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Play Deaf

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PLAY DEAF Sometimes, what you need to do to achieve the impossible is simply to play deaf! I once heard a story about a group of people who were given an impossible task. They all believed it was impossible, and because they believed it, none of them could accomplish it. Then someone came along who had not heard that the task was impossible. He simply attempted it—and succeeded. Sometimes, what we need to do is play deaf to the impossible situations in our lives. Scripture “But Jonathan hadn’t heard his father put the army under oath. He stuck the tip of his staff into some honey and ate it. Refreshed, his eyes lit up with renewed vigor.” ( 1 Samuel 14:27 ) Explanation This is what the story of Jonathan reminds me of. Saul had given an instruction and placed a curse on anyone who ate or drank anything until he had “wreaked vengeance on my enemies.” But Jonathan did not hear the instruction . So when he came across some honey, he ate it. And that little taste of ho...
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Bosses Sometimes Act Foolishly

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Bosses Sometimes Act Foolishly Never confuse authority with infallibility. The people we look up to can inspire us, lead us, protect us and make great decisions—but they can also get it wrong. Even the person at the top is still human. Scripture “Saul did something really foolish that day. He addressed the army: ‘A curse on the man who eats anything before evening, before I’ve wreaked vengeance on my enemies!’ None of them ate a thing all day.”( 1 Samuel 14:24 ) Explanation Children often see their parents as superheroes. Followers can see their leaders as almost invincible. Subjects may assume their king must always know what he is doing. But when it comes down to it, all men are still men. The Bible says Saul “did something really foolish that day.” Notice the wording: that day. Saul was not foolish every day, but on this occasion, he made a foolish decision. Perhaps Saul thought he was motivating his troops. He wanted them focused, determined and committed to d...
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PUT YOUR FEAR, NOT THE EPHOD, AWAY

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PUT YOUR FEAR, NOT THE EPHOD, AWAY Fear will tell you to stop praying when you need God’s direction the most. When pressure rises and circumstances become confusing, our natural instinct is often to take control. But the moment we stop seeking God because we are afraid of what He might say—or because we cannot understand what is happening—is the moment we need Him most. Scripture “While Saul was in conversation with the priest, the upheaval in the Philistine camp became greater and louder. Then Saul interrupted Ahijah: ‘Put the Ephod away.’”( 1 Samuel 14:19)  Explanation Who do you turn to when you have a problem? In theory, most of us would say, “God.” But in practice, we often turn first to our training, experience, connections, skills, or understanding. We consult God when everything else fails. Saul's men were abandoning the mission because of fear. Saul appeared to do the right thing—he called for the Ephod, the instrument associated with seeking God’s direc...
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The Power of the First Step

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The Power of the First Step A child taking their first steps is a beautiful sight. They may stumble, wobble, and even fall—but nobody laughs at them. Everyone celebrates because a journey has begun. Sometimes, that is all God is asking of you: take the first step. Scripture “In this first bloody encounter, Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men. That set off a terrific upheaval in both camp and field, the soldiers in the garrison and the raiding squad badly shaken up, the ground itself shuddering—panic like you’ve never seen before!”( 1 Samuel 14:14–15 ) Explanation Jonathan and his armour-bearer did not begin by defeating thousands. They started with a small but courageous action. In their first encounter , they killed about twenty men—and that seemingly small victory triggered something much bigger. The enemy camp was thrown into confusion. Panic spread. The ground shook. What looked like a small beginning became the spark for a great victory. That...
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Come Out of Hiding, Step Into the Open You cannot conquer what you are afraid to confront. Sometimes, the first step toward your victory is simply coming out of hiding. Scripture “So they did it, the two of them. They stepped into the open where they could be seen by the Philistine garrison. The Philistines shouted out, ‘Look at that! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!’” ( 1 Samuel 14:11 MSG) Explanation Israel had been hiding from the Philistines because of fear. But Jonathan and his armour-bearer decided it was time to step into the open. Notice what happened: the moment they came out, the enemy saw them. They became exposed to the very people they had been hiding from. But their exposure was not the end of the story—it was the beginning of a victory God would bring through them. Sometimes, we hide because we fear criticism, failure, rejection, or what people will say. Yet what we call hiding for safety can become a prison that keeps us from fulfilling...
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The Meeting of Minds

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The Meeting of Minds What if the greatest obstacle to what God wants to do through you is not your circumstances, but the way you think? God is looking for people whose minds are so renewed by His Word that they can recognize His purpose, embrace His plan, and move with Him. Scripture “No one can stop GOD from saving when he sets his mind to it… Do all that is in your mind; I am with you in whatever you think [best].” ( 1 Samuel 14:6–7 ) Explanation Jonathan understood something powerful: God is not limited by numbers, circumstances, or human strength. If God decides to save, no one can stop Him. But Jonathan was also willing to align himself with what God wanted to do. His thoughts, desires, and actions were moving in the same direction as God’s purpose. It was a meeting of minds—Jonathan’s mind aligned with the mind of God. This is one of the results of a renewed mind. As we continually expose ourselves to God’s Word, our thinking begins to change. We begin to see...
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God Saves

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God Saves  Don’t let your calculations put a limit on God. Sometimes we look at what we have—or don’t have—and conclude that God cannot do much with it. But God has never needed favourable numbers, perfect conditions, or overwhelming resources to save. Scripture “For there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.”( 1 Samuel 14:6 KJV) Explanation Jonathan understood something that we often forget: God is not limited by numbers. Israel had an enemy to confront, and Jonathan did not have a massive army behind him. Yet he said, “It may be that the LORD will work for us.” His confidence was not in the size of his army but in the unlimited ability of God. God can save by many, and He can save by few. He can work through what looks like abundance, and He can work through what appears insignificant. Our calculations do not define God's possibilities. Our strategies do not restrict His power. God is God, and He is not intimidated by what intimidates us. T...
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