TEXT: II CHRONICLES 20:15–20
[15] And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. [16] Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. [17] You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” [18] And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. [19] Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.
Discussions:
Praise is an important weapon of warfare. Praise confuses the enemies and causes God to step into the situation. The text today is a story of a king called Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was afraid when he heard that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon and the Ammonites were coming for him and his kingdom. But he did not let his fear take over him. The Bible said, “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”
There is nothing wrong in being afraid, but there is everything wrong in remaining afraid. We need to take a cue from Jehoshaphat. He prayed and fasted regarding his fear. Then the word of the Lord came to him. Then praise came out from his spirit. The praise from Jehoshaphat was from the place of victory, not from the place of defeat.
The reason Jehoshaphat was praising God was because he had already received the word of God, and that took away the fear and boosted his faith that it was impossible for him not to praise God.
There is a saying that when prayer fails, try praise. I believe prayer does not fail but Prayer + Praise = God’s intervention. Prayer connects you to the spirit, opens you eyes to the mind of God and praise automatically come as a result of knowing the mind of God because your faith in God is now on the high side.
The praise of God that moves God is the praise that comes from the place of victory. This is a praise that puts God in the place that He has no choice but to move. It is like ordering an item online. You have the receipt of purchase, but not yet the item. The seller is then bounded to send you the product. Praising God is like being joyous for the receipt of victory. Hallelujah
Praise God that His word does not fail. Praise God that He is bigger than the battle and we are rest assured that He has already stepped into the situation. Hallelujah
Declaration:
I believe God for His word is true. He does not lie. Hallelujah
Light Up Christian Fellowship
