Month: April 2018

I find the story recorded in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 most encouraging. The armies of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir (descendants of Lot and Esau) had come to fight against God’s people. When Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was told about it, he panicked because he knew there was no way he could fight against such a great multitude. A physical battle between them and the armies of Israel would bring certain defeat.

The king however did something else which is what he should have done in the first place and which all of us should learn from. He called all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah to the temple to pray, to fast, to sing and to praise the Lord- seeking His face and asking deliverance from their enemies. God’s answer through His messenger was so encouraging. The prophet told King Jehoshaphat not to panic or worry because “the battle was not his but the Lord’s”. He was instructed not to fight because the Lord will do the fighting for them. And then he was told to position himself, and to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” V. 15, 17.

Sure enough, when the people of Israel marched to face the enemy the next day, they saw the Lord already doing His job. The people of Ammon and Moab were smiting and killing the people of Mt. Seir and when they were done, they started fighting and killing one another. After the carnage and all that were left of them were dead bodies, King Jehoshaphat and his people simply went to gather the spoils and treasures from their dead enemies. It took them three days to do this and when they were done, they went back to Jerusalem with so much spoils of war, singing and praising God for what He had done for them.

Many times we feel overwhelmed by the challenges and problems that come in our lives. We might panic like King Jehoshaphat did especially in the face of potentially certain defeat by our enemies. But let’s engage God in prayer, singing and praising His most powerful name. Let us remind Him of the wonderful things He had done in the past for us and His people and trust that He still has the power and might to do it again for us. And let us receive His gracious response: “You shall not need to fight in this battle because the battle is the Lord’s. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!”