Depending on Him Alone

Then Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring ofHarod; and the camp ofMidian was north of them by the hill ofMoreh in the valley. 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 boast about themselves against Me, saying, My own hand has delivered me. So now proclaim in the ears of the men, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him turn back and depart from Mount Gilead. And 22,000 of the men returned, but 10,000 remained.
—Judges 7:1-3

Instead of telling Gideon, who was facing a major battle, that He would give him more men, God told him that he had too many for God to give him the victory. Interestingly enough, sometimes God works through our weaknesses better than through our strengths. There are times when we have too much going for us in the natural for God to give the victory. We are not in line for a miracle if anyone but God can help us. God was telling Gideon that they were too strong in themselves, that He wanted them in a position where they would have to depend entirely on Him. Pride and boasting ruin the best of men so God has to help us stay humble and, under His mighty hand, totally dependent on Him.