When the Odds Are Against You

God promised him a son that would give him more descendants than stars in the sky…yet his wife was almost one hundred years old, barren for so many years, with no hope of a baby in sight.

The odds were against him.

God led them out of slavery in Egypt only to bring them to a halt at the Red Sea. The Egyptians were right behind them, ready to do what it took to bring them back. The land God promised them lie ahead… but they were stranded with no way out.

The odds were against them.

He stood with a sling and a few stones in his hand, much smaller in size, with no armor to protect him against the fierce, taunting giant that put fear into men for days. Just a shepherd boy against a well-trained warrior.

The odds were against him.

The Bible is full of one story after another of men and women, of armies, of nations when the odds were against them.

When they were facing a situation that seemed to have no way out.

When they were stuck and there was nothing they could do.

And the interesting this is that they didn’t end up there by accident.

No… they ended up there by divine providence.

God purposely placed these people in “impossible” situations so that they could rely on Him alone.

So that they could not depend on their own strength, their own ability, or their own human power.

This is illustrated so well in the story of Gideon.

He started with 32,000 men in his army facing the Midianites who had 135,000 men in their army. This would put the odds at 1 Israelite man to 4 Midianites.

And God said that was way too many Israelites in the army so he found ways for Gideon to allow the men to leave.

In the end Gideon is left with only 300 men to fight 135,000 men.

The odds weren’t against them by just a little, but by way too much.

“Impossible” would be the correct word to use for Gideon to expect to win this battle with his army.

But God makes his army so small on purpose. Why?

So that it will be proof of the great God that stood behind that army.

So that it would be proof that they did not win by their own hands, by their own efforts, by their own talents and abilities, but because Almighty God was on their side.

God wanted the Israelites to un-doubtly see His glory in their lives and give them a reason to boast not in themselves and their own strength but in God and His strength on their behalf (Judges 7:2).

And in the same way He wants you to trust Him to come through for you without a doubt when you are facing those “impossible” situations in your life.

If the odds are against you today don’t worry about what’s going to happen.

Don’t spend your nights trying to figure out what you can do on your own to work it out.

Instead turn to God for help.

More likely than not He allowed you to be exactly where you are this moment for the same reason He allowed all of these great men of faith to be faced with the impossible: so that you can rely on Him to be your strength.

So that you can trust Him to fight your battles for you and gain victory over any stronghold in your life that you can’t overcome on your own.

So that you can depend on Him to make a way for you out of no way.

So that you can one day boast about how great your Almighty Father is and how He turned your impossible situation into an incredible testimony.

If the odds are against you today you are in a good place because you are in the best situation you can be for God to once again show His goodness, His grace, His faithfulness, and His unfailing love toward you.

We think we are in the worst place in the world when the odds are against us. When we see no way out. When life is too hard to handle.

But really it might be the best place you will ever find yourself in because it is here that God will show you that no matter what giant you are facing, He is bigger.

No matter what storm is raging in your life, He is stronger.

No matter what roadblock is before you, He can clear it for you and create a way for you to make it through.

Walk strong today knowing that no matter what obstacle you are facing you have nothing to fear because the God of angel armies is by your side.

He gave Abraham his long-awaited son. He parted the Red Sea for the Israelites. He helped David defeat Goliath with just a slingshot and a few stones.

And He will do the same for you today if you trust Him.

Be blessed! Anna… ♥

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God”- Psalm 20:7

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts”- Zechariah 4:6