在神手中，連少也變成多
士師記七1至8節
1耶路巴力就是基甸，他和一切跟隨的人早晨起來，在哈律泉旁安營。米甸營在他們北邊的平原，靠近摩利岡。
2耶和華對基甸說：“跟隨你的人過多，我不能將米甸人交在他們手中，免得以色列人向我誇大說：‘是我們自己的手救了我們。’
3現在你要向這些人宣告說：‘凡懼怕膽怯的，可以離開基列山回去。’”於是有二萬二千人回去，只剩下一萬。
4耶和華對基甸說：“人還是過多。你要帶他們下到水旁，我好在那裡為你試試他們。我指點誰說：‘這人可以同你去。’他就可以同你去；我指點誰說：‘這人不可同你去。’他就不可同你去。”
5基甸就帶他們下到水旁。耶和華對基甸說：“凡用舌頭舔水，像狗舔的，要使他單站在一處；凡跪下喝水的，也要使他單站在一處。”
6於是，用手捧著舔水的有三百人，其餘的都跪下喝水。
7耶和華對基甸說：“我要用這舔水的三百人拯救你們，將米甸人交在你手中；其餘的人，都可以各歸各處去。”
8這三百人就帶著食物和角；其餘的以色列人，基甸都打發他們各歸各的帳棚，只留下這三百人。米甸營在他下邊的平原裡。
信息分享
基甸最後選出的300名士兵，除了站立呼喊之外，便幾乎沒有做過甚麼；但神卻使他們獲勝。
同樣地，當我們以為要倚賴甚麼才能事奉神的時候，神有時便將它們一一挪開。可能是某個可以倚靠的朋友；可能是某個對我們靈命影響至深的牧者；可能是支持我們成長的教會；可能是我們的工作，甚至是銀行存款。
神為何要這樣做呢？祂要我們全心全意地倚靠祂，而不是靠賴人或物。誠然，我們需要教會團契，神一再鼓勵我們要與信徒彼此相交。然而，當我們太倚賴別人，甚至是其他信徒，神便會帶領我們回到祂那裡，全心全意地倚靠祂。
基甸那夜做了甚麼，以致能取勝呢？他沒有做甚麼，只是單單將一切交由神掌管處理。神喜歡顯明祂的大能，在祂沒有難成的事。我們只要持定祂的話語和應許，就可信靠祂去作成大事。
就是基甸吩咐士兵呼喊的那句話，也表明這是耶和華的爭戰。他吩咐士兵喊叫：「耶和華和基甸的刀。」他承認他們的爭戰是以神為首，要將當晚所得的一切榮耀歸給神。
有信心的人，會抓緊神的應許和信靠神的大能。有信心的人不會畏懼艱難或非信徒的籌算，反之，只會仰望神。
「使我們勝過世界的，就是我們的信心。」（約壹五4）
緊記：神不會因你太渺小，而不使用你；卻會因你太偉大，而無法使用你。
LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT
Judges 7:1-8
1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
2 And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’” And twenty-two thousands of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.”
5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”
6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water.
7 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”
8 So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
Message
Gideon's final three hundred did almost nothing except stand and shout. But God gave them the victory.
Sometimes today God strips us of everything we think we must have to work for him. Or it may be a friend whom we think we can depend on. It may be a pastor who has meant so much in our spiritual lives. It may be a church which has become our support team. It could be employment or even a bank account.
Why does God allow this? His plan, his desire is that we should be wholly dependent on him and not on any human prop. It is quite true that we all need fellowship. God encourages us to practice it. But when we become too dependent on even fellowship, God may move us on. He wants us to finally and totally rely on him.
What did Gideon do to win the victory that night? Very little, except he simply allowed God to control the circumstances. God loves to show what he can do. There is nothing he cannot do. And when we have his word, and his promise, we can trust him to do it.
Even Gideon's shout recognised that the battle was the Lord's. What did he tell the men to shout? 'For the Lord and for Gideon.' He recognised that God came first and gave God the glory for all that took place that night.
Faith lays hold of God's promises and counts on God's power. Faith is not afraid of apparent difficulties nor the calculations of unbelievers. Faith looks to God alone.
This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith' (1 John 5:4).
YOU CAN BE TOO BIG FOR GOD TO USE, BUT YOU CANNOT BE TOO SMALL.