Out of time, strength, resources, support or ideas…

Have you ever been there?

I have. Several times.

I remember when I set out to divorce my crack/cocaine-addicted husband.

There were many nights I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it.

Then there have been times, that weren’t nearly as life-threatening, which felt just as intense and frightening.

Life Can Be Difficult

One that comes to mind was a job in technology sales. I was hired by corporate then sent to an office where I was one of the only women on the team.

At first, it didn’t bother me. Then I was told that the local management team did not want a female in the office. That made life tough.

There are many days, even in ministry, when things can get hurtful, rough and stressful in a hurry.

As pastors, David and I are called to walk through death, sickness, divorce, drug addiction, and abuse with our congregation members.

Some days, I find my hands up rubbing my head as a cesspool of negative emotions and thoughts flood my mind (at a moment’s notice). I’m sure you can relate. Your job, kids, troubles, challenges…

I can feel that you are tracking right along with me.

We aren’t alone in our feelings of lack of, well… anything and everything.

The question is, how do we gain victory when it seems like we can’t take one more step?

How do we win when it feels like we’re finished?

These are difficult questions that people (even people in the Bible) have asked for thousands of years.

Let’s look to Gideon in the book of Judges.

Judges is an Old Testament book which tells about a violent, chaotic, dark period in Israel’s history. During this time, God raised up “judges,” or leaders, to deliver Israel when they cried out for relief.

Gideon was a farm hand. Living life, working hard.

He was not a leader, and he certainly was not climbing any corporate ladders. For seven years, he, like the rest of Israel at the time, allowed the enemy to come in and ravish the land.

The enemy killed everything in sight and left the people starving and crying out to God (Judges 6:1-6). When God heard the people’s cry, He spoke to Gideon,

Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you? — Judges 6:14 (NIV)

But Gideon replied,

How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest… and I am the least in my family.” — Judges 6:15 (NIV)

I bolded and underlined certain words because I’m trying to make a point.

You see, God said, “Go.” He said, that He (God Himself) was sending him.

Because God was sending him, Gideon’s strength (or lack thereof) would be sufficient. God directed him to go “in the strength that he (Gideon) had.”

We don’t have to have the strength to get to the end. God gives that at just the right time so we don’t get all cocky and think we have this thing handled without Him. We are stupid enough to think that every now and then anyway.

If we listen to God by going when he says, “Go,” then we will be in a position for God to add his super to our natural.

Then like Gideon, we’ll discover that our little bitty, tiny ounce of strength is more than enough when the Creator of the universe is on our side.

Sounds easy, right? Not exactly.

You see, even though Gideon had been told that God was on his side, he still didn’t fully believe it.

Right after God tells him that He is with him, Gideon asked, “How can I save Israel?”

Fact is, if you’re reading this blog, then this probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard the words, “God is on your side.”

Even so, if you’re like most of us, then you probably get to thinking that you have to get through, whatever it is you’re going through, on your own.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

God is on your side. With Him and through Him, you are a conqueror.

Don’t let the enemy fool you into thinking that you’re weak or that you are the least.

With the Lord on your side, you are a mighty warrior. (Judges 6:12)

You are the head and not the tail. Surely goodness and mercy will follow you all of the days of your life.

So let’s try this again.

How do we gain victory when we’re in the middle of a dark, violent, chaotic moment in our life?

Here are five super simple ways to win and keep winning.

1. Don’t quit.
2. Don’t give up.
3. Take God at His word.
4. Believe that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.
5. Trust that, no matter how impossible your present circumstance may appear, all things are possible with God.

You don’t have to do it alone. God is on your side.

In the same way that God turned Gideon, from the weakest person in the weakest family in Israel, to a national war hero, God has a plan to make your life victorious!

But you can’t quit.

You have to keep moving in the strength that you do have (however small).

Do what you can and know that God will do the rest.

He’s got this…

Trust Him.

In the comments below, tell me about a time when you trusted God. How did it turn out?