Overwhelming Odds And God’s Salvation | 1 Samuel 13:5-7

Are you feeling completely outnumbered and powerless? That could be good!

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 13. I've titled this chapter "Partial Obedience Is Complete Disobedience."

Chapter 13 is about two years after Saul's inauguration. Saul has 2000 men under his command. Jonathan, his son, has 1000 men under his command. They have split up and are trying to move out these garrisons of Philistine soldiers that have encamped around the region, put there to intimidate the Israelites. Jonathan has just defeated one garrison, which stirs up all the Philistines. Listen to what happens next in verses 5-7:

And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. — 1 Samuel 13:5-7

The Israelites are overwhelmed because they have stirred up a hornet's nest and realize they are outnumbered and overpowered.

Saul and Jonathan's current combined force was 3000 against a whopping 36,000 Philistine troops, who also had a lot of advanced weaponry. It's probably how the modern State of Israel feels today, given the fact that the entire land mass surrounding them is against them in some way.

There have been plenty of times in my life when I have felt surrounded like this: outflanked, overwhelmed, outnumbered, and overpowered. When this happens, my human rationale battles with my spiritual rationale. Sometimes, my impulse is just like the Israelites—ignore, deflect, run, and hide.

But there is one principle I have learned that has better equipped me for these moments. I have learned that in situations like this God will reduce me and my situation to complete helplessness so that I will stop relying on myself and rely on his salvation. The problem I always have is that I tend to lean too much on my skill, effort, and tactics until I realize that they won't work and might even complicate matters.

If, in a present situation, you feel like you have tried everything within your power to do what is right and righteous, then you might need to stop. But don't stop and run, hide, and live in fear. Instead, stop in your helplessness and trust in the Lord, your help and salvation. If you don't let the Lord help where you cannot, you might end up doing what Saul does next—you might make a tragic and fatal mistake.

#FaithOverFear, #TrustInGod, #SpiritualStrength

Ask This:
In what areas of your life do you feel outnumbered or overwhelmed, and how can you shift from relying on your own strength to trusting in God's help and salvation?
Reflect on a time when you faced a daunting challenge. How did your response align with or differ from the Israelites' reaction in 1 Samuel 13, and what can you learn from this to apply in future situations?
Do This:
Let God be your salvation.

Pray This:
Lord, when I feel overwhelmed and outnumbered, help me to stop relying on my own strength and turn to You for salvation. Grant me the faith to trust in Your power and guidance, even in the face of daunting challenges. Amen.

Play This:
Shout Hosanna.