Does God Need A Big Army?

Does God Need a Big Army?

“You’re crazy Jonathon. Since when did a king’s son and his bodyguard ever decide to take on an entire army? Have you seen those Philistines? They’re no wimps! They are brutal brutes – warriors that know how to fight. Those guys live to fight and they’ve been at it for years! You don’t stand a chance. You’re good, but not that good. Kill the thought in your mind right now – you can’t do it! Don’t even try.”

 
There is no record that Jonathon, King Saul’s son ever was plagued by such doubts and internal struggles. Perhaps he didn’t experience surges of doubt, dark clouds of pessimism or the waves of fear. Maybe he was never swamped by feelings of inadequacy or crippled by fear. If he never was immobilized by fear or stunted and stymied by doubts, he was an exception. But on this occasion, His confidence was in the Lord alone.

The story in 1Samuel 14 is an uplifting account of a king’s son who confidently moved forward against the enemy, knowing that God’s victories did not depend on the size of human armies, their level of training or the sophistication of their battle plans.

King Saul himself panicked when he saw the Philistines mustering their armies and flaunting their strength. His army retreated into rocks and caves. (1Samuel 13) But now the King’s son, Jonathon looks at the situation and it seems to me he thinks to himself:

“Just a second here. Why are we in retreat mode? Who’s side is God on anyway? Our side or the enemy’s? If He is on our side, why should we cower in fear? He doesn’t need the biggest and best stocked military arsenal and the furthest firing missiles or the most destructive bombs. He is GOD. He’s all powerful. Our equipment and devices are puny and small but He has all power at His disposal.”

How honoring and pleasing to the Lord when one of His Children entertain such thoughts of His omnipotence in the depths of their hearts. How dishonoring to God when we think otherwise of Him.

Jonathon says to his personal guard:

“Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised:

it may be that the LORD will work for us:

for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee;

behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

And Jonathon and his body guard went forward and defeated the Philistines.

Have you ever realized dear Christian that God does not suffer from limitations? He is not curtailed by small armies or dumbfounded by clever strategies of the enemy. He doesn’t have to resort to Plan B. If you are in the path of His Will He can use you powerfully to accomplish His purposes, if He so chooses.

Jonathon knew that God is not only omnipotent (all powerful); He is also the Sovereign and does as He chooses. “If He chooses to work through us, there will be no restrictions on what He can do with just me and my bodyguard. My responsibility is to put myself in the path of His will, to make myself fully available and to be at the right spot at the right time.” And so the two of them went and positioned themselves to be used by God and He used them. They were victorious over the enemy.

Dear Child of God, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…” 2 Corinthians 10:4. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Does God need a big army? Give Him one ready and willing Christian and there is no telling what He will accomplish through that surrendered believer – even you!