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Are you facing a battle today? Maybe it’s coming from all sides. Maybe it’s plaguing you from within. Maybe you can’t even trust your emotions anymore. For whatever reason, you may need a rescue. I am most certainly one who turns to God in troublesome times. And I’ve been taught to thank Him when He fights for me. Boy! has He fought for me over the years. He is so, so faithful!
But I’ve never really thought much about intentionally offering songs of thanksgiving and praise BEFORE the battle. Often when the enemy closes in, God has to talk me off the ledge calming my fears or listen to my incessant complaint. Thanksgiving and praise are not at the front of my mind.
I’m pretty sure there is someone reading this post today who is gripped with fear. You don’t have to be afraid. In fact, if you know the Lord, you have reason to sing. What if we approached our battles with song of thanksgiving? It may sound silly but, if you’re with me in this struggle, I have a word of encouragement and perspective for you.
This morning, my devotion directed me to a passage in the Old Testament – 2 Chronicles 20. In this passage, the people of Judah are in BIG trouble. A great multitude was coming against them. Utter destruction was inevitable. But I love how their king, King Jehoshaphat, responds to this imminent danger.
Long story short, with destruction looming, Jehoshaphat goes to God in prayer…serious, desperate prayer.
His prayer reveals:
- his personal relationship with God,
- his intimate knowledge of God, and
- his absolute reliance on God.
I think the last line of his prayer in the passage sums up his plan of action.
He cries out: “God, we are powerless against this great horde (enemy) that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
I absolutely love his words here. They are mine right now. What I notice here is his absolute hope in God. He didn’t say, “Our eyes are on you and the news on channel 5, or the polls.”
Nope, just God.
Jehoshaphat and all the people of Judah sought the Lord.
2 Chronicles 20:3-4 say, “Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from ALL the cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord.”
I like that the passage includes that Jehoshaphat was afraid. He was human like us, not just a character in a story. Yes, he feared. But he wasn’t paralyzed in his fear. He took it to the Lord. Let’s look at God’s response.
God faithfully responded to their cries. He told them, (v 15) “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s….(v17) You will not need to fight this battle. Stand firm, hold your position and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf…Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow, go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
Imagine hearing this great news!
God’s response elicited worship in the hearts of His people. They fell down before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.
They didn’t continue to cower in fear. They didn’t doubt God. God spoke, and they believed Him. This is important as I get to my point of today’s post.
As they went out to the place where the battle would be fought, Jehosaphat set the singers of praise at the front of the people. They went before the army singing, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever.”
So let’s get a mental picture of what is going on. Judah is facing an enemy much greater and more powerful than them. There is no human way to defeat them, and Judah is afraid. Thankfully Jehoshaphat knows God. He leads the people to seek God. No “plan b.“
God affirms that He will act, and they BELIEVE Him. Period.
To express that trust in God, Jehoshaphat sends out singers ahead of the people that sing a song of thanksgiving to the Lord.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever.”
I sat in my reading chair this morning, reflecting on the details of this story and how it pertains to my life.
They sang a song of thanksgiving BEFORE the battle. It makes perfect sense to sing songs of thanksgiving for a victory that’s been won. But they weren’t thanking Him for deliverance because deliverance hadn’t yet come.
They were thanking Him for who He is.
- Their song reflected their faith in the Lord.
- Their song reflected their intimate knowledge of Him.
- Their song reflected their reliance on Him.
Do you know enough about God to sing like that?
Do you know that:
He is entirely faithful?
His mercies are new every morning?
He is full of mercy?
He is above all, and everything is under His feet?
He will not forsake His own?
He cannot be defeated?
He so loved the world that He gave His Son to redeem it?
I could go on and on, or better yet, you could go to His Word and see all these wonderful things and more for yourself. It might give you reason to sing!
What happened as they began to praise Him?
v. 22 “And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Sier, who had come against Judah (the enemy), so that they were routed (fled in defeat).
V. 24 says, Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness and looked toward the horde, and behold there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped.
The enemy was utterly defeated.
God was entirely faithful.
The people were rescued.
Can you sing before the victory comes? Can you sing because you know Who it is that you serve? Can you sing because you know He is entirely faithful?
Friend, if you’re fighting a battle right now, if you’re gripped with fear, it’s time to turn off the news, it’s time to stop scrolling social media, it’s time to stop putting your hope in a political party or even a religious figure/group
It’s time to turn to God.
Cry out to Him.
Pour out your heart to Him.
Meditate on who He is and
find the strength to sing praise and thanksgiving
BEFORE victory comes.
Let’s trust what God said to Jehoshaphat, You will not need to fight this battle. Stand firm, hold your position and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf…Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed.
And let’s sing!
