Gideon looked out at the field of tents. 100,000 Midian Warriors primed for war against Israel. And Gideon was the one chosen to lead God’s people into battle against them. Gideon had a whole army ready, but God told him he had too many men, and the army of thousands was whittled down to just 300 (Judges 7:2-8). By this point, most of us would probably be questioning what God’s got in mind, or even if we’d heard Him correctly. Maybe Gideon was wondering exactly what God meant when He’d said ‘Go in the strength you have’. What strength? It wasn’t a sword-swinging, force-wielding strength. It was the strength of one God who’d named Himself Protector. When Gideon questioned God’s command, God simply replied ‘I will be with you’ (Judges 6:16 NIV). When it came to facing a huge army that vastly outnumbered his own, all Gideon had was the words he’d heard from God, and his own ability to trust them. Sometimes it’s a simple choice. We may feel weak and out of our depth in our own strength, but we just have to make that choice to trust Him and rely on the strength He gives. And that’s all we need. God’s assurance of ‘I will be with you’ is enough for any challenge we face. The rest depends on how far we’re willing to trust Him.

What Now?
Write down Judges 6:16 and put it in your bag/wallet/pocket so that you’re carrying God’s promise to you around with you wherever you go.