“….Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit; says the Lord of hosts”
Zechariah 4:6 (NKJV)
Victory means different things to individuals operating in similar environments. Some envision victory as the acquisition of wealth or academic achievement, others as a position of leadership that presents opportunities to exhibit power and control. As a Kingdom citizen, however, one should never allow any of the aforementioned to blind our eyes to God’s ability to teach us to be victorious by guiding us along the path of righteousness.
Who doesn’t like to be victorious? God has made provision for His soldiers and leaders to experience victories. In the Word of God, many battle accounts show us how He would desire us to engage the enemy. One such account is recorded in Judges 7.
Gideon was introduced as fearful of the enemy and hiding. An angel appeared to him and affirmed that he was a “…mighty man of valour!” (Judges 6:12). What words for a fearful man! He couldn’t see that virtue in himself, but God did. He allowed the spirit of the Lord to come upon him (Judges 6:34) and agreed to engage the enemy despite being vastly outnumbered (Thirty-two thousand men versus one hundred and thirty-five thousand, initially). God then told Gideon that the Israelites’ army was too large and gave specific instructions on how to decrease the size from thirty-two thousand. The army God chose Gideon to lead had THREE HUNDRED men! The end of the account tells us that the Israelites defeated the enemy, though vastly outnumbered (Judges 7 & 8).
Every leader in the Kingdom of God should understand this lesson – it’s not by might and power but by God’s Spirit. He can use small armies to win large battles. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. We must, however, never forget to give Him the glory for every victory.
As leaders, we tend to seek out the most intelligent, most educated, most influential, and the most financially feasible to complete tasks. Today, meditate on what God showed Gideon. Size didn’t matter. When we’re immense, we think we do not need God’s help, but humility is the key. Solomon prayed for wisdom instead of riches and yet was rewarded with riches.
Allow the Holy Spirit to help you choose your team and give you the strategies needed to be victorious.
Read: Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 9:1-6; Matthew 10:32-42; Matthew 11:1-15; Genesis 27; Genesis 28
