In Proverbs 24:10, this statement is made: "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."

Adversity comes in different waves. There are challenges to large groups, to families, and to individuals.

Whatever the adversity is, if we inventory what we have in ready resources against the need, it will always seem deficient. We are not strong, but God is, and it is only when we stand in His strength that we can prevail over obstacles.

In the Old Testament book of Joshua, God commanded the people of Israel to cross the Jordan River at flood stage to enter into Canaan. The river was out of its banks. The current would sweep everyone away if they tried to cross.

God told Joshua to send the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant across the river first (Joshua 3:6). Joshua knew that God was about to perform a mighty miracle for them. He told the priests to pick up the ark and step into the river.

As soon as the soles of the priests' feet touched the water of the river, they were to wait for the deliverance of God. The priests stood there, and God stopped the water in the river. The water actually rose up in a heap far up river (Joshua 3:16). A heap or hill of water was certainly a miracle.

The riverbed dried up and the people of Israel, numbering more than two million, crossed the riverbed and did not even get their shoes muddy.

That was a day of adversity. The river was great, and the strength of the people was not up to the task, but God intervened, and the task was completed.

These are days of adversity. Nothing has surprised God. Nothing has slipped by Him. Our resources may seem deficient. Those are the circumstances God delights in.

Elijah witnessed the widow's meal barrel and jar of oil, which she declared empty, provide for them for days during a severe famine (1 Kings 17:13-16).

The disciples of Jesus experienced the feeding of thousands of people on at least two occasions when there was only a very small amount of food available (Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39).

David was in great adversity at Ziklag when his wives and children had been kidnapped along with the families of all his soldiers. It was a bad situation. David was at the end of his resources, but we are told in 1 Samuel 30:6 that "David strengthened himself in the LORD his God."

Our tactic must be the tactic of Gideon in Judges 8:4, "exhausted but still in pursuit."

When we reach the end of our resources, the resources of God have hardly begun.