Judges 20:21
“And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.”
Defeat should always be one of the hardest pills to swallow. If defeat doesn’t bother you, then that means you are not interested in what you’re doing. Everyone faces defeat in their life, and what they learn from their defeat will determine their future.
The story from the verse above gives us several lessons from defeat that you should apply to your life. The children of Israel went to war against the tribe of Benjamin, and they lost. They had asked God whether to go, and God told them to go, but they still faced defeat. In this story you will find invaluable lessons that will encourage you when you face defeat.
First, defeat does not mean that you are wrong. God told the children of Israel to go to war against Benjamin and they still lost. They were not wrong in going to war even though they suffered defeat. If you suffer defeat in the midst of doing right, you must realize that does not mean that you are wrong. Too often we equate defeat with being wrong, and that can be the furthest from the truth. When you are fighting for truth, it can seem to be an uphill battle. In that battle you will suffer defeat at different times, but that does not mean you are wrong. If you suffer defeat in the battle for truth, you are still right.
Second, defeat doesn’t mean that you should quit. When Israel lost against Benjamin, they immediately went to God and asked Him if they should go up again against Benjamin, and God said to go again. God is teaching us that just because you suffered a defeat doesn’t mean that you should quit. Many Christians don’t have the stomach to continue on for the same cause in which they were just defeated. If you are fighting for truth, then you must realize you cannot quit in the midst of defeat. Quitting in defeat will give the enemy the privilege of saying you were wrong. Don’t give them that privilege! Keep on going though you have suffered a defeat.
Third, defeat does mean that you should continue doing right. These people kept praying, fasting and fighting though they had suffered defeat. Right does not become wrong when you suffer defeat. Right is always right, and you must continue to do right though you have experienced defeat. If you didn’t reach a goal in your ministry, keep doing right. If you didn’t see someone saved out soul winning, keep soul winning. If failed to explain truth properly when teaching or preaching the Word of God, keep teaching and preaching the Word of God. Defeat should only be a setback and not the finish line.
Fourth, defeat does mean that you are one step closer to victory. Israel fought several battles before they eventually experienced victory. Every defeat meant that they were one step closer to victory. If you will keep getting up in your defeat, then you will eventually experience victory. Be like the just man in Proverbs 24:16 who just kept getting up. Don’t let defeat keep you down, for you are that much closer to victory.
Have you experienced a recent defeat? I certainly understand that defeat is not an easy pill to swallow, but you can take these lessons from defeat and let them encourage you to keep going. Don’t let defeat defeat you. Keep going! Victory will come if you will keep getting up and doing right.