Ugh!  I woke up this morning with a rather heavy heart … more bad news!

Riots. Murder. Virus. Deaths. Schools not reopening.  Teachers unions protesting. Children in crisis. Job losses.  Businesses closing.  Anarchy.  Government in disruption. Slander. Hate. You name it!

THEN the Lord dropped into my spirit … “face the battle with praise just like Jehoshaphat!”  So I got my Bible and turned to II Chronicles 17-20.  I’ll give you a run down but grab your Bible and read it for yourself.

1. King Jehoshaphat sought God and walked in His commandments. His heart took delight in the ways of the Lord.
2. God established him in office.
3. Jehoshaphat was rich and had honor in abundance.
4. He allowed the priests to teach the Word of God.
5. He aligned himself with the wicked king Ahab of Israel. (It’s another whole study to decipher why Jehoshaphat joined with Ahab to go to war when they knew what the outcome would be!)
6. When surrounded by those who would kill him, he cried out (18:31) and the Lord helped him and delivered him from those who would have killed him.
7. Jehoshaphat returned in safety even though his actions had displeased the Lord but … (19:3) “good things are found in you … and have prepared your heart to seek God.”
8. Jehoshaphat brought the people back to the Lord God of their fathers.
9. He set judges and commissioned them, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment … let the fear of the Lord be upon you in the judgment … let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.” (19:6-7)
10. Chapter 20 … war again!
11. Jehoshaphat had fear set in but (v3) “(he) set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast”
12. Jehoshaphat stood before the people and here is part of his prayer, “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? … if disaster comes upon us – sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine – we will stand before this temple and in Your presence … and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save… we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You … now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.”
13. The Lord responded through His prophet … “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” … and I add HALLELUJAH!!!
14. Prophet continues, “You will not need to fight in this battle.  Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you … do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
15. Jehoshaphat (remember he is the king!) bowed before the Lord and worshiped Him.
16. Then they “stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.”
17. The next morning they rose early, went out and Jehoshaphat stood before them and said, “Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established.”
18. Then the king appointed singers who would praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army and sang, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.”
19. It was when they began to sing and praise that “the Lord set ambushes against” the enemy and “they were defeated”!
20. God’s people were three days gatherings the spoils of war
21. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah (Valley of Blessing) and they returned with joy.
22. The people returned home victorious, with joy and with stringed instruments, harps and trumpets to the house of the Lord. “And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.

OK … so what’s the point of all this?  What does it say to us?  What can we learn?

God had put a righteous king in place.  He was not a perfect man but his heart sought God.  When he made the mistake of aligning himself in war with an ungodly king, he repented, sought God and God delivered him.

He brought the people to God, set up godly rulers and acted courageously.

But the enemies of God’s people come again and the king fears BUT he asks the people to join him in fasting and prayer for guidance from God.  There is public affirmation of who God is.  The king shows his vulnerability and his dependence on God and encourages all to keep their eyes on God … NOT on their surroundings.  Worship, praise loudly, believe in God, sing!

If we keep our eyes on what is happening around us and not on God we WILL become discouraged!

What does God say … don’t be afraid, don’t be discouraged, this battle is Mine not yours, go, you won’t have to fight, position yourselves, stand still and SEE God’s deliverance for God is with you!

BEHAVE COURAGEOUSLY

ACT FEARLESSLY

WORSHIP ADORINGLY

THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S!

Our President deserves our prayers.  I believe he is doing his best to call us back to God.  He is setting in place many good judges.  We as God’s people need to pray and fast, fight the “good fight of faith”, speak out, worship God, praise Him and SING LOUDLY! 🙂

I can’t change the world or even my small community … but I can change me!  I can change my perspective!  What is happening in our world today is UGLY!  I don’t like my freedoms disappearing … but I can still praise God.  I can still sing LOUDLY.  I can still worship the King of kings!