The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Life can be difficult. All of us face difficulties of some sort every day. It may be physical needs. It may be spiritual needs. It may involve decisions that have to be made. It may involve simply finding a way to trust God on a daily basis. Finding time to read God’s Word. Finding time to pray, to seek God’s face, to receive guidance in our lives. Sometimes you find yourself facing a crisis that calls for a solution that you simply cannot deliver.

In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat, King of Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel), found himself in a similar situation. Enemy nations joined together and came against him in an attempt to defeat him and eliminate Judah from the face of the earth. Jehoshaphat knew he didn’t have the military might to stand against them and do battle. Most certainly they would be up against a stronger force. Outnumbered and out equipped, they would see nothing but defeat.

Knowing he had no way out, Jehoshaphat turned to God for help. Verse 3 gives his reaction to this very difficult situation: “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” He did two things in the face of this crisis situation: (1) he set himself to pray, and (2) he proclaimed a fast throughout the land.

First, Jehoshaphat exercised his faith and cried out to God to fight the battle for him, a battle he knew was impossible to win. Literally, “he set himself to seek the LORD” (v. 3a). He knew that no battle was too great for God. He knew that nothing was impossible for God. As Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Along with that, Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

You will note in verse 6 how Jehoshaphat prayed, “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?” He recognized who God was. He realized that God was the all-powerful God who loved His people and stood ready to do battle for them. He put his trust in God and looked to God to bring him through the battle and give him victory.

When you seek after God, recognize who He is, and look to Him for guidance, He will give it to you. He will meet your needs and give you victory. Whatever situation you are in or whatever your need may be, God stands ready to help you through it and to meet your need. Just trust Him and seek after Him. That is all the Lord asks.

Then Jehoshaphat commanded the people to fast, pray, and praise their God. He “proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (v. 3b). And Verse 4 gives the reaction of the people: “So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.” They came together to fast and pray. They “gathered together to ask help from the LORD” (v. 4a). They gave God the praise as they “came to seek the LORD” (v. 4b).

The Lord honored Jehoshaphat’s faith in an unusual way: His enemies destroyed themselves! Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah faced this difficult situation by trusting God to handle it for them. They understood that the battle belonged to the Lord and they turned to Him to solve their problem. God said, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (v. 15b). He said, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” (v. 17). And so it was.

What do you do when difficult situations or hardships come into your life? What do you do when you are worried or afraid? Remember, the battle belongs to the Lord. Pray. Seek His face. He will fight your battle for you and help you through it. He will give you the victory. Amen.