Victory From Above

Image: Gideon’s Call, 1860 woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld, from Wikipedia.

Gideon’s army of 32,000 anticipated a fierce battle with the Midianites who were “thick as locusts” and whose “camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.”

God came to Gideon and said, “You have too many men. If I deliver Midian into their hands, your men will say, ‘Our own strength has saved us.’”

At God’s behest, Gideon announced to his army, “Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave.” Twenty-two thousand left. Of Gideon’s remaining 10,000, God said, “There are still too many.”

Following God’s detailed instructions, Gideon reduced his force to less than 1% of the original army. Then God promised Gideon, “With these three hundred men, I will save you. Let all the others go home.”

Encouraged by a prophetic dream, Gideon told his men, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” He divided the men into three companies and armed them only with trumpets and jars containing torches.

“Watch me,” he said. “Follow my lead. When I blow my trumpet, blow yours and shout.

At the edge of the camp, they blew their trumpets and broke their jars. The Midianites turned their swords on each other and ran, crying out as they fled. Gideon and his three hundred men pursued until they came to the Jordan and crossed it in victory.

Sometimes our victories lie beyond our strength, beyond every effort, option, or expectation, so when we finally overcome, we have no choice but to acknowledge the divine origin of our success.

Never give up. There is a victory held in reserve for you, a victory from above.

Disclaimer: This anecdote and the timing of sharing it is about a deeply person struggle and has absolutely nothing to do with the current conflicts in the Middle East.