When the Battle is Bigger Than You

As I was studying this week, I found myself in 2 Chronicles 20. I read, re-read, and re-read and as I continued to read this chapter the Holy Spirit spoke to me (not audibly) and said this is how to fight battles that are bigger than you. I feel like I have been in battles bigger than me for over 2 years. As I continued to read this chapter, I began to journal on how I have victory over battles that are waging war against me. It does not look like what culture tells us. We don’t have to carry the weight of the outcome of these battles. Yet, that is where I find myself each day. It is so ingrained in me to go figure out how to fix it all; go, do, be, get it done, figure it out, get it checked off, get it resolved, come up with a solution. Please don’t get me wrong, there are times and places for all of that in one context or another, but that is not the formula for success or for victory in the battles we face. We all have battles, they look different, but we all have battles. Maybe a marriage falling apart, a child who is making one bad decision after another, maybe a financial battle, maybe it is at work or maybe a diagnosis that feels like a punch in the gut and you don’t know how to quite catch your breath. What I found in 2 Chronicles 20; is how I desire to fight my battles.

We see in this passage, King Jehoshaphat was told that an army was coming against him.

The first thing Jehoshaphat did was Resolved to inquire of the LORD. He decided the first thing He was going to do was go to God. Not try everything on His own, then go to God when He couldn’t figure it out.

The second thing we see is Jehoshaphat Pray. In his prayer we see him:

Remind God of who God is – “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, no one can withstand you.

Next, he Reminds God of what He has done in the past – He says “Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel…” For me, I see this as more reminding myself what God has done in the past. Reminding myself of all the times God has delivered me, protected, blessed and provided. It is so easy to forget, especially amid the turmoil.

Then we see him Proclaim to God that we will cry out to Him – “We will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.”

Now he Declares to God, we will keep our eyes on You – He says “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Then we see the LORD speak! The first thing we see Him say is

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. God knows us so deeply. He knows how fear overcomes us. He is speaking to us today, do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast ____________. You fill in the blank. What is it for you? Read it again, do not be afraid or discouraged because of whatever it is that is in front of you. Whatever that is sitting in front of you that is bigger than you can possibly face on your own; do not be afraid.

Then God says “For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Now put your battle in that context. It is not yours! It is God’s!

For a long time at this point, I thought okay the battle is God’s so let me go hide and let Him fight. But that is not what He says here. Immediately after saying to them the battle is not yours, but Mine. He says, “Tomorrow march down against them.” Now in my mind, I’m sitting here saying, What? You just told me the battle is not mine but Yours, and you want me to march down against them? And then the light bulb went off! Yes, march down! We see this all through scripture. We see Abraham march down with Isaac (trust and faith in God), we see the Israelites march around the city of Jericho (trust and faith in God), we see David march down against Goliath (trust and faith in God).

God then says, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you.” Then He repeats again, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” “Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” What is it that we have not been willing to face because of fear, maybe pride?

Now I really get excited to see how God delivered them. It says some of them stood up and praised the LORD, in a very loud voice. As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against their enemy. When we sing and Praise the LORD, it unleashes God’s army to fight our battles.

As I continued to study this chapter, I began asking God, what am I hiding from? The “easy” part is to declare and proclaim it is God’s battle, but there is more. We must march down, take our positions, stand firm and watch the LORD deliver us. What is it that I am hiding from because I don’t feel qualified or I am afraid? Go face it and watch the LORD’s deliverance.

Mix – Raise A Hallelujah (LIVE) – Bethel Music | VICTORY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awkO61T6i0k&list=RDawkO61T6i0k