Deuteronomy 7:17-21 – Let’s put our trust in God

Fear discourages. It petrifies. It always exaggerates problems and makes them look way bigger than they really are. Besides, fear creates self-doubt. Worst of all it causes one to doubt God. What could cause fear?  Fear is always generated by the wrong focus. When we spotlight on self and our problem, fear gets spawned. How should we deal with it? Do not be self-reliant, but also do not allow self-doubt to play tricks on us. The best way to deal with it, is to rely on God. When we place our focus on God and His past deliverances in our lives and trust Him to get us through, our fear diminishes. We will be emboldened to move on with Him. Moses’ call in Deuteronomy 7:17-21 is to put one’s trust in God and not in oneself. The best way to overcome obstacles in life, he assured us, is not to rely on oneself but to trust God.  

Moses anticipated that since he told the children of Israel, they were fewer in numbers than the people in the land, they would doubt their ability to take the land. So here in these verses, he was urging them to refocus. Firstly, he told them in verse 19 to spotlight on the evidence of God’s past deliverance. He asked them to “…remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the Lord your God brought you out. So shall the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.” Past evidence is proof that God’s ability will see us through. Therefore, we must remember God’s past wonderful works in our lives.   

Secondly, in verses 20-21, Moses assured them of God’s assistance. Here he reminded them of a few things. First, they must remember that they have a great and awesome God. Second, this God would be present among them in their quest to move forward. Third, this same God would be sending hornets on their enemies to assist in dealing with them. Forth, the hornets He sent would cause confusion and ferret out those in hiding. What was Moses referring to when he talked about the hornets? He was possibly referring to the panic God would bring to the people, as He so often did on their behalf during their journey.

For these two reasons, like Israel, we must trust God and not be overwhelmed by fear. In Christ, God has delivered us mightily from our past and He can do it again in whatever obstacle we have to face. Besides, He will personally be with us to see us through our journey in life. In Him is our sure victory. Whenever we are afraid, we can trust in Him. He is our victory, so let’s put our trust in Him!