Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’
Better to fight with a smaller number full of faith, than with a greater number that is less than uncompromising in their commitment to the battle.
Why is this? Isn’t there more likelihood for success in greater numbers? Isn’t it better to have more with you than less in the battle?
No, not necessarily.
To have in your army those that are uncommitted and lacking in courage and complete abandonment to the cause, can have a highly detrimental effect to the rest of the soldiers. Like a virus, a lack of courage and complete abandonment can spread a dilution of morale through the camp like wildfire.
The effect fear can have on group confidence can be devastating. It is why in sports, a lack of courage is so frowned upon. It effects the whole team. It says I am more concerned with my own well being than the well being of the team. It is self over the greater good.
That is not an attitude than will win you too many wars.
Jesus applied this principle Himself. He was with a young girl who had passed and was there to pray for her raising back from the dead (Matthew 9:23-26). Except the room in which she was in was full of people mourning. Jesus went in to that battle with faith, expecting she would live again. The crowd had no such expectation; they were well into mourning her loss and preparing to move on in life.
So Jesus removed them and their infectious fearful, courage-less attitudes from the room and raised the daughter from the dead.
What does this tell us? If you are going to war in the Spirit you only need people around you who will believe with you. If you are facing a war with finances, with a wayward child, with a career need, with a ministry facing difficulty, with a loved one needing breakthrough, whatever it is – you don’t need everyone to know. Just a few, but a few full of faith, full of confidence in their God, full of expectation, is all it takes.
Faith is the antidote to fear. Align yourself with men and women of faith and rise up in the power of the Lord!
PRAYER: Father, thank you for the victory. Thank you for the miracle and the overcoming. I receive the answer to my prayer right now by faith. Thank you Father for your faithfulness! In Jesus name, Amen.
What a beautiful and simple picture of what the church should be. This teaching debunks the idea of the bigger the congregation the better. Thanks.
Excellent!! That is so true – and very insightful and inspirational!