The soldiers that God desires are not determined by their numbers but by their quality; What matters is excellence, not quantity.

Just as what Zechariah 4:6 says “Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit, says the Lord, shall things be accomplished” God personally selected soldiers and through an unusual strategy, led Gideon and the Israelites soldiers to win a battle where the few defeated many. Through this, He teaches us that faith is not about the number of people/soldiers but about complete obedience and trust in God.

From the process of God selecting the soldiers, we can see the qualities that God desires in his soldiers:

Faith and Courage

God deliberately reduced the number of people so the Israelites will not boast. In the first test, those who were afraid and worried were eliminated, leaving ten thousand men. This shows that the key to battle is faith, God desires soldiers who have faith and courage. For example: In the work of preaching the gospel, even if resources are limited (money and manpower), as long as we speak up in faith to preach the gospel and take action to distribute tracts, the Holy Spirit will guide those who are being saved to understand the truth. God has the power to guide man to believe in Him but He wants His soldiers to participate in this work and through this to train and build us up.

Vigilance and Focus

In the second test, God requires the soldiers to cup water in their hand to drink, testing their vigilance and emphasizing that warfare requires focus and vigilance. Fighting a battle requires focus and being aware of one’s surroundings and to be cautious so as not to be caught off guard by enemy’s ambush. 1 Peter 5:8 also reminds us: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Our enemy is the devil who is far more vicious than the Midianites, who lies in wait in the shadows to ambush. As soldiers of Christ, we must not be careless.

Humility and Obedience

Gideon did not use a sword but instead he used jars, torches and trumpets and shouted loudly, “ The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” This unusual strategy was truly God’s marvelous arrangement. It breaks our assumption about what is normal but it is also a moment for us to learn humility and complete obedience.

A heart strengthened by the Lord

It is okay if we are weak by nature, but we must be strong in the Lord. Gideon was very afraid at first and needed to ask for confirmation twice. But in the end, he relied on God to be strong and courageously took up his responsibility. God can shape the weak into mighty warriors, as long as we have a heart that is willing to serve, we will be able to rely on God to be strong.

In the time of the Judges, the soldiers of Gideon defeated the Midianites. In these last days, the battlefield that the soldiers of Christ face is even larger, it is a spiritual war to rescue souls from the devil. All the more, we should rely on the Lord Jesus, our commander, press forward bravely and win victory after victory.

The soldiers of God desire those who with faith and courage, vigilance and focus, humility and obedience and are strong in the Lord. Are we ready to follow in their footsteps?