PERHAPS, GOD WILL

• DAY 164
• FAITH FILE: JONATHAN
• SCRIPTURE: 1 SAMUEL 14

One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing. “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.” “All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the LORD’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

1 SAMUEL 14:1, 6-10 NLT

“Perhaps” and “If” are not words you use when you are going to war to risk your life. You want to avoid words that express uncertainty when you are facing a very certain danger. You want to use words like surely, definitely, certainly, and undoubtedly when devising a plan to not die. So, Ladies and gentlemen of courage, tell me why a man like Jonathan, at a war front is using these words. It’s either he’s a man of courage or he’s gone nuts. They look similar depending on your perspective.

Jonathan’s strategy was sketchy at best. Apparently, waiting to devise a plan to not die was not in his nature. He got tired of waiting around for their enemies to make a move. He decided to attack rather than respond, he summoned courage to confront them. Bear in mind that this was the army with a population as numerous as the sand on the seashore. The same army that made the Israelites hide in caves. Not to mention that the Israelite army did not have weapons. Only Saul and Jonathan were armed. So if his plan succeeded or failed, death was sure, defeat was certain. or was it?

Risk it on a perhaps?

Jonathan’s plan, sketchy as it was, had a solid foundation. He was risking everything on the track record of God. He concluded that God was great enough to deliver Israel with many or with few. And he was 1000% correct. God had done this in the time of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and Gideon; His record shows that the smaller the army the greater the victory. Jonathan didn’t step out thinking he would lose, he went there believing God can give them the victory. That’s faith.

You have to understand that the perhaps of God is far more reliable than the surely of men. No plan by any man can beat a plan of faith. A lot of us are on God’s agenda but we are too afraid to trust Him. He says, “Leave your city,” you agree, but you are waiting to get a house in the new city first. How about you pack up, get on the road, and perhaps, God has a house prepared for you? Go ahead and apply for that degree that has been on your heart; perhaps, God has the fees sorted. How about you move and see if God will come through or not. You cannot cower in fear and change the world, never gonna happen. MOVE NOW! Perhaps, God will make it work.

Go Nuts

Beloved, God is moved by faith. When you respond to His word with such audacity guess what happens, The earth will quake, everything in your way loses balance, you do so little and God does the rest. And as a bonus, you become a national hero. But the thing is you have to be willing to do it quietly or you just might be labeled crazy. Friends, do not fear. Be nuts enough to risk it on a perhaps.

I pray that God will fill you with the courage that will make you trust Him when you don’t have a plan. i pray that your heart will not faint when it is time to make a move. Instead, you will find confidence and courage in His nature, track record, and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name.

Shalom