Don’t Allow Adversity To Make You Retreat!

Oct 14

In this devotion, discover how to persevere in faith and stand firm in the face of adversity. Dianna Hobbs reminds you that victory belongs to the Lord and retreat is never an option. Trust God’s power to overcome the impossible!

One of my favorite movies off all time is called 300, starring Gerard Butler. Not sure if you’ve heard of it, but it first hit theaters in 2006 and is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. The plot centers on King Leonidas of Sparta, who leads 300 Spartan warriors in a heroic but doomed stand against the Persian army of 300,000, led by the “God-King” Xerxes. This iconic battle has become synonymous with bravery, grit, and the refusal to back down, even when defeat seems inevitable.

What stands out most is that the Spartans, despite their ultimate defeat, had no quit in them. In a world that often encourages us to surrender in the face of adversity, their story is a reminder that backing down is not always the most honorable or fruitful option. These warriors, despite facing insurmountable odds, refused to retreat.

In life, when we face challenges that seem impossible and opponents that feel invincible, our natural inclination is to fall back. But recoiling will never lead to victory. We must dig in, stand firm, and fight—no matter how things look. This is the essence of perseverance: refusing to yield ground when opposition appears overwhelming.

Victory Belongs to the Lord

Unlike the Spartans, who were fighting a much stronger opponent in their own strength, as believers, we don't show up to the battle alone.

Come on somebody!

Even when we feel outnumbered, outmatched, or out of our league, we must remember that the battle we face is not ours but the Lord's. When we realize that our strength comes not from within ourselves, but from the One who dwells within us, we can fight with even greater confidence than the Spartans, knowing victory is certain.

Proverbs 21:31 says, "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD." It’s not about our preparation, strength, or might—victory belongs to God. Furthermore, Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Defeat is never inevitable for us, but victory is, because we have the Lord on our side—even if we are outnumbered by opposing forces.

An Unlikely Triumph

In Judges 6, we see an incredible example of this. The Midianites, with their vast and oppressive army, tormented the much weaker Israelites. Whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and their allies would invade the land, ruining everything in their path. The Bible says there were so many Midianites, they were like "swarms of locusts," leaving Israel impoverished and crying out to God for deliverance.

But God, who cannot be defeated, took just 300 men. There’s that 300 again! Unlike the Spartans, however, in the biblical account, Israel walked away with victory. Under the leadership of Gideon—who initially felt ill-equipped—the Israelites experienced an unlikely triumph. This uplifting account reminds us that our sufficiency is found in God alone, and He delights in using the weak and the few to overcome the strong and the many.

For a moment, think about how crazy it must have sounded to the Israelites to take only 300 men to fight against the Midianites’ army, which the Bible depicts as being so numerous, they were like a swarm of locusts. However, God will sometimes direct us to do what seems unwise in the moment, but it’s all part of His plan to bring about a mighty harvest of blessings and a major breakthrough!

Listen, what God directs you to do will often go against conventional wisdom. That's why it's important not to be too quick to embrace the advice of well-meaning people, even if it seems like common sense. While their advice may be practical, it may not align with the unique path God has set for you. True wisdom comes from God, and only He knows the plan specifically designed for your life.

Job 12:13 NLT says, “But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.”

Our Rallying Cry

Friend, let this be your rallying cry in the face of adversity—even when victory seems to be an impossible outcome: We're not quitting. We're not giving up. We're not stopping. We're not walking away. We won’t be deterred or intimidated. We will fight on. March on. Press on. Pray on. Praise on. For we know that our God is the Warrior who fights on our behalf, the One who goes before us and scatters our enemies.

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