That's Messed Up! Devotions From Time Of GraceSample

When the odds are against you 

What are the odds that you’ll resist temptation today? Um . . . yeah. We can quickly answer that question. Despite our willing spirits, our flesh is still weak. And the world is so persuasive. And the devil seems to know which bait works best with each of us. So we assume that sin will just happen.

But before we resign ourselves to spiritual failure, we should read Gideon’s story. Facing a ruthless horde of 135,000 Midianites, God whittled down Israel’s army to just 300 men. That’s 1 Israelite to every 450 Midianites! But the presence of God has a way of messing with our math. “When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the [Midianite] camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled.” (Judges 7:22). Ha! Even the 300 Israelites stood around and watched God single-handedly take on the massive army of Midian.

How incredible that Israel’s God is our God too. We might face 135,000 temptations today, but that same unstoppable God is with us. The Father is more powerful than the father of lies. The Son is stronger than your sinful nature. The Spirit is more persuasive than all your peers combined. Maybe the holy Trinity has a history of dominating the unholy three (the devil, the world, and our flesh).

So, fellow child of God, live with confidence today. You might sin, but you don’t have to. You might be mightily tempted, but your God is mighty to save. With God, the odds are always in your favor.