We all have had battles where we knew the odds were stacked against us, where we just didn’t know what to do. Perhaps it was financial, physical, mental or some other kind of battlefield.
12-13 O dear God, won’t you take care of them? We’re helpless before this vandal horde ready to attack us. We don’t know what to do; we’re looking to you.” Everyone in Judah was there—little children, wives, sons—all present and attentive to God.
14-17 Then Jahaziel was moved by the Spirit of God to speak from the midst of the congregation. (Jahaziel was the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah the Levite of the Asaph clan.) He said, “Attention everyone—all of you from out of town, all you from Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat—God’s word: Don’t be afraid; don’t pay any mind to this vandal horde. This is God’s war, not yours. Tomorrow you’ll go after them; see, they’re already on their way up the slopes of Ziz; you’ll meet them at the end of the ravine near the wilderness of Jeruel. You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch God’s saving work for you take shape. Don’t be afraid, don’t waver. March out boldly tomorrow—God is with you.”
Judah had a situation where a great army had gathered to battle against them. They were outnumbered and knew there was no way in the natural they could win the fight. They remembered however that they served a supernatural God and gathered together to ask for help. The King humbly prayed to The Lord and stated that they did not know what to do but that they were looking to Him for help. As we read on we see The Lord answered their prayers. The Lord told the King that the battle was not theirs but His and that they would see victory. He told them not to fear, go out, and know that He was with them.
There will be situations and battles that we will face at some point in our lives where there just seems to be no possible victory. However as we look to The Lord and ask for His help, we can rest assured He will backup His Word. After seeking God regarding our situation, our job is to take our positions of faith. We have to march forward, fear not and not waver. We have to trust that The Lord will deliver us as we rely on Him. We know that His Word does not lie and that we can count on the promises He has made. We have to read His Word, find out what He says about our situation, pray and believe it will come to pass.
In the natural this can be a scary place to be, marching or standing before seemingly impossible odds. It can be terrifying to trust and rely completely upon Him and to stand in faith when everything in the natural tells us that our situation is impossible. There will always be the temptation to run in fear and cower before the enemy.
Here is what Apostle Paul said in Ephesians regarding how to handle battles.
Ephesians 6:13-18 (MSG)
13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
When we seek God and march or stand with our full God-given weaponry we can trust that The Lord is with us. With God on our side we can beat any odds! So let’s be encouraged, stand and march in faith, read His Word, pray for each other and wait upon The Lord. Out victory is sure!