“…it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6b)

This devotion is not primarily speaking of being saved; or being born again; or regeneration by the Spirit of God of a dead sinner in trespasses and sins.

But this devotion is directed to saved people; people who in the past have confessed Christ as Lord and Savior. To those who go to Church; give their tithes and offerings; maybe even teach a Sunday school class or are active in some church capacity, pastors included.

In our text verse (1 Samuel 14:6), the Children of Israel, God’s Chosen People, and their new king were in a strait. King Saul had chosen 3,000 Israelite soldiers. With 1,000 of these, the Israelites had defeated a small garrison of the Philistines. The Philistines now were retaliating against the Hebrew people; and the Philistines outnumbered Saul and his men greatly: “…thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude…” (1 Samuel 13:5).

The Hebrews trembled and fled from the Philistines; they hid in caves and in thickets, in high places, in pits, and in the rocks. So now, Saul was left with only about six hundred men. To make matters worse there was no smith (blacksmith) in the land to make swords and spears for the Hebrews; thus they had no battle-gear to fight the enemy. (Read of all this in 1 Samuel 13:2-20.)

King Saul had a son named Jonathan. Chapter fourteen of First Samuel relates the story of Jonathan and his armour-bearer. The armour-bearer believed that God would use them to help defeat the Philistines. (You can read the entire story in 1 Samuel 14:1-52.) In brief, God allowed Jonathan and his armour-bearer to slay twenty of the Philistine sentry guards. And then God performed a miracle:

“And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.” (1 Samuel 14:15-16)

Our text verse reveals that Jonathan believed God and His Power to help in time of need. So it is with God’s Children that walk by faith and not by sight.

Jonathan did not hesitate when he said, “…it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.”

If the People of God are going to be saved from their daily enemies, they must believe Hebrews 11:6:

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

If you want help; if you want to be an overcomer – then you must:

1) Walk by faith, or by Christ; Christ must live and abide in you; for He is your Strength.

“Now the just shall live by faith (or by Christ)...” (Hebrews 10:38)

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

2) Obey His Commands; you must be a doer of His Word.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)

3) Seek Him; you must diligently seek Him; you cannot be a half-hearted seeker, you must be a diligent seeker of God.

“… he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

To do the above three things, you must “believe that He is.”

Believe that He is what?

1. The Only God;
2. Your Savior;
3. Your Lord and Master – to Whom you owe all.

Jonathan said, “…for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” There is no situation, no circumstance, no man, no power that can stop or hinder God. God is in the Saving Business.

He can use many, or few, or none:

1. Gideon had only 300 men out of 32,000 to save Israel from the Midianites.
2. David had only five smooth stones; and it only took one stone (Christ) to slay Goliath.
3. Jonathan, Saul, and Israel saw God defeat the Philistines with an earthquake.
4. Jehoshaphat saw God defeat the enemy with singers.
5. Hezekiah saw God defeat the enemy with an angel.

Paul said:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

It doesn’t matter what your problem is, or who your enemy is in your daily life. It may be an addiction (chemical, sexual); it may be lack of self-control in many areas such as food, finances, or flesh; or in your words, temper, etc. The People of God have myriads of problems in their flesh. Paul said there is a war going on between the flesh and the spirit (Galatians 5:17; Romans 7:15-25).

If you want daily victory over sin and defeat, then believe God’s Promises, His Word – and diligently seek Him in Surrender, Submission, Obedience, and Endurance; in the Love of God (Matthew 22:37-40). (See Romans 6:1-22; Ephesians 5:1-21; 1 Peter 1:13-16; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 9:24-27; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 10:3-5.)

You have the Power of Christ; His Blessed Holy Spirit living within you. Believe God; trust Him and follow Him; walk by Faith, and not by sight.