The Battle Is Not Yours, But God’s

You Will Not Have To Fight This Battle!

GOOD NEWS!!


When King Jehoshaphat learned that a great multitude was coming against Judah (2 Chronicles 20) he did exactly what we all should do when facing trouble. Instead of trying to handle things himself, Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord and acknowledge Him as the God with whom they had a covenant—the God who had blessed them in the past with His power and might.

6 [King Jehoshaphat prayed:] “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.
15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
(2 Chronicles 20:6, 15, 17)

Now, look at the outcome:

20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise God in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,”Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 22 And when they began to sing and praise God, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. (2 Chronicles 20:20~23)

But notice this:

Verse 22 says, “when they began to sing and praise God, the Lord set an ambush…”
That’s when God began to act! It was the praise of the people that activated God’s supernatural help.

Who but God would seriously devise this battle plan:
  • [Jehoshaphat took] counsel with the people
  • He instructed the people to “Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established…”
  • Also to “believe his prophets, and you will succeed”
  • he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise God in holy attire
  • They went out in front of the army saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
WHAT??
Where were the warriors with swords and spears??

IMAGINE WITH ME:
It would be as though the Allied forces on D-day in 1944 had landed on the beach at Normandy — and then began singing to the Nazi soldiers!
That’s what it must have felt like to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
That’s what they were — in essence — being commanded to do, right?

What they did required a very bold step of faith!

They took God seriously

They were so secure in the certainty of the outcome in light of God’s promises that they put the musicians — the worship team — IN FRONT OF THE ARMY, FACING THE ENEMY!

And why not? They trusted God
  • They remembered the stories from their parents and grandparents about the times when God delivered their people out of captivity in Egypt.
  • They recalled how God had fed their forefathers in the wilderness.
  • They remembered how He had supernaturally held back the waters of the Jordan river while the people crossed.
  • They knew how the people marched around Jericho for seven days.
  • They remembered that, on the seventh day, the entire nation marched around the walls of Jericho seven times.
  • And they recalled how, when the trumpet sounded — and all the people gave a great shout — God caused the walls of Jericho to fall.
  • And they took note of the fact that God supernaturally preserved Rahab and her family, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Therefore, they knew they were going out merely as spectators, and that God would fight the battle for them.
God expects us to learn from these examples:

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

Now these things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us… (1 Corinthians 10:11a)

If your “faith” is just an intellectual assent to a set of facts, you’ll never step out in faith as they did. God’s purpose for you is to transform you — often through adversity — so that He can use you for His purposes.

On the other hand…

If the principles of God’s Word have become for you a way of life, a deeply-held conviction that you live by — and if necessary, you would die for — then you are truly His disciple!

Here’s what God wants to train you to do:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5~7)

Our adversary, Satan, does not want you to trust in the Lord, because he knows that “Every Word of God proves True…” (Proverbs 30:5) and Satan cannot hang with the Truth! The Bible is the one thing in this world that the devil cannot control. He wants you to put all your trust in worldly solutions, because he can control those.

Instead, choose to trust God.

38 but My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:38~39)

Are you “…of those who have faith…”?

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
(2 Chronicles 20:12)

Notice the phrase…

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

That’s the position we should all take!!

- Jan

 
 

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{ 2 comments… add one }
  • Beth Mclaughlin 01/06/2022, 7:27 AM

    Hi Jan I spoke the words from those passages over and over daily when I went through an intense spiritual battle and faced extreme anxiety. Over time the anxiety kept reducing and I did experience more freedom. Do you think singing praises are effective when feeling frustrated or angry as a mum or when the children or unsettled in my home? Any advice ? Thanks

    Reply Link
    • Jan Smith 01/06/2022, 12:11 PM

      Beth, here is a short scripture passage from the book of “Acts” – chapter 16, verse 18:
      But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”
      So, when I go to bed at night, I say out loud to whatever demons that want to disturb my sleep, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to be gone”!
      Works every time.
      Try that, and let me know what happens.

      Reply Link