trusted.

God leads us to do that which brings Him glory.  The army was now so small that its men could in no way take credit for the victory.  The Lord delights in demonstrating His awesome power and glory through our weakness and inadequacy.

    We need to consider life's challenges as opportunities for the Lord to build our faith and prepare us for His service.  He uses those who are willing to obey Him even when the task seems illogical or impossible.  He takes pleasure in showing His faithfulness to those who trust in Him regardless of the situation.

    The key to a victorious Christian life is, in one word, Obedience!  The Lord will faithfully supply us with instructions for each step as we follow Him. Relying on Him, He will lead us to Victory.

~ Selected ~

"The Golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters is not intellect,

but obedience!"

Oswald Chambers