Our Secret Weapon
by Rita Langeland
© 2005 Hidden With Christ Ministries
Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
2 Chronicles 20:22 (NKJV)
King Jehoshaphat was in big trouble. He had just received word that a huge enemy army, which eye witnesses described as a “great multitude,” was heading his way. He knew he did not have enough soldiers or weapons to handle such an attack. His response to the pressure of that crisis is a lesson for us in our own lives and reveals his understanding of a “secret weapon” at the disposal of God’s people.
Let’s take a look at this fascinating story found in the 20th chapter of the book of Second Chronicles. In the beginning of Second Chronicles chapter 20 we find that the enemies of Judah had gathered together as one army to make war against King Jehoshaphat and his people. The king’s response to this news was immediate. He did not summon his generals and mobilize his army, instead, the scripture tells us that he “set himself to seek the Lord” and called for a nationwide fast!
Now when you face a crisis or a battle in your life, what is your first response? Most people immediately try to “fix” the problem in their own strength. And then only when they run out of “natural” resources and options do they turn to God for His “supernatural” resources. God is often the last resort. However in King Jehoshaphat’s case, God was his first resort. He went to God first. This is a word of wisdom for us when we face a crisis or difficulty.
A second observation that can be made is how the King prayed about his crisis. He started his prayer by telling the Lord about the greatness of His power and might. Then he progressed to recalling how God had delivered his nation from past enemies.
This is a critical piece of the victory puzzle. Most people pray to God in a crisis by pouring out how terrible the problem is and how the devil is tormenting them, essentially magnifying the work of Satan. By the time they finish with that, they are so upset and anxious that they have forgotten all the times that God has intervened and delivered them in the past. The enemy and the problem become bigger than God in the minds of such people.
King Jehoshaphat did not pray about the crisis he was facing in that way. Instead, he magnified God’s might and ability to intervene rather than the enemy’s ability to destroy. Then he calmly stated the problem to God.
The king told the Lord that the enemy was coming “to drive us out of Your possession which You gave us to inherit.” (2 Chron. 20:11) God had promised that the descendants of Abraham would possess the very land they were currently occupying. So King Jehoshaphat plainly asks the Lord to deal with the enemy whose aim was to steal God’s promise from them.
In our lives, the enemy of our souls, Satan, is constantly trying to “drive us out” of the inheritance that God has given us to possess. When Jesus died on the cross, He won for us a “possession” that He intended for us to inherit. Galatians 3:13-14 tells us that Jesus redeemed us from the “curse of the Law”. Under the “curse” which is listed in Deuteronomy 28, was sickness, disease, financial distress of every sort as well as spiritual separation from God. The possession that Jesus died for us to inherit includes restored intimacy and friendship with God, health and material provision. These were the “blessings of Abraham” that Galatians 3:14 said were to come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus. This is the inheritance that the enemy tries to steal from each of us. When you face a crisis, whether it is a health or financial or personal crisis, pray like King Jehoshaphat, by telling God that the enemy is trying “to drive us out of Your possession which You gave us to inherit.”
King Jehoshaphat ended his prayer with these words: 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. (2 Chronicles 20:12 NKJV) Then the next verse of scripture tells us that the people of Judah simply stood before the Lord, waiting for an answer from God.
If your eyes are upon God, you will be willing to wait. We do not know how much time elapsed between verse 13 where the people stood waiting, and verse 14 when the answer of the Lord came. But the good news is that when our eyes are upon God and we wait upon Him (rather than try to take matters into our hands as many are tempted to do) God will answer!
In 2 Chronicles 20:14-17 the Word of the Lord that came to the people was:
1) Don’t be afraid of the great multitude for the battle is not yours but God’s.
2) Go down against them but you will not need to fight.
3) Position yourselves, stand and see the salvation of God.
God is saying the same thing to you. Don’t be afraid of the great multitude that is against you. Regardless of how big your crisis is, don’t focus on the problem, look to God. If you focus on the problem, it will be very easy to fall into the grip of fear. If you let fear influence you, you will be pushed to do things you should not do or be afraid to do something you should do.
Go down against them. God wants you to take steps of faith believing that God will be with you and will fight for you.
Position yourself… this word “position” means to “place something so as to stay put.” God wants you to place yourself in the position of faith and “stay put.” Do not allow the enemy to move you from the position of trusting God for your deliverance. Determine in your heart that you are going to “stay put” in the position of faith.
After receiving this Word from the Lord through the prophet, King Jehoshaphat bowed and worshipped the Lord. (2 Chron. 20:18) This was a sign that he accepted and believed the Word of the Lord. He did not argue with the Lord, (or His messenger) he simply accepted it as true. Many times I have seen Christians seek the Lord in a crisis, and then when the Word of direction came, (whether through scripture or godly counsel or a prophetic word) the person argues with God about how His way cannot possibly work. Certainly King Jehoshaphat could have done the same thing if he had used his natural mind in assessing the matter. But instead, he trusted in God’s Word and did not argue with God’s method. And then he proceeded to obey God.
The next two verses of scripture (verses 21-22) reveal the king’s understanding of the “SECRET WEAPON” God has put at our disposal. And that weapon is powerful!
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever." Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:21-22)
Can you see from this story what turned their situation around? It was their decision to PRAISE GOD in the middle of their crisis. When they began to sing and to praise the Lord, He intervened on their behalf and destroyed the enemy that had come against them. This is a powerful Biblical principle.
Some people misconstrue this by saying that you should praise God FOR tragedy and disaster. God is not the author of tragedy or disaster. Jesus taught that it was Satan who came to “steal, kill and destroy” but that He came to give us abundant life. (John 10:10)
When you choose to praise God in the middle of a crisis, you are praising Him for His goodness, His love and because He is your deliverer, the One who is more than able to overcome the crisis you are facing. This is the example given to us in Second Chronicles and we know that it was a key that brought a breakthrough to King Jehoshaphat. And it will bring a breakthrough for you as well!
(this message is available on CD)
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