Daily Bible Devotion - JUDGES 7
The Book of JUDGES
01. October 2026
Devotion by Reverend Joseph Antwi
Theme: Raising Godly Families
Sub-theme: New Directions Scripture Reading: JUDGES 7
INTRODUCTION
Church, yesterday we saw in Judges chapter 6 how Gideon was asking for confirmation, wanting to be sure that the Lord was with him for the battle. Now, in Judges chapter 7, we are moving into the battle.
But there is something very interesting that the Lord says to Gideon.
GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS NEED MANY PEOPLE
Judges 7:2 says:
“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.”’” NKJV
God acknowledges that Gideon needs men. He needs people to fight the battle, people to accomplish the assignment and people to participate in saving Israel.
God could have destroyed the Midianites by Himself, but He chose to work through Gideon and the men He raised around him. God uses people to accomplish His purposes, and sometimes one person, or a few people who truly carry the burden of God, are enough to fulfil His vision.
But God said, “The people are too many.”
Why?
Because the more people they had, the greater the temptation to claim the glory for themselves and say, “By our own strength we have done this.”
Sometimes God deliberately reduces the number around us so that when the victory comes, we will know that God did it.
Gideon began with 32,000 men. God told him that whoever was fearful and afraid should return home, and 22,000 men left.
That means about 69% of the original army went home.
Imagine starting with 32,000 and suddenly being left with 10,000.
But God said:
“There are still too many people.” Judges 7:4 NKJV
God tested them again, and eventually only 300 men remained.
From 32,000 to 300.
That is less than 1% of the original army.
Church, God was not reducing Gideon’s army because He wanted Gideon to fail. He was reducing the army so that Israel would know that the victory came from God.
FEAR AND TRUST
The first group was sent home because they were fearful and afraid.
Fear can become a sign that we are struggling to trust God’s ability to deliver us. God was not simply looking for men who had physical strength. He was looking for men who would trust Him.
This is important for raising godly families. We must teach our children that fear is real, but fear should not control their decisions.
Teach them: “I may be afraid, but I will still trust God.”
Sometimes God reduces what is around us because He wants us to stop depending on people and start depending on Him.
GOD KNOWS THE WEAKNESSES OF THE PEOPLE HE CALLS
Now look at Judges 7:9:
“It happened on the same night that the LORD said to him, ‘Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.’” NKJV
Gideon had previously asked God for signs and confirmation, but now God tells him, “Arise, go down.”
Gideon had grown in his trust.
Yet God knew that Gideon had been afraid before, so He said:
“But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant…” Judges 7:10 NKJV
This is remarkable.
The 22,000 fearful men were sent home, but when Gideon was afraid, God gave him an opportunity to receive encouragement.
This reminds us that God knows the weaknesses of the people He calls.
God sometimes deals with His chosen servants according to the particular assignment He has given them. Throughout Scripture, we see God showing unusual patience, mercy and personal dealings with people He has entrusted with significant assignments.
That does not mean God’s servants are above God’s Word, correction or accountability. It means we should be careful before judging a servant of God simply from what we see externally.
You may see a person, but you may not know the assignment God has placed upon that person.
You may not know what God has spoken to them, what they are carrying, what they have sacrificed, or what responsibility God has entrusted to them.
Therefore, we must be careful with God’s chosen servants. We should honour what God is doing while still measuring everything by His Word.
David understood this principle when he refused to harm Saul, saying:
“I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed…” 1 Samuel 24:10 NKJV
Honour does not mean blind acceptance of everything a leader does. It means we refuse to become careless with God’s servants and allow God to judge and correct His servants according to His wisdom.
THE BATTLE IS ALSO FOUGHT IN THE MORNING
There is another thing that speaks to me strongly from this chapter.
Most battles are prepared for before they are publicly fought.
So I ask myself, and I ask you: If you say you are a morning person, what do you do when you wake up?
Do you pray? Do you seek God? Do you engage in spiritual warfare before you begin your day?
Have you prayed for at least 30 minutes, or perhaps one hour?
Jesus said:
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 NKJV
Jesus Himself made prayer a priority.
Church, may the Lord help us to prioritize prayer.
And I am speaking to myself as well. I need to prioritize deeper prayer. I need to go deeper, deeper in prayer.
We cannot expect to win public battles while neglecting our private altar.
GOD CAN USE OTHER PEOPLE TO CONFIRM WHAT HE IS DOING
Gideon went down to the camp with Purah and heard a man telling his companion about a dream.
Judges 7:13–14 says:
“I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.”
“Then his companion answered and said, ‘This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.’” NKJV
Notice something powerful.
The dream was not given to Gideon.
God gave the dream to another man, and the interpretation came through his companion.
Sometimes when God calls us, He will use people around us to encourage, confirm and strengthen us.
God can use a dream, a vision, a word, wise counsel or a testimony.
But every spiritual experience must be tested against the Word of God.
GIDEON WORSHIPPED
Judges 7:15 says:
“And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped.” NKJV
This is one of the most powerful moments in the chapter.
Gideon heard the victorious news, and his first response was worship.
He did not immediately start giving instructions. He worshipped.
Church, when God answers your prayer, worship.
When God confirms His Word, worship.
When you receive good news, worship.
Don’t simply move on to the next request. Stop and give God glory.
Then Gideon returned to the camp and acted on what he had heard.
GOD GAVE THEM A STRATEGY
Gideon divided the 300 men into three companies. They carried trumpets, pitchers and torches.
At the beginning of the middle watch, they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers.
Judges 7:22 says:
“When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp…” NKJV
Look at this.
God caused the enemy to fight against themselves.
Gideon did not know every detail of what God was going to do. God simply gave him the instruction.
The 300 obeyed, and God took care of the battle.
Church, sometimes God will tell you what to do without telling you exactly how the story will end.
Trust Him.
You may not see how your family situation will change. You may not see how the financial situation will work out. You may not see how the ministry will grow. You may not see how the battle will end.
But if God has given you His direction, keep obeying.
THE 300 FINISHED WHAT GOD HAD STARTED
After the Midianites began fighting one another, the men of Israel from Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh joined the pursuit.
Gideon also sent messengers throughout the mountains of Ephraim to capture the Midianite leaders Oreb and Zeeb.
They captured them, killed them and brought their heads to Gideon.
What a victorious report!
The 300 men did not win the battle through their own strength. God had already started the work. They simply participated in what God was doing.
Sometimes our responsibility is not to create the victory. Our responsibility is to obey God and participate in what He has already begun.
RAISING GODLY FAMILIES
Church, this is what we must transfer to our children.
Teach them to trust God more than numbers, resources or popularity. Teach them to pray, seek God early, bring their fears to Him, listen to His Word and obey His direction.
Because we are not simply raising successful children. We are raising children who know God, trust God and can stand with God even when the majority is going in another direction.
The Gideon of tomorrow may be growing up in your home today.
TAKE TIME TO PRAY PERSONALLY
Church, after hearing the Word today, don’t just close the devotion and continue with your day. Take some time to pray personally.
Talk to God about what He has spoken to you.
Maybe God is showing you that you have been depending too much on people. Maybe there is fear that has been controlling you. Maybe your prayer life needs to go deeper. Maybe you need God’s strategy for a battle you are facing. Maybe you simply need to worship Him for something He has already done.
Take your own time and speak to God personally. Don’t just listen to someone else’s prayer. Pray your own prayer. Talk to your Father.
Church,
please remember, do not replace your personal Bible study with this devotion. This devotion is helping us go chapter by chapter and giving us additional insight, but you must read the Scriptures for yourself.
Read Judges 7 completely. Add another book of the Bible to your daily reading, perhaps John, Acts or another book in the New Testament. Read in the morning, read again in the evening, and meditate on the Word throughout the day.
The more oil you have, the more prepared you will be when the Master delays. So let us keep building our prayer life, keep reading the Word, keep seeking God and keep working out our salvation with fear and trembling.
I am taking mine. I am working on mine. And I trust that you will do the same.
If this devotion has blessed you, share it with your family, friends and loved ones. Share your comments and let us continue spreading the Gospel.
God bless you.
Shalom,
Rev Joseph Antwi
Author: Rev. Joseph Antwi
Rev. Joseph Antwi is the District Pastor of the Basel City Churches District. He is passionate about teaching God’s Word, raising young disciples, and empowering believers to live purposefully and impact their generation through Christ.
Out now!
Rev. Joseph Antwi has released his first book called; "How to know if he or she is the right one" in which he dives into seven biblical keys to a succesfull relationship.
@revjosephantwi
+41 79 663 63 24
What did you learn from today’s devotion?
Leave a comment below and share what spoke to you. Scroll down to the comments section and inspire others with what God revealed to you!
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What a devotion to start into the new month, we are blessed! 🔥
"GOD CAN USE OTHER PEOPLE TO CONFIRM WHAT HE IS DOING" - Wow!
Sometimes God does not speak to you directly, but He communicates through other people. It can be your Pastor, your brother and sister at church or even a stranger that God will use to confirm whatever He has in store for you. After Pastor gave me a prophetic word, as time passed there were other people telling me the exact same thing, just confirming and strengthening the Word that God has for me. And that makes it even more encouraging for us! The same way He encouraged Gideon.
But afterall what I especially take…
What a Devotion!
I love the part where God is telling Gideon that he will win, but doesn't tell him the details on how he would win.
God often removes part of knowledge and information from us, so that we can have genuine trust in him, while we don't know how we will do it, but certainly belive that he will do it!
Thank you Pastor for this blessed Word❤️
What a devotion, woww!😍❤️🔥
What especially touched me was the part where Pastor spoke about how God knew Gideon’s weaknesses and still called him. His fear did not define who he was in Christ.
It also reminded me of an important verse that we always teach the children:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” -2 Timothy 1:7
Fear is not your identity, and it does not take away your calling.
God doesn’t need many people to accomplish His work.
When God answers your prayers, worship Him. 🙌🏽❤️🔥
Thank you Pastor, for every devotion that speaks so deeply to me, and thank you to the Comms…
Puuh, today’s devotion was so powerful. I didn't even want to stop reading!
What I personally took away from it is how much we need people and how important it is that we let the right people into our lives:
God needs people! Sure, He had already declared victory over the Midianites, yet He still needed Gideon and his men to accomplish this victory for the sake of His name.
Who do we let into our lives? Do we choose them intentionally with the help of the Holy Spirit? Do these people bring me closer to the destination where God needs me? God told Gideon not to take too many fighters with him, because He only needed specific people to…