OUR LORD GIVE THE VICTORY!
OUR LORD GIVES THE VICTORY!
And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” —Judges 6:14-16
But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon… —Judges 6:34
Gideon was in a winepress threshing wheat to hide it from the Midianites so they would not take it. It is here that our Lord called him to save Israel from their enemies. The Lord said to him, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” Gideon asked how it was possible that he would save Israel since he was from the weakest clan in Manasseh and he himself was the least in his father’s house. Yeh, Gideon did not see himself up to the task! But here is the key for Gideon and for us today— the Lord is the Sender and the Lord’s Presence with us and the Lord enables victory. Even as our Lord encouraged Gideon, Gideon only saw the task before him. He needed to understand obedience to the One who is with us and gives victory— even in the most dire of circumstances from the human perspective. We need to see from His perspective and understand His Presence and Power.
“The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me” (Judges 7:2). God was going to show Gideon His power as “the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance” (Judges 7:12). Gideon started with 32,000 men and the Lord guided him to send the 22,000 fearful men home. That left him with 10,000 men, but the Lord said that was too many. Then our Lord told Gideon only to keep the ones that brought water to their mouths went they drank. He sent home the 9,700 that got down on their knees to drink. Gideon was left with 300 men to fight against the eastern horde of enemies. But he was now not fearful because “the Spirit of the LORD clothed” him.
Our Lord then had Gideon divide “the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars” (Judges 7:16). When they were positioned and given the signal by Gideon, they blew the trumpets and cried out “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” (Judges 7:20). They broke the clay pots and with 300 men our Lord gave the victory. It is true what someone has said— “Little is much when God is in it.” Let us remember that in these days and for the rest of our lives. It is God’s power… not ours!
Dear Father we are also sent and You are also with us and we are temples of Your Holy Spirit. May we go forward in the battle call that You have given us and run the race You have marked out for us. May this be done in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xOCRYENXTk