When Your Fight Is Bigger Than Your Faith
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· 278 viewsWhen your fight is bigger than your faith, God is bigger still
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Deuteronomy 20:1-9
Deuteronomy 20:1-9
1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
2 So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.
3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;
4 for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
5 “Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: ‘What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
6 Also what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it.
7 And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.’
8 “The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’
9 And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
Overwhelmed. Overworked. Outgunned. You came to engage but coming you found out that the issue was bigger than you anticipated. What do you do? Here is the question that the Bible posses to us today. What do we do when the situations that we face, far outstrip our resources? How do we address these overwhelming circumstances? It can get discouraging when we compare what God is calling us to do, with the resources we have been given to do that work.
Deuteronomy warns us that there will be situations we engage in that when we get there, we find out that the enemy is more prepared than we are. This particular passage, plucked from the midst of Israel’s war manual, details their rules of engagement, offers some perspective on how to address issues beyond us. Beyond the darkness of war, there are principles here that can be applied to our personal and collective struggle to successfully engage in ministry on behalf of God’s Kingdom.
Firstly, Ministry and life often times brings us face to face with overwhelming odds. It seems we may doomed to be forever a day late and a dollar short. Jesus said it best, the harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few. We are asked to labor from a deficit. The world and our crises have horses and chariots and the masses. The church, on the other hand, is never as equipped as others or have as much as others.
Yet the blessings this passage teaches us today is that God’s presence more than makes up for our deficits. He is on the side of His covenant people. In fact, the fight is not our personal battle but God fights on our side. I am His, and He is definitely mine. In this covenant relationship, God is not neutral. God has chosen to fight on my behalf in the overwhelming conflicts of life. I am never alone for He goes with me.
God never makes us so strong that we no longer need Him. Never. We will continually be dependent upon Him. Ironically, realizing our weakness and dependence is the secret to our strength and success. - The Preacher’s Commentary Series, 227
This is a little different perspective from the Greek philosophical picture of the unmoved mover for it offers up a different paradigm. Though Israel are not a people of war (hence the many ways in which they enter the conflict grossly unprepared), their God fights for them in ways that are not carnal. God’s way of engaging in warfare is different. This partially explains the tension we find in the Scripture as it relates to the Holy War concepts.
Folks struggle with the war passages in the Old Testament as being totally incompatible with the New Testament picture of a God who is Love and Mercy. Some have postulated a “commands-as-concessions” motif that they see reflected in other troubling topics of the Old Testament such slavery, polygamy, and diet. They believe that God’s way of delivering Israel from Egypt would have paralleled His way of driving out the nations from Canaan. God’s intention was to use the terrors of nature with the fear of the advancing multitudes. God conceded to another method with Israel’s delay through disobedience and their insistence on using military power.
Deuteronomy 7:17–20
Whatever perspective you come to the text with, I want you to know that Divinity fights differently than Humanity. God is a force multiplier. With God on your side, the victory is sure. When we understand God’s ways, we are confident that God has innumerable ways to deliver. He can deliver with a multitude or with a minority.
1 Samuel 14:6
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
The fearful try to attract the crowds when just a few would be sufficient for the task. We fall into fear when we become overwhelmed by the enemy we see and lose the joy of the God who is always with us.
2 Kings 6:15–17
15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
OUR CONCLUSION FROM THE PASSAGE THEREFORE IS YOU CAN BE YOUR BEST WITH LESS IF GOD FIGHTS FOR YOU.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US TODAY IN MILWAUKEE? WHAT OVERWHELMING SITUATION IS YOUR FAMILY FACING TODAY? WHAT ARE THE PERSONAL GOLIATHS YOU ARE CALLED TO SLAY? WHAT MISSIONARY MOUNTAINS HAVE YOU BEEN CALLED TO CONQUER?
Theologically we understand, but from a practical standpoint God is letting us know that when we are outnumbered and overwhelmed, the solution is to get smaller.
That may seem counter-intuitive but with God fighting your battles, Scripture says in your overwhelming situations, grant the distracted a waiver. They can go home and finish your business before you begin this fight. Why? Because you can be at your best with less if you grant the distracted a waiver from this battle.
Luke 9:62
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
If they can’t forget what they left behind, keep pressing forward in battle without them. They have competing interests that results in them not being all there. They may be physically present with you, but they are mentally absent. Given that they were on the brink of experiencing something beautiful back home, their minds are not fully engaged in the battle. And without being fully engaged, we can do better. They are too engrossed in personal pursuits. They are on the brink of a breakthrough in their business. They are married, but still haven’t been on their honeymoon.
They may be physically present with you, but they are mentally absent. Paul intimates that in order to be victorious in our overwhelming struggles, we fight with God yes but we must fight fully engaged.
2 Timothy 2:4
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
When we are outnumbered and overwhelmed, the solution is to get smaller and the first practical step we can take is to waive those who are distracted.
Secondly, we can grant the discouraged a waiver. If after you hear the word of faith, you are still fearful and fainthearted. Then as an act of grace, send them home as well. You can be your best with less if God fights for you and you are fully engaged and fully encouraged.
Grant the discouraged a waiver.
Doubt sees the obstacles.
Faith sees the way!
Doubt sees the darkest night,
Faith sees the day!
Doubt dreads to take a step.
Faith soars on high!
Doubt questions, “Who believes?”
Faith answers, “I!”
—Gospel Banner, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations
Some folks never met a solution for which there isn’t a problem. They allow their fears to veto their victories. God tries to shift their attention to His power but their timidity keeps them fixated on the problem. You don’t want to fight with the discouraged as your backup. You could do better with less.
Jesus himself couldn’t work in a place saturated by doubt and discouragement. That’s why he had so little success in Nazareth. Furthermore, he had to waive away the crowds from other situations where their fears would have influenced the faith of those in desperate need for a miracle. In the case of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus had to waive the crowds home in favor of a few who had faith.
Luke 8:51–54
51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”
53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.”
You waive both the distracted and the discouraged because commitments count more than crowds. And you can do your best with less if God fights for you.
Yet the reason for the waivers could not be any more different for both. You waive the distracted for their own good. It is an act of mercy. But you waive the discouraged for the good of those left behind. It is an act of surgery. The Bible says, “Lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.” (v 8) God understands that of all the emotions, fear is the most contagious and the most deadly to any divine endeavor. So if you are already fighting an uphill battle, whether in your personal life or in more corporate realms, you can’t allow the contagion of fear to shut up any chance of success.
Standing on the very verge of the promise land, 10 who feared were able to instantaneously turn the hearts of millions. Instantly, whatever plans God had to prosper his people were not only tabled for 40 years but eternally altered. I know you want to fight with as many people behind you as you face overwhelming odds, but trust God’s Word when it authorizes you to waive your excess, especially those who are perennially discouraged. For when God pledges victory, we dare not listen to the voice of fear that would veto God’s voice. God put the fire in you and God fights for you.
The Lord does not always choose for His work men of the greatest talents, but He selects those whom He can best use. Individuals who might do good service for God, may for a time be left in obscurity, apparently unnoticed and unemployed by their Master. But if they faithfully perform the duties of their humble position, cherishing a willingness to labor and to sacrifice for Him, He will in His own time intrust them with greater responsibilities. - SDA Commentary, vol 2, pg 1003
I have words of encouragement for you, my brethren. We are to move forward in faith and hope, expecting large things from God. The enemy will seek in every way to hinder the efforts that are being made to advance the truth, but in the strength of the Lord you may gain success. Let no discouraging words be spoken, but only such words as will tend to strengthen and sustain your fellow workers. - Selected Writings, Book 2, pg 404
You are faced with overwhelming odds today. But you can face them with an incredible God. And what God has called you to do, He is encouraging you to fully pursue today with all the passion of head and heart. Throw yourself into the battle, fully engaged with heart and mind. Fully encouraged believing that what God has promised, He’s faithful to perform. When your fight is bigger than your faith, God is Greater.