Finding Strength in the Lord

As I’ve been reading a book on spiritual warfare and standing firm in the faith, I’ve been simultaneously studying 1 Samuel. Together, they have opened a window for me to see more clearly the nature of the spiritual battle, as I’ve witnessed firsthand how David learned to stand and fight in the strength of the Lord rather than in the arm of the flesh. Instead of leading him to depression or despair, the ongoing opposition led him to greater dependence on the Lord through prayer, which resulted in a humble willingness to listen and obey, and a greater ability to love and show others mercy.

Hard Pressed on Every Side

When the apostle Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 4:8–12 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he was describing the intense difficulties he and the other apostles were experiencing because of the Gospel. The same enemy of their souls was seeking to destroy David’s life with the same intensity 1,000 years earlier, revealing the timeless application of these truths. 

For seven years after being anointed king by Samuel, David was mercilessly hunted down by Saul and forced into hiding in caves and remote cities like an outlaw. During this time, he had many near-death experiences and was even rejected by his own men (1 Samuel 30:6). Like Paul, he was hard-pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down—but not crushed or in despair, never abandoned, and not destroyed.

In 1 Samuel 30, after he and his army were sent away from fighting alongside the Philistines (because the commanders feared he might turn on them in the battle), David returned to Ziklag only to find even more trouble. The Amalekites had attacked and burned the city and taken everyone captive. David and his men were so distraught that they “wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep” (30:4). The men were so embittered by their losses that they even talked about stoning David.

Looking to the Lord for Help

In what seems to be a plot twist, David turned from focusing on the losses and threats against his life to focusing on the Lord. Rather than becoming bitter or seeking revenge, the Bible says, “David found strength in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6). This echoes the words of Psalm 28, where he declared that “the Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7). David’s response reveals a humble heart that accepted the reality of the ongoing battle. But instead of trying to control or escape it in his own strength and wisdom, he looked to the Lord and found shelter in his presence.

The very tool the enemy was using to drive David despair, God designed to help him flourish in his faith (Psalm 119:71). These hardships, rather than turning him away from trust, drove him into the very presence of the only One who could both protect him and deliver him from evil—so much so that he could say with confidence, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

This position of trusting dependence led him to earnestly pray and seek the Lord’s wisdom. He asked whether he should pursue the enemies who had plundered them (30:7), and the Lord answered clearly: “Pursue them… You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue” (1 Samuel 30:8). David’s reliance on God led to practical direction and wisdom, which he acted on. He trusted God's Word and obeyed it, believing God would keep His promise to help him. 

After defeating the enemy and recovering everything that had been taken, just as God said, David then chose to show mercy to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to fight in the battle, while others in the army demanded they receive nothing, David’s decision to set his gaze and his hope on the Lord had transformed his life, making him a conduit of the same supernatural love and grace he had received.

As I reflect on the spiritual battles I’ve faced over the years, I realize that my focus has too often been on the problems and opposition instead of the Lord and His promise to shield and protect me. 

By shifting my gaze back to Him—and away from the enemy’s distractions and disappointments—I hope to find renewed strength to persevere with hope, along with a quieted heart to rest in the Lord’s presence, hear his instruction and follow in his peace — pouring out the same mercy and grace to others that I’ve received. What about you? Is the enemy distracting your gaze and keeping you from looking to and trusting in the Lord? If so, today is the perfect time to turn back to Him in trust!

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” Psalm 28:7

Trusting in the Unchanging God

In a world where everything is shifting, it’s been incredibly comforting to remember each day that God is unchanging. He’s the same today as He’s been for eternity. As He declares concerning His eternal nature, “I the LORD do not change” (Malachi 3:6). Since His rock‑solid, unchanging character is a Gospel essential and a necessary foundation for our faith to flourish, it’s no surprise that the enemy of our souls seeks to undermine and destroy this truth—so that we shift our gaze and steady stand from the Rock to the sinking sand of trusting in ourselves, others, and the wisdom of the world. But Scripture teaches that “the way that seems right to a man leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12), and as Jeremiah declares, trusting in anyone or anything besides God leads to a desert wasteland (Jeremiah 17:6).

Is God really who He says He is?

This is the oldest lie in the Bible, uttered by the Serpent in the garden as He tempted Adam and Eve to doubt God’s absolute goodness and sovereign rule (Genesis 3:1). At the core of His deception was the lie that God is not who He says He is and cannot be trusted. The enemy speaks the same lies today—trying to get us to move from resting in the goodness and character of God.

One of the greatest temptations I’ve faced over 37 years as a Christian has been to doubt God’s eternal, unchanging nature as the God who is not only able to do all things, but the One who “acts on behalf of those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 64:4). This temptation first surfaced when I quit my job to attend seminary in my early 20s. I knew the Lord was leading me to pursue theological education, but at the time I only had enough money for the first classes and a part‑time job to support me for the next four years. The constraints of my salary left me with almost no money after paying my tithe, bills, and tuition—but I was convinced this was God’s plan. At times, lies would break through, telling me that God would not or could not provide, that I would never make it and that I was going to be destitute. 

Over three decades later, I can testify that those five years (it took longer than I’d hoped), rather than leaving me destitute, shaped me more than any other life experience. Through daily dependence on the Lord and studying His Word I learned to trust that He is who He says He is and can and will do everything He promises. I learned to trust God for manna, which would be necessary in other seasons of life, to find my hope in God alone, and to rest in His unwavering promise to provide (Philippians 4:19).

Can God really provide?

The enemy stepped up His strategy to discourage and destroy my faith during the same time with another temptation—to doubt God’s unchanging power. He whispered through my own thoughts, the careless words of others, and the lies of the culture that I would never get married. As a woman in her late 20s living in the South, not being married was a travesty, and I was marked as one who must have somehow missed the kindness and grace of God. I remember one day running into a friend from college in a store who, upon learning I wasn’t married, asked bluntly, “What’s wrong with you?”

The fiery dart of her words pierced my heart, and I began praying to God in fear with complaints, asking why He didn’t, wouldn’t, or couldn’t bring me a husband. All that I’d learned about the sovereignty of God went out the window as I traded this truth for man‑made wisdom which said I needed to figure this out on my own. The more I focused on these fears and doubts, the less I trusted God and the more I despaired. Some advised me to look for a husband, to put myself out there, to lower the bar—after all, it wasn’t that desirable to be so spiritual, they argued. Like Job’s counselors, they echoed the Serpent’s lie, seeking to cast a slur on God’s character, unchanging nature and power. Their message could be summed up with this declaration: “You cannot trust or rely on God alone for this. He’s God, but not that powerful. You’ve got to look to yourself, others, and the wisdom of the world to get what you want.”

Thanks to the kindness and mercy of the Lord, He shone the spotlight on the lies I was believing (Psalm 23:3). He gave me wisdom to discern the enemy’s strategy to undermine my faith and get me to turn away from trusting God (Proverbs 2:6). After realizing this, I resolved before the Lord to stake all my hope in Him alone and reject every other plan that would lead me away from trusting in the living Lord (Psalm 62:5). I quit accepting offers to go out on dates and stopped trying to figure out how I could find a husband. Instead, I focused on my studies, work, and time with other believers—and gave a firm reply to anyone who asked how I expected to get married: “If God wants me to get married, He will have to drop my husband on my doorstep.” Most laughed or smirked—but amazingly, no one ever said another word. For once, the enemy seemed silent.

After settling into this rhythm, God began to restore my hope, joy and peace (Romans 15:13). When I returned from a trip to Israel with my grandmother in the middle of the school year, I discovered that a man had mysteriously joined our class. We became friends and began spending time after class talking. Surprisingly, one Sunday afternoon, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find standing on my doorstep the answer to years of prayer—this man of faith, who was full of the Holy Spirit and who had firmly determined to trust in the same unchanging, all‑powerful God I was trusting. A year and a half later, we were married.

Had I listened to the lies of the enemy and those who sought to discredit God’s character and power, I would have missed this blessing: The Lord miraculously brought my husband across the world to pursue PhD studies—from South Africa to Mississippi—and dropped him on the doorstep of my seminary class and of my home—just as I had prayed.

Standing Firm Against the Lies

Since that time, hundreds, if not thousands, of voices have tried to pull me away from believing that God can do all things and that nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37). I was told we’d never make it on the mission field with middle‑school aged daughters, that a ministry salary wouldn’t meet our expenses, that I’d never be healed of depression or sickness, and that God would never give me the job I prayed for. Their advice always urged me to shrink back in fear—shifting my trust from Christ to self, others, or worldly wisdom.

Like the Serpent in the Garden, their strategy wasn’t designed to help me—but to draw me away from pure devotion to God—the same God who spoke the world into creation, parted the Red Sea, made covenants with His people, and sent His Son to do the unimaginable—offering His life on the cross to atone for our sins so we could be reconciled to God and gain eternal life.

If God did not withhold His one and only Son, as the apostle Paul writes, “but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Moving from the greater to the lesser, we can be absolutely, utterly confident that our loving Father “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). He is the same God, and we can fully trust Him to fulfill every promise and provide for our every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). 

When the enemy whispers that He cannot be trusted, that His power is insufficient, or that His kindness won’t extend to us, we can stand firmly on the unshakable truth of His Word, and with confidence declare: “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him” (1 Timothy 1:12). And with these words, we can also echo the Lord’s command: “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23).

=

---

From Fear to Freedom

Gideon had much to fear as he hid in the wine press threshing wheat. He feared the fierce Midianites, Amalekites, and other armies who invaded their land, “like swarms of locusts” leaving nothing behind (Judges 6:5). It wasn't until he encountered the angel of the LORD that he began to shift from the fear of man to fear of God. After realizing that he spoke to and saw the LORD face-to-face, he felt genuine terror. Yet God assured him that he would not die but instead be transformed into a mighty warrior who would destroy all his enemies (Judges 6:16). This change began with his heartfelt prayer for help. God mercifully answered by revealing his plan of rescue, calling him to repentance and then empowering him by the Spirit to serve in humility.

Cries to the Lord for Help

The story of Gideon opens with a summary of the discipline Israel experiences because of their rebellion against God. Due to the oppression by their enemies, they “cry out to the LORD for help” (Judges 6:6). As seen throughout Scripture, when they call out to the Lord, He answers (Judges 6:7). He sends a prophet to remind them of God’s covenant faithfulness in rescuing them from slavery in Egypt and delivering them from their enemies. His message reminds them—and us—that their current suffering is not an accident or coincidence but the result of their sin and idolatry since they refuse to worship God alone. Through this message, they are once again reminded that God is the sovereign LORD, who rules and reigns over all people and situations. He not only has the power to protect and deliver them from oppressors but can use the same oppressors to discipline them when needed.  

God Encounters Gideon

The scene shifts to Ophrah, where the angel of the LORD comes to speak with and commission Gideon. He begins by addressing Gideon as one who is accompanied by the LORD and, as a result, is a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). Gideon feels like anything but a fierce warrior and reminds God of the reality of his situation—that he is from the weakest clan in his tribe and the “least” of his family (Judges 6:15). He pours out his heart, showing that while he receives the prophetic word about their discipline, he misunderstands the heart and character of God. He views the LORD’s discipline as evidence that He has “abandoned” Israel (Judges 6:13), rather than seeing it as designed by God to turn them from idolatry to true worship. By seeking Gideon in his place of fear and unbelief, the LORD is revealing his character as the covenant-keeping God who disciplines those he loves but will not forsake his beloved (Psalm 37:28). 

Promise to Rescue and Bring Victory

In addressing Gideon’s false assumption that they have been forsaken by God, the angel of the LORD states the truth: that the Lord will be with him to help him fight against and destroy all the Midianites, “leaving none alive” (Judges 6:17). To overcome Gideon’s fear and unbelief, God provides a powerful display—sending fire from the staff of the angel of the LORD to consume the wet sacrifice, and later providing two signs with the fleece. These miracles turn Gideon’s gaze from his people’s helpless estate back to God, who has the power to accomplish all things (Luke 1:37). 

Call to Repent

Before God can use Gideon to lead his people to freedom, he has to turn from idolatry, fear, and unbelief to begin walking in trust again. God instructs him to tear down and destroy the Asherah pole and the altar of Baal that his father has built. Taking it a step further, he is to use the wood from the pole to burn a sacrifice to God and then “build a proper kind of altar to the LORD” (Judges 6:26). These steps require Gideon to renounce idol worship and shift from fearing man to fearing and standing in awe of God. This process marks another important part of his transformation. By obeying God over man, Gideon demonstrates his commitment to the LORD’s ways and is ready to serve as the spiritual and military leader under the Commander of the angel armies. 

Empowered by the Spirit

The next scene shows the enemies joining together to attack Israel. In the past, everyone runs in fear, hiding to preserve their lives and resources. But here we see Gideon beginning to live out his new identity as a “mighty warrior.” His encounter with God’s truth and repentance paves the way for the Spirit to work, who comes upon Gideon and empowers him (Judges 6:34) to rally the troops to fight the same enemies they have always feared. Instead of hiding in the wine press, he stands and encourages others to also stand and fight. This new bravery and leadership from Gideon encourages the Israelites to face their fears and join together to fight their enemies. They are also being transformed from terrified men to mighty warriors who serve the LORD.

Fighting in the Strength of His Might

Before the battle begins, God steps in again as the commander of the army to reestablish the parameters of the fight. Now that Gideon has been empowered by the Spirit and the troops have gained courage, God wants them and all of Israel to remember that He alone is responsible for the outcome of this battle. To prevent them from boasting when they win, He reduces their troop from 22,000 men to 300 (Judges 7:1-8). He then commands them to “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands” (Judges 7:9). He provides another miraculous sign—a prophetic dream given to the enemy and overheard by the Israelite spies—to further encourage the soldiers who are afraid and remind them that He will be with them (Judges 7:10-15). When they blow the trumpet for battle, the LORD fights for them, causing their enemies to turn on each other and kill one another (Judges 7:22).

What Can We Learn from This?

God establishes a clear pattern for rescue and deliverance from fear in this passage that can be applied to our lives. When we encounter fierce opposition and become intimidated and afraid, we need to cry out to the LORD in humility, asking Him to help and deliver us. When He answers, as He always does, we need to be prepared for a truth encounter with His Word by the Spirit as He reveals our true identity, along with the lies we believe about Him that have kept us in bondage to fear. This revelation should lead us to take specific steps of repentance as we turn away from idolatry, fear, and unbelief to trust in the LORD alone for everything. As we turn away from sin and fear and embrace trust in the Lord, we begin to experience a fresh filling and empowering of His Spirit to stand against the enemies of our souls. This standing is not in our strength but in the strength of His might as we put on the whole armor of God and then go out in Gospel peace to fulfill His Great Commission (Ephesians 6:10).

What wine press are you hiding out in today? Like me, have you forgotten that you are a “mighty warrior” in the LORD, called to turn away from the fear of man and self-protection so that you can serve him wholeheartedly? God’s transforming encounter with Gideon takes place over a matter of days and completely reverses his situation from one of defeat to victory. He remembers who he is and gains fresh confidence in God’s power, presence, and goodness. As a result, God becomes bigger, and his fear of man shrinks and diminishes almost overnight. He can do the same for us when we humble ourselves and cry out for help, submit to His truth, repent of our idolatry, and then stand in His strength to do all that He commands.

“Therefore go and disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).