Zechariah 10:5

 Zechariah 10:5 says,  And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.  God said that there would be mighty men fighting for Judah because the LORD was with them.  We really don't need to look to how powerful we are militarily if we are not on God's side.  It is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are on His.  Verse six adds, And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.  This was God's promise to Judah.  He would strengthen and save them, because He had mercy on them.  God saves us and strengthens us spiritually today because He has mercy on us.  Just as the people of Judah could not save themselves, neither can we.  God said He was not going to cast them off, because He was their God and would hear them.  As followers of Christ, God is our God and He will never cast us off and will always hear our prayers.  Verse seven states, And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. God said that He would strengthen them and that they would rejoice in the LORD once more.  As Christians, our faith should strengthen us in the world today and we should always rejoice in the LORD.  Verse eight adds, I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.  God made it clear that He was the One responsible for their success.  He would gather those who put their faith in Him because He had redeemed them.  One day, God is going to gather all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ to their everlasting home,because God has redeemed them.  Verse nine adds, And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.  God said that those who had been scattered to the far countries would hear His word and return to Him.  God's kingdom was going to expand to all the world and His word was going out to all the people of the world.  This is our responsibility today, to share the gospel with all the world.  Verse ten declares, I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.  God said He was going to gather them, and He still gathers those today who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven continues, And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.  God said that He would defeat all the enemies of His people when they lived by faith in Him.  This promise still applies to us today.   Verse twelve concludes, And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.  God said when He strengthened them that they would go everywhere in His name.  As followers of Christ today, wherever we go and whatever we are doing should be done so that God's name will be magnified in the world and His kingdom advanced.