The Battle is the LORD's
"This whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s." ~ 1 Samuel 17:47
"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s." ~ 2 Chronicles 20:15
Right here, right now I'm praying that God will defeat some enemies in the lives of people I know. These dear people, children of God, are under attack from enemies seen and unseen. My Bible is specially marked in 2 Chronicles 20 (which you should totally read) as an example of the LORD's warrior-like activity against His enemies, and His power to defeat them.
Walk With Me
I want to share some key points in this passage so that you may be encouraged at God's great power and His desire to deliver His children from enemy attack, and to grant peace instead. First, here are the names of some common enemies:
The Battle Plan
In this biblical narrative, a king named Jehoshaphat is under attack from two neighboring nations. Here is his cry to the LORD God:
"We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver"(v. 9). "For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you" (v. 12).
And here is God's response, taking full responsibility for the battle:
"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s" (v.15). "You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (v. 17).
The Tide Turns
Now it gets really interesting. Jehoshaphat sets an example to us for what to do when we're faced with a similar situation. After encouraging his people to believe in the LORD, he does the most amazing thing: he starts singing praises to God!
"The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated" (v. 22).
Did you get that? In the same MOMENT the praise and singing started, God began to defeat the enemy! (This is the part where you get up and do the happy dance.)
A Huge Bonus
In this battle, not only did God defeat the enemy, He provided so much "spoil" (plunder that had belonged to the enemy but was now forfeit) that it took three days for the army to collect it all (v. 25-26)! Finally, God got the glory, and He blessed the kingdom with peace (v. 29-30).
Victory, and a Challenge
Armed with this information, why would we not approach our battles this way? We ultimately do not fight against flesh and blood, but against unseen wickedness (Ephesians 6:12). We serve the same God of Jehoshaphat – only names and places have changed. God is still interested in fighting our battles, and He is still powerful to defeat enemies.
This week, let's run an experiment. When we see an enemy attack waged by one of the evil spirits mentioned above, let's immediately ask God to intervene, and then start praising Him. If you haven't seen a victory in a while, now is the time! A lifestyle of giving our battles to the LORD and praising Him for the expected outcome is sure to yield peace in the here and now!
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2023 Julianne Knapp. First Published 1.17.23
"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s." ~ 2 Chronicles 20:15
Right here, right now I'm praying that God will defeat some enemies in the lives of people I know. These dear people, children of God, are under attack from enemies seen and unseen. My Bible is specially marked in 2 Chronicles 20 (which you should totally read) as an example of the LORD's warrior-like activity against His enemies, and His power to defeat them.
Walk With Me
I want to share some key points in this passage so that you may be encouraged at God's great power and His desire to deliver His children from enemy attack, and to grant peace instead. First, here are the names of some common enemies:
- spirit of depression, anxiety, fear, despair
- discouraging spirit
- spirit of entitlement
- spirit of confusion
- spirit of oppression
- spirit of pride and arrogance
- spirit of anger and aggression
- lying or deceiving spirit
- murderous spirit
- spirit of greed, avarice, covetousness
The Battle Plan
In this biblical narrative, a king named Jehoshaphat is under attack from two neighboring nations. Here is his cry to the LORD God:
"We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver"(v. 9). "For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you" (v. 12).
And here is God's response, taking full responsibility for the battle:
"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s" (v.15). "You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (v. 17).
The Tide Turns
Now it gets really interesting. Jehoshaphat sets an example to us for what to do when we're faced with a similar situation. After encouraging his people to believe in the LORD, he does the most amazing thing: he starts singing praises to God!
"The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated" (v. 22).
Did you get that? In the same MOMENT the praise and singing started, God began to defeat the enemy! (This is the part where you get up and do the happy dance.)
A Huge Bonus
In this battle, not only did God defeat the enemy, He provided so much "spoil" (plunder that had belonged to the enemy but was now forfeit) that it took three days for the army to collect it all (v. 25-26)! Finally, God got the glory, and He blessed the kingdom with peace (v. 29-30).
Victory, and a Challenge
Armed with this information, why would we not approach our battles this way? We ultimately do not fight against flesh and blood, but against unseen wickedness (Ephesians 6:12). We serve the same God of Jehoshaphat – only names and places have changed. God is still interested in fighting our battles, and He is still powerful to defeat enemies.
This week, let's run an experiment. When we see an enemy attack waged by one of the evil spirits mentioned above, let's immediately ask God to intervene, and then start praising Him. If you haven't seen a victory in a while, now is the time! A lifestyle of giving our battles to the LORD and praising Him for the expected outcome is sure to yield peace in the here and now!
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2023 Julianne Knapp. First Published 1.17.23