The Lord can do more with one person of faith who is aware of the reality of spiritual warfare than with thousands who live unaware of it. Because we conduct spiritual warfare with the Spirit, not the flesh, our conflicts will reflect how we fight. 

When Gideon was selecting his army, the Lord whittled the available number down from 22,000 to just 300. The final test was a readiness assessment that evaluated a soldier’s preparedness and awareness of the battle ahead (Judges 7:7). He told Gideon to watch the men and only select those who knelt and cupped water in their hands to drink. Only 300 soldiers did so. The remaining soldiers slopped water like animals, their faces buried in the water.

“The Lord told Gideon, ‘With these 300 men, I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 

The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! The 300 warriors were aware of two things: they faced an immense force and needed a miracle from God. 

Gideon told his troops to watch him for the moment to begin the attack. In the middle of the night, while the assembled marauding armies slept, he gave the command to sound their horns, break the clay pots covering the torches, and shout, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” The sleeping enemies fell into confusion and began killing each other.

Like the 300 warriors the Lord qualified as ready for battle, our focus needs to be on Him and His battle plan, not the enemy. Our focus is what prepares us.

As worship leaders, our goal is not to move people’s hearts through our excellence. Our goal is to move the heart of God through our passion for Him and invite others to do the same.

As preachers of God’s word, our goal is not to move the hearts of the people. Our goal is to move the heart of God with our dedication to His truth and invite others to do the same.

As followers of Jesus, our goal in life is not to move people’s hearts by living a life that complies with other people’s expectations. Our goal is to move the heart of God with our unwavering consecration to Him and dedication to His truth.

This kind of spiritual focus and awareness is how God will select those who are ready for battle, where only a supernatural intervention by the Lord will bring victory.