Count Blessings, Not Problems!

Based on Judges 7-8, Psalm 46

When we start to number the resources we have and take inventory of things, we probably always feel like something is missing. We feel like we are unprepared to face the next challenge the day might bring, because we don't have enough of something. For example, today that precious commodity is toilet paper! No matter how much people have, there's a lingering fear that it might run out...

That's somewhat comparable to the story of Gideon. As we started to read yesterday, he did not have much confidence in himself or in God. He counted his problems more than his blessings. In these next couple chapters, Gideon finds out that his strength is not in Numbers, but in God!

"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." Judges 7:2

The Israelites would be quick to give the glory to themselves if they won with a huge army, so God had to "cut them down to size" and humble them. In 2 instances God reduced Gideon's army. The first was removing the fearful:

"Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand." Judges 7:3

The second reduction came by a test of behavior-God allowed 300 men to stay which drank water in a humble way, lapping it up as a dog:

"And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place." Judges 7:7

Only 300!? Against THOUSANDS!? How could a victory come out of this!? Oh yeah, BECAUSE GOD!

"And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand." Judges 7:9

"And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude. And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along."
Judges 7:12‭-‬13

God gave Gideon one more confirmation that this thing was going to work out-Gideon went down and overheard the dream of the enemy Midianites. A man of the Midianites knew that the Israelites would prevail! Even with their high numbers of soldiers, camels, resources, and more, this man had a dream from God that Gideon and God's army would win! And he believed it! The one thing the Midianites did not have was God! So Gideon had no problem summoning the troops:

"And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian."
Judges 7:15

Not only did the Istaelites prevail, but they caused the Midianites to just run away! They had lamps, trumpets & pitchers which confused the Midianites. After they ran, Gideon had the confidence to keep pursuing after them & make sure they were defeated!

"Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you."
Judges 8:22‭-‬23

The Lord delivered; it had nothing to do with the number of men! HE WILL RULE! HE WILL PREVAIL! HE IS ENOUGH!

Gideon was not perfect and even made some mistakes after this victory-but God still used him and the Israelites did not have future problems with the Midianites. We all still make mistakes. We need God! We can't put our trust in what we have or the people we know. It's not about how big our storehouse is, it's about how big our GOD is!