Many times our faith is shaken and it waivers as we look around with our human eyes, all that is mounting up against us. How should we handle situations that look like there is no hope? Let me introduce you to Jehoshaphat who was the King of Judah. Here was a man that was against all odds, his eyes did not see any hope, and he was a man that had to trust that the unattainable was attainable through God . He was about to be attacked on his own soil for the first time, by an army great in size. We can learn a lot from how he handled this fearful trial.
When King Jehoshaphat came to power one of his tasks was to rid the temple of idols from the previous evil kings He enjoyed a great measure of peace and prosperity. Suddenly he came to a position of being attacked on his own soil for the first time. The Moabites had built a powerful army and they were coming to get Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah.
How many times has life be going great and peaceful, but then in a matter of one day all that changes. How do we handle it? How do we deal with things that seem impossible, things that could even effect our life (ie. sickness). Jehoshaphat showed us a good example of what to do.
(2 chronicles 20:12).
The first thing Jehoshaphat did was seek God first. In verse 12 Jehoshaphat reminds God of his promises; “O our God, will you not judge them?” Just like when we confess 1 John 1:9 (If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) He reaffirmed God’s promises to the people Judah.
Second Jehoshaphat confess’ his powerlessness in the situation. “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.” (2 Chronicles20:12) During similar times, we panic and give up. God just wants us to confess our weakness’ to him.
Thirdly, Jehoshaphat states that his priority is to keep his eyes on God, even when he does not understand the Lords ways. Psalms 20:7 states, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” The Moabites were trusting in the chariots and horses, by forming a great army (one that easily out numbered Jehoshaphat‘s army), but Jehoshaphat told God “but my eyes are on you.”
Fourth, he confessed he did not know what to do. We have a tendency to try to solve the problem our own way, or come up with our own solutions. In Proverbs 16:9 it says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” So we can plan all we want, but it is the Lord who leads the way.
Lastly Jehoshaphat realized they were looking to each other instead of to the Lord, stated in verse 13, he confess’ his privilege of bringing everyone before the Lord. During this time, normally a King would be planning on how to win this war. He would be training his army in how to fight, and getting them prepared.
Jehoshaphat instead had “all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stand there before the Lord.” Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
So the next time your faith waivers, and you have trouble believing in the impossibilities of life remember Jehoshaphat. Because of his faithfulness and faith in the Lord, Jehoshaphat was blessed greatly. “So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value — more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that is took three days to collect it.”
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