"And at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to begin fighting among themselves, and they destroyed each other!" (2 Chronicles 20:22).
The armies of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir had declared war on King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. So Jehoshaphat called the people together and prayed, "Oh, our God. Won't you stop them. We have no way to protect ourselves against this mighty army. We don't know what to do but we are looking to You."
Then the Lord instructed the people, "Don't be afraid, don't be paralyzed by this mighty army for the battle is not yours, but God's! Tomorrow, go down and attack them!...But you will not need to fight. Take your places; stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you" (2 Chronicles 20:15-17).
After consultation with the leaders of the people, Jehoshaphat determined that there should be a choir, clothed in sanctified garments and singing the song, "His Loving kindness Is Forever," leading the march. As they walked along praising and thanking the Lord, He released His mighty power in their behalf.
One of the greatest lessons I have ever learned about the Christian life is the importance of praise and thanksgiving. The greater the problem, the more difficult the circumstances, the greater the crisis, the more important it is to praise God at all times, to worship Him for who He is; for His attributes of sovereignty, love, grace, power, wisdom and might; for the certainty that He will fight for us, that He will demonstrate His supernatural resources in our behalf.
As in the case of Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah when they began to praise God and He caused the three opposing armies to fight against each other and destroy one another, God will fight for us if we trust and obey Him. There is no better way to demonstrate faith and obedience than to praise Him and to thank Him, even when our world is crumbling around us and the enemy is threatening to destroy. God honors praise. Hebrews 13:15 reminds us, "With Jesus' help, we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of His name."
Bible Reading: Psalm 136:1, 21-26
TODAY'S ACTION POINT: Today I will continue to praise God and give thanks to Him for who He is. When difficulties arise, I will praise Him all the more and thank Him for His faithfulness. I will depend upon the supernatural resources of God which enable me to live the supernatural life, regardless of the circumstances.
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Afterthought:
When I came across this, I could feel the fire in my heart rekindled - the faith restored. It was my Father in heaven, who has heard my desperate cry and appeal, talking to me through the scriptures. Recently, exam stress and concerns for the future have succeeded in distracting me from fixing my eyes solely on Jesus. Or should I say, ever since I stepped out of my comfort zone, the fear has never left, regardless of all the knowledge that I have acquired about God and His promises. The sudden epiphany taught me to fully understand what Aunty Michele has once told us. (It was dated many years back. Oh I feel so old now.) The knowledge (of God) if stays in mind produces no effects whatsoever. It is not until the knowledge has dissolved into your heart and that you have opened up your heart to trust like a child of his father i.e. total surrender to God's will, you have come to experience and accept Christ personally. Paraphrased. Oh well, I might have added some myself. On that very instant, I knew for sure the anxiety and vexations that I have in my heart, Jesus understands them all.
Rejoice even when you think you have never been so worse off; be thankful for every little/crucial thing that you have gained or lost, you never know what God has in store for you; pray unceasingly and trust faithfully for God listens and He never fails. The least thing you would want to do is to worry. God makes you. No parents would turn away from their children when their children are incapable of even feeding themselves. What more can we expect from God, the Parent of all parents? He will not give beyond your abilities, nor will He allow you to carry the cross all by yourself. The heaviest cross has already been taken up for your sake in fact.
Buck up and move on! Your God IS fighting for you and He has already CONQUERED the battle!
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