You can defeat giants. You can accomplish dreams. Go with the strength you have, and God will do the rest.

Gospel Corner

05/06/25

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’”
Judges 7:2, NIV

Do You Really Need It?
At the start, Gideon had only 32,000 Israelite men to fight an army of 185,000 Midianites. But God told Gideon to reduce the number down to 10,000, and then down to just 300. It looked impossible. It didn’t make any sense. But Gideon had God’s repeated promise that He would be with him and he would defeat the Midianites as if he was fighting against one man. Against all odds, that is exactly what happened.

God was showing us that we don’t need everything we think we need. God loves to take those who are underestimated, those whom others discount, and cause them to shine brightly, to make them powerful. You don’t need all those people to be for you. You don’t need to come from a certain family. You don’t need all the training. God has given you all you need. He breathed His favor on your life. You are strong. You are anointed. You are favored. You can affect change. You can defeat giants. You can accomplish dreams. Go with the strength you have, and God will do the rest.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that when the obstacles in my way look bigger, stronger, and more powerful than I can handle, You turn what look like lacks into strengths. Thank You that You’re about to make things happen that I could never make happen. I believe You have given me everything I need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Let’s take a look at the first mention of eth (“right timing”) in the Bible. This word first appears in the phrase “in the evening” in the passage above.

What do you see? The first mention of right timing has to do with the dove—that’s a picture of the Holy Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit who can guide you to be at the right place at the right time.

But look at what the dove has in its mouth—an olive leaf. When the flood during Noah’s time ended, God sent a message through the dove bearing a leaf that there would be no more such worldwide flooding and destruction (Gen. 9:15).

It was a message of peace to men. It tells us that the message the Holy Spirit brings is one of peace.

My friend, the Holy Spirit leads us on the wavelength of peace. Sometimes, when you are about to do something, perhaps sign an agreement, plan a vacation, or take part in some activity, you might feel a lack of peace.

If that happens, please stop and take time to pray about what you are about to do because the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the peace (or lack of it) He puts in us. He doesn’t speak to us through nagging or accusations. He leads us through peace. When there is no peace in your heart, it’s time for you to reevaluate your decision and listen to His leading.

There’s another beautiful truth hidden in the first occurrence of the word eth. Eth appears in the phrase “in the evening” not only in Genesis 8:11, but in other parts of the Bible as well (Gen. 24:11, Josh. 10:27). When I studied it, I realized that evening time is the time of our Lord Jesus’ finished work at the cross.

The Old Testament priests had two daily sacrifices, one in the morning at 9 a.m. and the other in the evening at 3 p.m. Jesus was crucified at 9 a.m. and He died at 3 p.m., thus fulfilling the type of both the morning and evening sacrifices.

At the time of the evening sacrifice, all of God’s judgment had fallen on the body of Jesus. The floods of God’s judgment were ended by the sacrifice of Christ. The Holy Spirit comes to you speaking peace, telling you that there is now no enmity between you and God, because judgment has passed.

You are not perfect but you can have peace with God, and you can ask Him for success and be confident of His covering in all that you do because all your sins have been judged in the body of Christ!