GOD'S POWER WORKS IN OUR WEAKNESS

GOD’S POWER WORKS IN OUR WEAKNESS

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: Judges 7
Judges 7:7 (KJV)
“And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.”

Supporting Texts: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Zechariah 4:6; Psalm 20:7; 1 Samuel 14:6; Romans 8:31

Description: God intentionally works through our weakness so that the glory of victory belongs to Him alone.

INTRODUCTION:
The story of Gideon is a striking reminder that victory in life’s battles is not determined by numbers, resources, or human strength. Gideon began with an army of 32,000, but God reduced it to only 300 men to make a point: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.”

In the eyes of man, this reduction seemed like a disadvantage, but in God’s plan, it was the very strategy for victory. God wanted Israel to know that their deliverance was not by their own hands, but by His mighty power. Many times, God reduces our strength, strips away our confidence in human systems, and leaves us with “little” so that His greatness can shine through.

We live in a world that celebrates numbers, size, and human ability, but the kingdom of God operates on a different principle. God’s power works best when we acknowledge our weakness and lean fully on Him. That is the timeless lesson of Judges 7.

1. GOD SOMETIMES REDUCES OUR RESOURCES TO REVEAL HIS POWER
Less in our hands can mean more in God’s plan.

a) Human strength can bring false confidence
Man often trusts in numbers, wealth, or position for victory.

b) God strips us of dependence on human resources
The reduction of Gideon’s army showed that victory is not about size.

c) Divine strength is perfected in weakness
(2 Corinthians 12:9) Paul learned that his weakness was a platform for God’s power.

d) God ensures that all glory returns to Him
When the victory comes, it cannot be credited to human effort.

Biblical Example: Jonathan and his armour bearer defeated the Philistines with God’s help (1 Samuel 14:6).

2. FEAR DISQUALIFIES MANY FROM GOD’S ASSIGNMENTS
Fear cripples faith and hinders divine partnership.

a) Fearful hearts cannot stand in the day of battle
22,000 men left Gideon’s army because of fear.

b) Fear magnifies the enemy but diminishes God
When fear rules, God’s promises are forgotten.

c) Fear disqualifies a man from destiny
(Revelation 21:8) The fearful are listed among those excluded from God’s kingdom.

d) True faith requires courage in God’s Word
Faith looks at God, not the size of the battle.

Biblical Example: The 10 spies spread fear that kept Israel from the promised land (Numbers 13:31-33).

3. GOD TESTS OUR ALERTNESS BEFORE ENTRUSTING US WITH VICTORY
Readiness and vigilance are marks of God’s chosen vessels.

a) God tested the soldiers by how they drank water
Only 300 passed the test of alertness and discipline.

b) Little actions reveal great truths
The way we handle small matters shows our spiritual readiness.

c) God proves His servants before using them
(Psalm 26:2) He examines the heart to see who is ready.

d) Spiritual vigilance is a necessity in warfare
(1 Peter 5:8) The enemy looks for those who are careless.

Biblical Example: The disciples failed the test of watchfulness in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40-41).

4. GOD USES UNUSUAL METHODS TO BRING VICTORY
God’s ways are higher than ours, and His strategy often confounds the wise.

a) Gideon’s army fought with trumpets, pitchers, and lamps
Their weapons were unconventional, but God gave victory.

b) God’s wisdom is not man’s wisdom
(1 Corinthians 1:27) He uses the foolish to shame the wise.

c) Obedience to divine instructions guarantees success
(Joshua 6:5) The walls of Jericho fell by a shout, not by force.

d) Trusting God’s strategy brings results beyond human calculation
(Proverbs 3:5–6) Lean not on your own understanding.

Biblical Example: The fall of Jericho through marching and shouting (Joshua 6:15-20).

CONCLUSION:
The victory of Gideon and his 300 men teaches us that God does not need much to accomplish His purpose. Numbers, resources, and human strength may fail, but God’s presence secures the victory.

When you feel weak, overwhelmed, or inadequate, remember that you are a perfect candidate for God’s power to be revealed. Victory in your life will not come by might or by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord, teach me to depend on Your strength and not my own.
2. Father, deliver me from the spirit of fear.
3. Lord, make me spiritually alert and vigilant in every battle.
4. Father, remove false confidence in human resources from my heart.
5. Lord, help me to trust Your strategy above my own.
6. Father, fight every battle of my life by Your power.
7. Lord, use my weakness as a platform to reveal Your glory.
8. Father, raise me as a courageous warrior for Your kingdom.
9. Lord, let Your presence always go with me.
10. Father, make my testimony a witness that victory comes only from You.

GOD’S WORD FOR YOU TODAY:
1. God’s strength is perfected in your weakness.
2. Fear disqualifies, but faith empowers.
3. Numbers don’t determine victory; God’s presence does.
4. The little in your hand can produce great results in God’s plan.
5. God proves His servants before granting them victory.
6. Divine strategies may look foolish, but they work.
7. You are not too weak for God to use.
8. The battle is the Lord’s, not yours.
9. One with God is a majority.
10. Victory is guaranteed when God is with you.