2 chronicles 20:2-3
“Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘a great multitude is coming against you…’”
“Then Jehoshaphat was afraid…”
Do you ever try to not be afraid because you think it’s wrong? Like, our faith should instinctively and instantly dismiss our fears because, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”…? Sometimes, however, there are real, legitimate, plausible, imminent threats that do cause fear, and it is not wrong. This is when the struggle is REAL. How do we handle trials and challenges which crush us to the end of our rope, when circumstances are beyond our means or control? We learn so much on this from King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:1-23
The chapter starts out with some military intelligence reporting to the king that three nations were teaming up and on their way to attack, kill, and destroy the nation of Judah, their cities, and families. Jehoshaphat (I’ll call him Jo) was matter-of-factly right to be afraid in this REAL moment. However, it’s what Jo does with his fear that is our key to real victory amidst real struggle. 2 Chron. 20:3 says, “Then Jehoshaphat was afraid AND set his face to seek the Lord,” What do you do when you’re afraid? Is it more like, “Jo was afraid and consulted his master plan?” “Jo was afraid and threw his arms up in defeat?” “Jo was afraid and worked really hard to fix the situation?” No! The first thing Jo turned to was God, the God who had always been there for him and who never gave him a reason not to be trusted. Jo (along with the whole nation) specifically turned to God with prayer and fasting.
Jo prayed. Jo’s prayer is packed with truths about God’s character that I think we can apply even to the struggles we face today. Jo’s prayer begins by praising God’s sovereignty at every level of need:
- “Oh Lord…are you not God in heaven?”
- “You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.”
- “In your hand are power and might,”
What are you struggling with? What is the imminent threat? God is sovereign over every trial, threat, or disease:
- Oh Lord, are you not God in heaven?
- You rule over all the doctors and hospitals
- Even the cells of my body are not outside of your control
Try it yourself by filling in the blanks with your own need; surrendering your burden to God knowing that He is in control at every level.
- Oh Lord, are you not God in heaven?
- You rule over [A, B and C].
- Even [X, Y and Z] are in your hands.
The second part of Jo’s prayer in 20:7-12 gives great hope in the midst of the clouds of fear when you can’t see where you are, where you’re going, or what’s going to happen. First, Jo looks back, “God, you brought us here, you’ve provided our safety before, you’ve never given us a reason to doubt you.” Second, Jo looks forward as he leans on God’s promises. “You told us that if we ever came across war, famine, etc, and we called out to you, you would hear us and save us. Well, now these people are coming for us and we are calling out to you.” Finally, Jo concludes, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” This is the mantra of one who reaches the end of himself and finds his only hope in God! Make that your mantra!
God answers. The Holy Spirit took a hold of Jahaziel in 20:14 and declared to everyone, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them.” God declares his victory right here and it is AS GOOD AS DONE. But, even as God declares the victory He doesn’t just call the people to sit and wait passively. Instead, He still calls them to go out actively against the threat.
They go. They go worshipping and believing. After God answers, Jo leads the people to respond to their salvation (v. 17, “see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf”). Jo and his people bowed their faces to the ground and worshipped and the next day appointed a choir to go ahead of the troops singing, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
God rescues. “…when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men who had come up against Judah…”
What’s your go-to song when you don’t even have the words to cry out to God?
Whatever threat you are up against, consider these questions.
- In your fear, have you turned to the Lord? Or are you still trying to muster your own strength and devise your own strategy?
- In turning to God, have you been in prayer and fasting?
- In your prayer, can you look back and see God’s provision in the past; thanking Him?
- Can you look forward and see God’s promises; trusting Him?
- In hearing from God, do you sit passively or do you believe he goes with you against the threat? (V. 17, “Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”)
- As you go with God, are you sulking and wringing your hands or are you worshipping and praising?
- In your praise, have you started singing yet? It’s when they began to sing that the Lord began to work…
Finally, king Jo proclaims a truth for us all as we march on, “Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.”
There are many challenges and trials we face today but our greatest personal threat is probably not war. The Lord to whom Jo prescribes his people to believe in -the “salvation on your behalf” – would come again one day as God-incarnate, a king named Jesus, from Judah, to destroy our real greatest imminent threat once-and-for-all. Our biggest threat is the coming of God’s wrath toward sin and the war-like uprising residing in our own hearts and bodies. Jesus Himself says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
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