Judges 7:2 “And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.”
Waging War on Difficulties
Have you ever been up against something that was bigger than you are? Have you ever faced opposition that you could not overcome by your own strength? If so, I have good news! You are not the first person to face such odds, as the story of Gideon in Judges chapter 7 reminds us.
The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, is one of the oldest books still in print. Although a book about war, its principles have been adopted by business people around the world. The Art of War is a book of strategy, and it explains how to use terrain, trickery, and your enemy’s strengths to your advantage. Long before Sun Tzu wrote the book, Gideon actually lived it out!
Gideon reminds us that in waging war on your difficulties, it is crucial to recognize the source of your strength and to employ that strength correctly. He literally had too much strength (men) for God to use him. In the end, Gideon and his army of three hundred didn’t conquer the Midianites; God did. The question is not how much strength you have; the question is, where is your strength coming from? Never forget that God is the Source of your strength!
Sometimes when you are at your strongest, you are at your weakest. It is not enough to just have strength; you must employ that strength correctly. Take the game of golf for example. If you are like me, the harder I try to hit the ball, the worse my game is. On the other hand, I know a twelve-year-old boy who can outplay and outswing his dad and grandpa. A golfer with only “boy strength” can outplay a golfer with “man strength” when he employs his strength correctly.
God gave Gideon the victory with only three hundred men, some pitchers, and some trumpets. He literally used Israel’s weakness to employ His power, and He turned the Midianites’ strength against them. As you face today, Who is the Source of your strength? How are you employing your strength?