“…Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20: 15, KJV
Dear Lord, as we look into Your Word today, we pray that You will help us to see clearly that the battle is Yours, and allow You to fight for us. Amen
We may be spending several days on this topic. There is so much to see and ponder! Today we begin with the battle that Jehoshaphat faced. He is threatened by a coalition of nations. These are seasoned warriors. They are already on their way toward the place of battle. Jehoshaphat is fearful!
Like the battle that Jehoshaphat faced, there are challenges that leave us numb. What do you do when you have small children and your husband has lost his job, and the rent is almost due, and you don’t have any savings to fall back on? Where do you go? Who do you ask for help?
Jehoshaphat does what each of us can do when we face situations that are bigger than us. He calls upon YHWH. He begins to reason with the God of his fathers! God, aren’t You the God in heaven? Don’t You rule over all the nations? Isn’t there enough power and might in Your hands so that nobody can stand up to You? Then he reminds God of the manner in which God drove out the Canaanites and gave the land to His servant Abraham.
When was the last time you prayed a prayer like that? Have you ever accepted God’s invitation to “come…and let us reason together[?]” Have you ever reminded Him of the way He delivered you in the past? Have you told Him how wonderful His deliverance felt? When we do this in a spirit of total dependence upon the Lord, God is glorified! Keeping past victories in sight is a healthy reminder of who fights our battles. I invite you to do this. God would love to hear from you, and you will be blessed!
Now God speaks to Jehoshaphat: “You will not have to fight in this war, just be ready; and be still; observe my salvation. Don’t be fearful; don’t be troubled; tomorrow you go out and I will be with you.” (paraphrased)
When God knows that we are depending on Him with all our hearts He is not going to let us down! His promises are trustworthy. Remember, once the Word goes out of God’s mouth “it will not return to Him empty.” God says to us “Stand still and see my salvation.” It means that He will save us! But we must be ready. The king and his army did not remain at home and wait for God to send and tell them, “O.k. folks, your enemies are no more!” Instead they “rose up early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa….And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir…and they were smitten.”
When we are willing to believe the Lord, and act upon His promises, God will fight and win our battles for us! What battle are you facing? Is it unemployment? Prepare yourself, and armed with faith, go out and look for a job. Is it a relationship that is falling apart? Be willing to do all that lies in your power to save the situation, then depend wholeheartedly on the Lord to do the rest. Is your faith growing cold? Go and reason with the Lord. Be prepared to spend quality time in His presence, then allow God to revive you in His love. For “the battle is not yours, it’s God’s.”