Isa. 50:7 “For the Lord God helps me, therefore, I am not disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.” Hebrews 12:1-2 “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
One of the things that is very important is the fact that God uses prayer to get us prepared for victory. Prayer is something we do as evidence of our love and worship of the Lord Jesus, but it is also a place of extreme security and empowerment. Some of the problems we face can only be solved on our knees. After the nation of Judah finished their prayers to God, He prepared them for battle, but He told them from the beginning that it was war, and they knew they would not come away losers. The next morning they marched off into battle, but it was not a regiment of warriors that led the way. God told them to send the choir out first. They were to sing “Give thanks to the Lord, for His loving-kindness is everlasting.” God took care of the entire problem. The army of Judah did not have to lift one bow or fire one arrow. The question that comes up, is where was this battle really fought and won? The answer is that it fought and won on their knees. If the king had decided that they would just jump up and go off to battle, the outcome would have been much different.
When you obey God, set your heart on Him, and commit your way to Him, He will take care of you. You do not have to be afraid because the problem you are facing belongs to the Lord. It is not yours alone. The instant that the people of Judah understood this they had no problem gathering a group of choir members to lead them into battle. Please do not overlook this truth: when you come to a point where you realize that God’s power is within you and He will willing to fight every battle for you, then your confidence will be unshakable. You will be able to say with the psalmist in Psalm 71:4-5 “For You are my hope: O Lord God. You are my confidence from my youth . . . But as for me, I will hope continually, and praise You yet more and more.”
We pray knowing that He hears every word. Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore (Jesus Christ) is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since he lives to make intercession for them.” Once you have learned to trust God in prayer, the next step is to shift your prayers from being problem centered to being God centered. Jehoshaphat did not start his prayer with words of fear; he prayed with words of faith, exalting the Lord, praising Him, and reminding Him of His faithfulness. Why do we remind God of the way He has worked in our lives in the past? To reset our minds from negative programming to confident, God-centered thinking. This is why it is crucial that we pray and read and study God’s Word daily. The more we understand His ways, the greater our level of trust in Him is.
When God tells you to do something, either you do it or you do not gain his wisdom. Obedience is very important to the Lord. If God gives you a solution, are you willing to follow it? Are you willing to obey Him no matter what he requires? Sometimes there are risks involved. Sometimes the path He asks you to travel might seem unreasonable or difficult. It will demand faith and discipline on your part. But you will never regret obeying God. It is the only way to blessing and peace.
Isa. 50:7 “For the Lord God helps me, therefore, I am not disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.” Hebrews 12:1-2 “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Set the focus of your heart on God. The reason is very simple, because Satan will try his best to throw you off course. He will put one harmful distraction after another before you to discourage you and to get you to quit. Negative and fearful words even when they are spoken by the people we trust, can cause us to hesitate and instead of moving forward in faith, we wallow in feelings of doubt. Ask God to make you sensitive to the enemy’s tactics and keep your eyes set on Jesus by studying His Word and applying it to your heart.
2 Chronicles 20:20 “Put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established.” There should be no question in your mind. When you face trouble or sorrow, God is on your side. He wants to ease your burden. Struggling without Him, against your fear only wears you out. 1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
Jehoshaphat prayed and then he waited for God’s response. He was so sure that God would hear the voices of the people in prayer that he called everyone together and they stood before the Lord. Are you standing before the Lord with an expectant heart? The way you pray through a problem is by magnifying the power of God, focusing on His greatness and reminding Him of the promises He has given you. He will never fail you at any point in time. Trust, and you will see Him work mightily on your behalf.
Dale
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