April 2

Great crowds were following Jesus. He made sure they knew that he was not simply wanting thousands of people following him so much as he wanted committed disciples who were totally sold out to him (Luke 14:25-27). He then said, “don’t begin until you count the cost. What king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him......So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me” (14:28,31,33).
Count the cost before making a decision. Wise advice. So, it is that God sends an army of 300 Israelites (Judges 7:2-8) against a Midianite army numbering 135,000 soldiers (8:10). Now, if we were counting the cost as Jesus said we should, how many of us would be willing to fight against those odds? Those are nearly impossible odds and normally it would be suicidal going into battle with those numbers against us.
When the ten spies told the Israelites that the people of Canaan were like mighty giants, their advice to the Israelites was to retreat. The odds were not in favor of the Israelites. But, Joshua and Caleb factored the One on their side who tipped the scales in their favor whatever the size of the other army. “If the Lord is pleased with us, He will bring us safely into that land and give it to us......Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” (Numbers 14:8&9). Remember, this is the same God who scattered the entire Aramean army without any help from the Israelites (II Kings 7).
Whatever the odds may be against you, never forget the God factor. Not only does His presence and His power tip the odds in our favor, but in truth, His presence and His power makes us the overwhelming favorite, regardless of the human odds against us. “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?.......Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?......No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:31b,35b, 37). No matter what the Devil or life throws your way, you are more than a conqueror because of the power and strength of Jesus Christ. So, go claim your destiny.