O Man, this is good! Strategy, power ...
- Christine DiGiacomo
- Jun 16
- 4 min read
Actions steps... forward movement... great mental outlook, even in the middle of the battle ------->that's where I'm taking us today.
I have the privilege of communicating with people near and far. Often, at the very moment I am talking with someone, I know the exchange is meant to be shared; sometimes it fits in with the scripture passage I am teaching, or something God is showing me.
Yesterday was no different. Two distinct individuals, very different life courses - but the question, 'Do you believe in spiritual warfare?' [I wanted to jump across the table, or maybe even jump onto the table and say, 'do I believe in spiritual warfare? what--are you kidding me? Like, have you met me?]
If this man was a contemporary of ours, he would more than likely go by the nick name J-Phat. I mean, seriously who could conduct business having to spell 'Jehoshaphat' everywhere he went?! In my last Morning Briefing, When you are on the Front Lines, https://conta.cc/4owXcKH, we saw that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had 'set his heart to seek God, and had brought the people back to the Lord.1
Your attention: J-Phat was on fire for God! He was spearheading a one-man revival! So, of course, he had a target on his back--the enemy literally whipped up the enemies of Judah to declare war on them.
Yesterday, I gave you the overview and take-away of the victorious way God won the war--J-Phat's men never having to fight. [Every time I think of this literal display of God's care for his people who turn to him, I get the chills... it always impacts me.]
Why did I step away from James for a moment? Because I am J-Phat...I'm in a battle. His response to the announcement of impending attack by surrounding nations is recorded in 2 Chronicles 20. Here is a link to two different Bible translations: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2020.1-30&version=ESV;NLT
How he responded gives us specific instructions for our personal battles. Let's look and learn.
1) Please note: when Jehoshaphat learned of the impending attack, he was afraid.2
2) His first action: Seek the Lord.3 He prayed before he did anything else. How many times do we run around looking for answers, someone to listen and understand us, show compassion, try to help us ... all before we pray?
3) Jehoshaphat declares a public fast, and all the people come to the temple courtyard [Have you been to Jerusalem with me? They were gathered on the Temple Mount]
4) Then he leads his people in prayer, and his words are incredibly inspiring, including
'Are you not God in heaven? You rule...'4 God Almighty over all the earth; he ascribes to God his rightful power and authority.
'Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?5 Reminds God and all of the listening crowd that God had given them the land he had promised them.
**He recalled how God had been faithful.
How about you? When your back is against the wall, do you recall how God has come through for you in the past?
'will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless6
The king boldly asks God to stop his enemies, and then admits, before his people:
We do not know what to do
Can you imagine the president admitting such a thing...
how much more a king who is surrounding by approaching enemies!
And then he simply announces his strategy:
"but our eyes are on you”
God, save us! Our eyes are on you alone.
I do not know what you are up against, but I do know that when I do not know what to do--such as right now in my family, I employ J-Phat's strategy:
--->>seek God in prayer
--->>remember his faithfulness and I recall the specifics
--->>boldly ask my Father to do what only he can do: come, move...save us.
But, wait - there's one more thing you may not have noticed when you read the passage from 2 Chronicles 20. When Jehoshaphat's men went into battle, the first regiment was the worship team.... wait, what? (Well that's what we call it today). Picture it--the king sent the choir in their choir robes ahead of the army praising God.
Quite clearly, this was the first movement from Jehoshaphat's camp - as it turned out, the only one needed. God took care of the rest.
There is supernatural power released into our lives and situations when we praise God.
I said . . . there is power
released into our lives and situations when we praise God.
This song came across my feed, and I simply cannot get it out of my mind.
I"M NOT GOING TO WAIT TIL TOMORROW TO PRAISE. I'm not going to wait until things get better to praise God.
See, when we pray, God goes to work; it is good and right to thank him, but this goes one step further: we praise him.
So like Jehoshaphat,
after I pray,
I recall God's faithfulness over my lifetime,
and I boldly ask him to come and move,
then, I praise him for who He is.
Praising God releases his power, but it also releases me from my deathgrip on the situation, and it frees my heart and mind to be joyful in the day I have been given.
Man, that's good.
Don't wait til tomorrow to praise!
Christine
1 - 2 Chronicles 19.3-4
2 - 2 Chronicles 20.3
3 - 2 Chronicles 20.3b
4 - 2 Chronicles 20.6
5 - 2 Chronicles 20.7
6 - 2 Chronicles 20.12
Why did I love that music this week? Some of it fit so well it’s hard to keep keeping on, but he always reminds me to wait on him and praise him while I’m waiting.