By Pastor Bob DeKlavon
For several weeks, our elders and staff have offered a verse for the day.
Pastor Jay, {our visitation pastor} has the verse for Wednesday which he passes along to me.
I type it up on Monday morning, along with mine, and then it is sent along.
If you have been involved in studies of the Bible then you know the following situation.
You go to a Sunday school class and then the sermon touches on the same theme.
Or, you do a small group and you hear a radio minister share similar thoughts.
I had a similar thing happen today as I received Pastor Jay’s verse to type up.
It is from 2 Chronicles 20:12 and it reads:
“We are powerless before this great multitude coming against us, nor do we know what to do:
BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU.”
Now—the reason why that struck me today is that this is where I am in my yearly Bible reading.
King Jehoshaphat is a good king of Judah {southern Israel}.
Three kingdoms have come against Judah and it is reported to the king.
What he does next is a pattern that should be followed by any of God’s children.
20:3—He turned his attention to seek the LORD; and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
20:4-11—He cries out to the LORD as all the people are gathered with him
20:12—The eyes of the people are on the LORD
20:14-17—A prophet by the name of Jahaziel shares what the Spirit of the LORD tells him.
Now, understand that this was a specific message to a specific king for a specific time.
But…listen to the promise given to the people from the LORD:
“Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours butGod’s.” v. 15.
“You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf…Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.” V. 17
The response of the people is one you would like to expect anytime God speaks:
The King and the people bow with their faces to the ground.
They worship the LORD.
The worship leaders stood up to praise the LORD God ‘with a very loud voice!’
God has called us to follow Him—we MUST fight various enemies…but we never do it alone.