Jehoshaphat

 My son and daughter-in-law are moving and brought me a few books that they're unloading.  One is a Joyce Meyer book from about 20 years ago called "The Battle Belongs to the Lord."  I've only read 2 chapters so far, but she has pulled me back to one of my favourite of all Old Testament stories.  In 2 Chronicles 20, we find the land of Judah, the Israelites who were God's chosen people, and their king Jeshoshaphat, who had initiated reforms designed to bring the people back to the worship of God.

The chapter starts with the information that 3 armies were marching on their land, described in verse 2 as "a great multitude".  They were the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Meunites.  In the book, Joyce Meyer has a list of "ites" that can come against us:  "fear-ites...disease-ites...poverty-ites...bad marriage-ites...stress-ites...grouchy neighbor-ites...insecurity-ites...rejection-ites...and on and on."

At the first report he received, King Jehoshaphat "feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."  He "set himself to seek the Lord" instead of turning himself inside out trying to find a human solution.  How often we try to work out our own answers and responses instead of stopping to seek the Lord!  The purpose of the fast was not to twist God's arm somehow, but to allow all the people to focus on seeking the Lord.

Then he began to pray, starting with a focus first on who God is ("O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might so that no one is able to withstand You?"), and then, secondly, what He had already done for His people ("Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham, Your friend, forever?")  What a fabulous example for all of us to follow when attacks come against us!

Then Jehoshaphat admitted that he didn't have the answers he needed, and even if he knew what to do about the enemies, he wouldn't have had the strength to carry out the plan.  His entire dependence was on his God.  "For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us, nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."

When the people had their attention on seeking God, on remembering just who He was and what He had done for them in the past, the answer came.  It came to "Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly."  I have sometimes wondered why that whole list had to be there, describing who Jahaziel was exactly.  One thing that comes to me is that God is saying He knew the man perfectly, from far back in his history.  The same is true for us.  He knows us and chose us from before the foundations of the world (Psalm 139; Ephesians 1:4).

God's answer was the reassurance that they shouldn't "be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitdte, for the battle is not yours, but God's", followed by the instructions about what to do..."Tomorrow go down against them...Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." And then there's that favourite line, "Do not fear, or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."  I keep finding more and more of those "fear not, and don't be dismayed because the Lord is with you" references.

The people went out obediently early the next morning and made the quality decision to put the praisers out in front.  They sang, "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever" before they even saw His answer manifested.

If we need a formula in the face of our enemies and issues, there is a really great one here.  (1) Seek the Lord.  He has answers for you that you couldn't dream up in a thousand years.  (2) Focus on the greatness of God.   List the names and qualities of God that will remind us that He is our "More-than-enough" and remember all He has already done for us.   Review the times He has come through for us and provided a way where there was just no way, all before we rush into telling Him our problems.  (3) Share the problem/question with God, admitting that we have no answers and no strength of our own in the situation but that we know we can entirely depend on Him.  And leave the burden with Him instead of picking it back up and giving in to worry and stress.  (4) When you get His answer, go with it, knowing that He is with us and that is all we need.  (5) Start praising right away, before you see how God works it out.

We can face even lockdowns and epidemics this way!