Battling 800:1 Odds Series

800:1 Odds

2 Samuel 23:8

June 12, 2022

Last week we started talking about a guy named Benaiah who wrestled with a lion in a pit on a snowy day and walked away from it victorious. He also took care of a rather tall Egyptian and a couple of heroes from Moab. Some of us would say Benaiah was courageous, some might say he was a little crazy, maybe a lot crazy.

But we can learn from him, because lots of us have fears of walking into some unknown area and having to face a lion, when in reality, God is calling us to move forward and if God is calling us, then by all means we should follow the call of God

As I said last week, many of us are waiting for God to give us opportunities that are safe, but I believe God is waiting for us to seize those opportunities which are above what we think we’re capable of doing - - - because the only way we can do them is through the power of God in our lives.

This is the second in a three-sermon series on David’s mighty men. I want to introduce you to a man named Josheb. His story is a whopping 1 verse. It’s found in 2 Samuel 23:8 - - -

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.

He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. - 2 Samuel 23:8

I want that guy on my team. I’m not sure how 800 cannot defeat 1, but when I watch movies and see a bunch of guys against one, they all seem to take their turns, otherwise they run into each other and I would guess after a bit, some seem to fade away as they realize their not winning the battle.

Josheb didn’t back down. The odds were totally against him, in fact 800-to-1 odds is pretty awful. We wouldn’t even place a bet on our favorite team with those odds. I mean the odds of the Bears winning the Super Bowl are 65 - 1. The odds of the Cubs making it to the World Series is 90 - 1. I wouldn’t even place those bets, even with your money.

The odds were totally against him, but if you remember the theme for this series is to follow God’s call AND with God there is no such thing as impossible. When the odds seem impossible, that’s when God does His greatest miracles. But we have to have our eyes, spirit and heart open.

If it was simple, where would the glory for God come from? If it was easy, and we could all do it, then we would say, I did it. I didn’t need God, who needs God when it’s a simple fight. I mean, put me against most 3 year olds, and I don’t think I’m going to run away. Put me against some big dudes, and I’m thinking about how to escape or hide.

We base a lot of our life’s choices on the odds. If it seems possible, doable, then we are more apt to go after it. We tend to avoid the situations when the odds seem against us. But when we do that, aren’t we robbing God of the opportunity to do something supernatural?

If Josheb goes up against me, honestly, who cares. That’s not going to get him anywhere on his resume. 800-to-1 odds?! Now we’re talking about someone I want as one of my bodyguards. And more than that, David called Josheb to be the chief of his 3 mightiest warriors. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Some may say it was a chance encounter. And maybe it was. Maybe he was in the wrong place at the right time. But the issue is what he did with it. Of course, let me stop for a moment and say, don’t go out tomorrow and quit your job willy nilly. Use God’s leading and wisdom to make those decisions. Don’t jump at nothing. Jump because God told you to jump at the opportunity.

But I don’t believe this was a chance encounter. I believe this was a God ordained moment. I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe coincidences are really God in disguise. That’s crucial to understand and really to believe in. I’m not a big person to wish you luck. Luck is chance. Maybe I’ll roll a 7, maybe not. That’s luck in my opinion.

Instead I believe God has all of this under His control. Even when it makes no sense. Even when we look up and we see our enemy, 800 strong . . . even when we see that lion staring us down . . . even when we see 2 heroic big dudes coming at us. God has it under control.