By Pastor John Mateos Ong
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Greatest battles aren’t fought and won by thousand soldiers but fought by few people that have God in their hearts.
One of the greatest stories in the book of Judges is the battle between Gideon’s 300 and the Midianites. His army started with the count of 32,000 but God told Gideon that his men are too many for God to deliver the Midianites in the hands of Israelites. So 22,000 men left while 10,000 remained. But the Lord said there are still too many men and commanded Gideon to take his army down to water and whoever drank from cupped hands will be separated from those who kneel as they drink. 300 men drank from cupped hands and the rest kneel and so God said, these 300 men will save you and give Midianites into your hands.
With only 300 men, Gideon went to the camp of the Midianites and strategized. Gideon grouped his men into 3 big groups and told them, “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.” Through the Lord, Midianites got into a great confusion leading them to turn into each other with their swords. Some of them fled away, scared for their lives and of the great 300 men of Gideon.
After the battle, the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian. But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.” (Judges 8:22-23)
Here are some of the lessons we can take from the story of Gideon’s 300 that we can reflect to and apply in our lives.
1. Trust God’s Preparation – God is positioning us to what is the best for us, it may sometimes through tough times but the bottom line is there’s something good that God planned for us. James 1:2-4 encourages us to “consider it pure joy whenever we face trials”, for it strengthens our faith to Him, making us cling more to Him especially in our pain and trials.
2. Trust God’s Instruction – When God told Gideon to decrease in number, He doesn’t want them to lose but to win in His ways. Sometimes we are afraid of the problems we carry, this is because we do not see God in our tribulations. We doubt and grew anxiety inside us, but what we need to know is with God’s instructions for us, if we obey, He will end it in completion.
3. Give God Glory – As normal people, we tend to get the glory for ourselves. We sometimes thought that good things happen to us because we do good deeds as well. It is sometimes, “us”, that receives the praises. But in Judges 7:2B it tells us how God wants us to see Him in His miracles that happen in our life; that we may not see that it’s us who must get the glory but only Him.
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