They stood their ground.
The Lord gave a victory.
These are two sentences that could sum up every great exploit every one of God's people achieved. They each stood their ground, God gave them victory.
In every great endeavor, God assigns us tasks that are insurmountable for us without Him. But these tasks – no matter how impossible - are tasks He wants us to do. God wants our participation for our benefit, for the benefit of others and because it bonds us to Him more solidly.
As I write this, I think of Joshua and the battle for Jericho. As surely as I sit here writing these words, Joshua must have wondered why God told him to march around the city with the priests.
God didn't just hand the city of Jericho to Joshua. God gave Joshua a task. As the walls of Jericho came falling down, Joshua's faith was built up! (Joshua 6) Not only was Joshua's relationship with God strengthened, but the people were strengthened, knowing the God who rescued them from Egypt was going to continue to lead them through Joshua as He'd led them through Moses. The people knew Moses' words were being fulfilled when he said, "The Lord will personally go ahead of you…."
Several generations later, David wrote in his Psalm, "by my God, I can leap over walls, and run against troops." (Psalm 18)
As one really reads and absorbs the words in the Bible, one begins to see God's hand with each and every one who truly believed Him.
Many of these people suffered rejection from family, friends and many others for taking God at His Word, and many faced obstacles that made it hard to see the end result of the resolve to believe God. But just as Eleazer and Shamman stood their ground, these also stood their ground, and God gave a great victory.
Has God given a dream? Does it seem impossible? Does it seem like a risk?
Step out, believe God, stand your ground, and the Lord will give you a great victory.
And at the end, when you have accomplished that which the Lord has called you to do, you will say, "There was much joy in that journey, even with the pains."