Bring Out The Orchestra

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15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.- 2 Chronicles 20:15

17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.- 2 Chronicles 20:17-19

21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his[a] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”

22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.- 2 Chronicles 20:21-22

W-O-W! The Wonders of Worship! The power of praise and worship to the Lord is something to be taken seriously. God is magnified and exalted through the praises of His people. And when people do, God moves in power and might unparalleled by any other. God displays His might and glory the most when His people worship Him!

And another things, the Lord God brings and gives comfort and assurance to His people: "Do not be afraid or discouraged." The Lord God tells them not to be afraid of this vast army they will be facing.

Why?

Because the battle is God's!

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Just as God has comforted and assured the men of Judah, so is God comforting and assuring each of us (His children) in our daily life's battles. We may not be facing a vast army; we may not be fighting an enemy's armed forces, but everyday we are facing a battle -- battle of temptation, pressure, discouragement, "rulers of this dark world," sickness, etc.

But as what in verse 17 says, "we will not have to fight this battle." As we go to face our everyday battle, "we are to take up our position, stand firm, and see the deliverance of the Lord."

How?

By committing the situation to God, acknowledging that only God could save you, asking God for help and for His favor, realizing your own limitations, allowing God's strength to work through your fears and weaknesses, trusting Him for the outcome, and having faith in the character of God.

Having done all that, they key that activates victory over the enemies is the praises and worship of God's people. In verse 21, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army [emphasis mine]. Notice that the ones who head the army were singers! They were the worship leaders! They weren't positioned at the back or at the center of the army, but up front! As they head out to meet their enemies, they began singing and praising God "for the splendor of His holiness."

What happened next?

The Lord set ambushes against their enemies and they were defeated!

Going further to the verses:

23 The men of Ammon and Moab rise up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

W-O-W! The Wonders of Worship! Look what worshiping the Lord God can do to the enemies! Effortless! Amazing! Victory over enemies through praise and worship! The Lord God defeated the enemies of Judah!

In our daily battles, let us follow what the men of Judah did. Let us face our battles as what God tells us to do, and let us worship the Lord, singing praises to Him as we face our own battles.

Before fighting in the battle, worship the Lord God. In the middle of the battle, sing praises to God. After fighting the battle, give thanks to God and worship Him. The Lord God will go before you. He will fight for you. He will deliver you. He will give you victory over your enemies. Worship is vital in [winning] the battle.

So bring out your harps, lutes, and trumpets and start praising God as you worship Him in spirit and in truth!