Judges 7:1-8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 14:7-8
Gideon was ready to face the enemy and do everything God had commanded him to do! He assembled an impressive army of warriors that was strong enough to face the enemy and win. God challenges Gideon to shrink the number. For anyone who was afraid to fight, they received a release from military duty. Then anyone who did not use his hand to drink water was also released.
When the process ended, Gideon had 300 people! This seemed like a sure path to failure. But here is a truth that you should embrace today: everyone who is around you may not be with you and be a part of the victory that God has planned for you. So often we want more for people around us than they want for themselves. Gideon would have had a lot of people to fight but God was clear that when they won, they would say to God, we did this without your help.
God always wants to get all the glory! He wanted a decisive victory over the Midianites and He wanted every nation to know that it was the hand of God that brought the victory. God could bring about a clear victory with 300 and everyone would know that God did it.
God is willing to do the work so that He gets the glory! So why not let Him? God plus you is a majority that will lead to victory.
Tomorrow’s Reading: Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10