When The Odds Are Stacked Against You | Steven Furtick

When the Battle Belongs to the Lord, the Math Won’t Matter

If you’re facing a battle today and the opposition seems greater than you—if the weight of mental struggles feels stronger than your will—if you’ve been dealing with the same challenge for so long that it seems impossible to overcome, I have a word for you. And I need you to listen carefully.

If the battle truly belongs to the Lord… Let’s pause right there. Is it His battle, or is it yours? When we fight to protect our pride and defend our ego, we make the battle our own. But Moses was speaking to the Israelites as they stepped into the land that God had already promised them under Joshua’s leadership.

“As you take this new ground…” Some of you are in a season where God is leading you into new territory. It’s unfamiliar. It feels strange to be fighting these battles at this stage of your life. But when God is leading the fight, the numbers don’t matter.

This is for anyone who relies on logic—when it’s God’s battle, the math won’t matter. I’ve learned this firsthand. I’ve seen in Scripture that when God is in control, numbers don’t define the outcome. David was 5’6″, Goliath was 9’2″, but that didn’t matter. A boy had only five loaves and two fish, but the crowd was 5,000 men—yet God still provided.

You may feel stuck, like the man at the Pool of Bethesda for 38 years (John 5:1-7). You might think, “I can’t win. Others always get ahead of me.” But when Jesus shows up, He changes everything. If He decides to heal you, it doesn’t matter how many people are faster, stronger, or ahead of you. When it’s God’s battle, the numbers don’t count.

One moment in His presence can change everything. One touch of His favor can transform your situation. The prophet said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Stop focusing on what’s surrounding you. Instead, say to yourself, “I may be bad at math, but I’m great at faith!”

You might think, “I’m too old,” or “I’m too young,” or “I don’t have enough resources.” But if God is in it, that won’t matter. Your child may be developmentally delayed, but they will bloom in God’s perfect timing. You may feel like you’re not good at anything, but even a small gift in God’s hands is enough to change everything.

Ask David what one stone can do. “You can’t fight a giant!” they told him. But he had already defeated a bear. One stone, in God’s hands, saved a nation. When the battle belongs to the Lord, the math won’t matter.

You will arrive exactly when you’re meant to. God will restore the time you thought was wasted. What looked like failure will actually carry the seeds of your growth. The struggles you’re facing are shaping your character, preparing you with the fruit of the Spirit—patience, perseverance, and faith.

So, when you step into battle and face an enemy greater than yourself, remember: God is with you.

Now, I want to leave you with three key takeaways. Sometimes, I get so passionate when I preach that I forget to give you something to write down. But today, I want you to remember this:

1. Remember—when you feel like you can’t win, remember what God has already done for you.

(Deuteronomy 20:1) “When you face an enemy you cannot defeat, I will be with you.”

The battle is His, and when He fights for you, victory is already assured.

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