“The horse is prepared for the day of the battle, but victory belongs to the Lord” - Proverbs 21:31 (NIV).
It is normal for anyone of us to think and believe that our singular effort is all we need to secure results in any task at hand. Through school we see individual effort paying off with good grades. In life we are warned against laziness of which there is a lot of evidence around us how it can cause ruin and poverty.
All good. But just as well it is important never to loose sight of the fact that even when we are not exerting as much effort God can do the job. Once when Gideon was going to battle with a 22,000 battle hardened platoon he had to be reminded by the Lord, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands or Israel would boast against me “My strength has saved me” (Judges 7:2, NIV).
Gideon was told to take his soldiers down the well and, “Separate those who lap water from the water with their tongue as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink from the well” (verse 5). They were three hundred who passed this test. “The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home” (verse 7).
What happened is the Lord caused confusion among the Midianites: “the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords” (verse 22). It was a swift and decisive battle that came not through might but of the Lord’s will.
As we face challenges, some which might seem insurmountable, or take on those ugly battles, where we find ourselves far outnumbered, let us rely more on the Lord to bring victory to us. Yes we should prepare and use all the resources we have at hand but as it was written, “if God is for us who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God in heaven, today I pray in the powerful name of Jesus that as I face tasks and challenges some of which appear beyond my ability you come to my deliverance as you did for Gideon and his three hundred men!
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23/04/2024 - 24/04/2024 All day“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31)
There are many instances we find in the scriptures where God came and told a person, “I will come!” It was quite difficult to comprehend then and the waiting took a bit of time, but the Lord came through.
We find so in Gen 18:10, how the Lord spoke to Abraham, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” And surely at the right time the Lord came through.
The prophet Isaiah did long before the birth of Christ prophecy, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6-7).
Well, it took a bit of time; but it surely came to pass. There is here a remarkable fact about knowing God which none of us should ever lose sight of. As He once spoke through the prophet Balam, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” ( Numbers 23:19).There is a world of difference between God and man! If He has promised; He will fulfill. The Lord’s “Yes” is truly “Yes;” and His “No,” quite frankly, “No! “ Listen to God. If He has said, “I will come”, just wait, for as with the prophets, the Lord is not in the business of falling back on His own word!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as you word says, you are not a human that you should lie, and for this, I hold on to your promises over my life, as I wait on you, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
