My Vital Need
From November 2009
"Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah. And Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord [yearning for Him with all their desire]." 2 Chronicles 20:3,4
Jehoshaphat was in a tough spot. A great multitude had come against him to battle. What did he do? Did he go to pieces? Did he rush out to fight? Did he run and hide? No, none of these things. According to scripture, Jehoshaphat feared. He didn't remain in fear though. He set himself to seek the Lord. This wasn't a casual inquiry either. He sought the Lord determinedly, as his vital need. Then Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast in all Judah. What did Judah do? Were they busy running for their lives in the face of this great multitude ready for battle? No, they gathered together to ask help from the Lord. They came to seek the Lord. They were yearning for Him with all their desire.
What do I do when faced with a tough situation? When it seems as if a great multitude has come up against me for battle, what do I do? Do I determinedly seek the Lord as my vital need? Do I yearn for Him with all my desire or do I bravely try to stand in my own strength and fight under my own power? Do I lean on my own understanding or do I trust in the Lord with all my heart and allow Him to direct my paths? Prov. 3:5,6 Let's see what happened with Jehoshaphat. In verse 13 says that all Judah stood before the Lord, with their children and their wives. Everyone was there, even the children. A Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the middle of the assembly said these words in verse 15-17 "Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat, the Lord says this to you; Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." Twice they were told not to fear or be dismayed. Twice! They were also told that they would not have to fight. Now for the big question. How many times have I failed to set myself to seek the Lord, assumed because of the "great multitude" come up against me that war was on, and started fighting when God never intended me to fight at all, only to stand still and see His salvation? Oh me, oh my. How many messes have I made when my Heavenly Father had a victory planned for me? Oh the victory came, but did it take so long to come because I took so long to seek? Hmmm, it's definitely something to think about.
After Jehoshaphat received the answer from the Lord, what did He do? He bowed his head with his face to the ground worshipping the Lord. Not only King Jehoshaphat but all of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him. Some of the Levites and Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. Worshipping the Lord for His promise of deliverance while facing a great multitude. I wonder what would happen if I followed this example from scripture? I'm curious how many "fights of faith" I would be actively engaged in. I wonder how many times I would simply have to stand still and experience the Lord's deliverance.
The next morning, Judah obeyed the Word of the Lord and went out. Jehoshaphat spoke to Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He told them to "Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper. When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against he men of Ammon...and they were [self-]slaughtered;" The great multitude turned on itself. Each individual group within the whole became suspicious of each other and began to fight among themselves. Verse 24 says that none escaped! Now that's good news, but it gets even better. Verse 25 tells us that not only did Judah not have to fight because the great multitude self-destructed, but that great spoils were left behind for the taking. So much spoil was left that it took three days to gather it! Not only did Judah not have to fight, God abundantly blessed them besides!
Every season in life contains its own share of "great multitudes" which come up against us. Some of these multitudes are loud and noisy, some sneaky and subtle. Yet, all of them are ready for battle. I need to have my armor on, God instructed Judah to go up as if to war. Except instead of fighting, they were to watch God fight for them. Heavenly Father, I pray that when the great multitude comes up against me for battle that I set myself to seek You, that I put myself in a position to hear Your voice, and that when You speak, I obey. May I be willing to stand still and see Your salvation in my life. May every word that I speak and action that I take be an act of worship before You, O Lord, my strength and my deliverer. Thank You for the victory through Jesus, your Son. In His name I pray, Amen.
"Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah. And Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord [yearning for Him with all their desire]." 2 Chronicles 20:3,4
Jehoshaphat was in a tough spot. A great multitude had come against him to battle. What did he do? Did he go to pieces? Did he rush out to fight? Did he run and hide? No, none of these things. According to scripture, Jehoshaphat feared. He didn't remain in fear though. He set himself to seek the Lord. This wasn't a casual inquiry either. He sought the Lord determinedly, as his vital need. Then Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast in all Judah. What did Judah do? Were they busy running for their lives in the face of this great multitude ready for battle? No, they gathered together to ask help from the Lord. They came to seek the Lord. They were yearning for Him with all their desire.
What do I do when faced with a tough situation? When it seems as if a great multitude has come up against me for battle, what do I do? Do I determinedly seek the Lord as my vital need? Do I yearn for Him with all my desire or do I bravely try to stand in my own strength and fight under my own power? Do I lean on my own understanding or do I trust in the Lord with all my heart and allow Him to direct my paths? Prov. 3:5,6 Let's see what happened with Jehoshaphat. In verse 13 says that all Judah stood before the Lord, with their children and their wives. Everyone was there, even the children. A Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the middle of the assembly said these words in verse 15-17 "Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat, the Lord says this to you; Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." Twice they were told not to fear or be dismayed. Twice! They were also told that they would not have to fight. Now for the big question. How many times have I failed to set myself to seek the Lord, assumed because of the "great multitude" come up against me that war was on, and started fighting when God never intended me to fight at all, only to stand still and see His salvation? Oh me, oh my. How many messes have I made when my Heavenly Father had a victory planned for me? Oh the victory came, but did it take so long to come because I took so long to seek? Hmmm, it's definitely something to think about.
After Jehoshaphat received the answer from the Lord, what did He do? He bowed his head with his face to the ground worshipping the Lord. Not only King Jehoshaphat but all of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him. Some of the Levites and Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. Worshipping the Lord for His promise of deliverance while facing a great multitude. I wonder what would happen if I followed this example from scripture? I'm curious how many "fights of faith" I would be actively engaged in. I wonder how many times I would simply have to stand still and experience the Lord's deliverance.
The next morning, Judah obeyed the Word of the Lord and went out. Jehoshaphat spoke to Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He told them to "Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper. When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against he men of Ammon...and they were [self-]slaughtered;" The great multitude turned on itself. Each individual group within the whole became suspicious of each other and began to fight among themselves. Verse 24 says that none escaped! Now that's good news, but it gets even better. Verse 25 tells us that not only did Judah not have to fight because the great multitude self-destructed, but that great spoils were left behind for the taking. So much spoil was left that it took three days to gather it! Not only did Judah not have to fight, God abundantly blessed them besides!
Every season in life contains its own share of "great multitudes" which come up against us. Some of these multitudes are loud and noisy, some sneaky and subtle. Yet, all of them are ready for battle. I need to have my armor on, God instructed Judah to go up as if to war. Except instead of fighting, they were to watch God fight for them. Heavenly Father, I pray that when the great multitude comes up against me for battle that I set myself to seek You, that I put myself in a position to hear Your voice, and that when You speak, I obey. May I be willing to stand still and see Your salvation in my life. May every word that I speak and action that I take be an act of worship before You, O Lord, my strength and my deliverer. Thank You for the victory through Jesus, your Son. In His name I pray, Amen.