Make Praise Your Weapon of Choice

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.  2 Chronicles 20:17 (KJV)

The report brought to king Jehoshaphat was not good.  A great multitude had gathered to wage war against God’s people and trouble was quickly headed their way.  Worse yet, the opposition was so great the king knew it was pointless to go to battle.  Fortunately, he had one friend he knew could help.  The friend who held his only hope was God, so Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast then rushed into God’s house to pray and seek guidance and help from the Lord.

He went to God with his whole heart in his hands and a desperate plea for deliverance.  The final words of his prayer say it all:  “we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.”  Then the Bible says, “And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children” waiting on an answer from heaven.

“Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, 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.  To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.  Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.  

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.  And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.  And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.  And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.  And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.  For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 

And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.  And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.  And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.  

Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.  And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.  And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.  So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.” (2 Chronicles 20:14-30)

God’s response to Jehoshaphat’s prayer could not have been more clear.  His instruction could not have been more simple.  The resulting victory could not have been more decisive.  You’re going to fight many battles in life.  Tough battles.  Battles that look like there’s no way you can win.  When your back is against the wall, do what Jehoshaphat did.  Run to God’s house, pour out your heart to Him and wait on a word from the Lord.  If God is against you, turn back and retreat.  If it’s too late to retreat, simply surrender and cut your losses.  But if God says the victory is yours, bow down and worship the Lord then show up for the battle.  Bring your faith in God’s promise, your praise and a song, then watch God fight for you.  Make praise your weapon of choice and the victory will surely be yours.

© 2012 Karen McNeil

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