Do Not Be Afraid
“But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’ ” – Judges 23:6 When Gideon led an army of 32,000 men against a force of 135,000, the odds seemed impossible—almost five to one. Naturally, Gideon turned to the Lord and pleaded for more soldiers. But God responded with a surprising command: “You need fewer men.” God instructed Gideon to send home all the fearful soldiers. Imagine being told, “If anyone is afraid, leave.” Facing 135,000 with only a fraction of his original force, Gideon obeyed. Why? Because you cannot win a battle with soldiers gripped by fear. In fact, a fearful soldier is more dangerous than having no soldier at all. After this reduction, only the courageous remained. In the end, Gideon triumphed—not because of numbers, but because he walked by faith. You might think, “I can’t help how I feel.” But