There are times in life when the battle in front of us seems bigger than the strength within us.
King Jehoshaphat knew exactly what that felt like.
In 2 Chronicles 20, Judah was facing an overwhelming crisis. A vast army made up of the forces of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir was coming against them. From a human perspective, the situation looked hopeless.
Jehoshaphat was afraid—but he did not allow fear to drive him away from God. Instead, he turned to the Lord.
He called the people together to seek God’s help and prayed this honest prayer:
“We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to You for help.”
What a powerful declaration of faith!
“We do not know what to do, but we are looking to You.”
Sometimes we find ourselves in exactly that place.
We may not know how to solve the problem. We may not see a way forward. The circumstances may be beyond our control.
But when we don’t know what to do, we can still know where to look.
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
God answered Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah with an incredible promise:
“Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
The battle was real.
The enemy was powerful.
The danger was serious.
But God was greater.
Jehoshaphat and the people were not being told to ignore the problem or pretend that it did not exist. They were being called to trust God in the middle of it.
And sometimes that is exactly what faith looks like.
Faith does not deny the battle.
Faith declares that God is greater than the battle.
Put the Worshippers on the Front Line
The next morning, Jehoshaphat did something that would have made little sense from a military perspective.
He sent the worshippers ahead of the army.
Instead of leading with swords and shields, they went out singing and praising the Lord:
“Give thanks to the Lord; His faithful love endures forever!”
Imagine the scene.
Behind them was the army of Judah.
Ahead of them was a massive enemy force.
And at the very front were the singers.
They were not singing because they had already seen the victory.
They were singing because they trusted the God who had promised them victory.
Then came one of the most remarkable moments in the entire story:
“At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.”
At the very moment they began to praise, God began to move.
The enemy armies turned against one another, and by the time Judah arrived, the battle had already been won.
The Power of Praise
Praise has the power to change our perspective.
When we praise God in the midst of a battle, we are reminded that our problem is not the greatest thing in our lives.
God is greater.
Praise lifts our eyes.
It takes our attention away from the size of the enemy and reminds us of the greatness, faithfulness, and power of God.
Praise says:
“Lord, I don’t understand what is happening, but I trust You.”
“I don’t know how this situation will turn out, but I know that You are faithful.”
“The battle may be bigger than I am, but it is not bigger than You.”
Of course, praise is not a magic formula that guarantees God will answer every situation in exactly the way we want. But praise is a powerful expression of faith.
It reminds our own hearts of who God is.
And sometimes, in the very act of praising Him, fear begins to lose its grip on us.
Worry gives way to worship.
Panic gives way to peace.
Discouragement gives way to hope.
Our circumstances may not change immediately, but we begin to change as we focus on God rather than the battle.
Praise Before You See the Victory
It is easy to praise God after the answer comes.
It takes faith to praise Him before you see the answer.
The people of Judah did not wait until the enemy was defeated before they began to sing.
They praised God while the battle was still in front of them.
That is the kind of praise that says, “God, I trust You before I see what You are going to do.”
Perhaps you are facing a battle today.
It may be a problem in your family, a financial struggle, a difficult decision, a conflict, or a situation that simply seems beyond your ability to handle.
Maybe your prayer today is the same as Jehoshaphat’s:
“Lord, I don’t know what to do.”
If so, remember the rest of his prayer:
“But we are looking to You.”
Turn your eyes toward the Lord.
Bring your battle to Him.
Trust Him with what you cannot control.
And don’t allow the battle to silence your praise.
Keep Singing
There is something powerful about choosing to worship God when life is difficult.
Praise is a declaration that God is still worthy.
He is worthy when life is going well.
And He is worthy when the battle is fierce.
So keep singing.
Keep worshipping.
Keep thanking God for His faithfulness.
You may not yet see the victory.
You may not know how the battle will end.
But you can know that the God who fought for Jehoshaphat is still faithful today.
And who knows?
Perhaps at the very moment you begin to sing and give praise, God may begin to work in ways you never expected.
A Prayer
Lord, thank You that I do not have to face life’s battles alone. When I don’t know what to do, help me to fix my eyes on You. When fear tries to overwhelm me, fill my heart with faith. Teach me to praise You not only after the victory but also in the midst of the battle. Help me remember that You are greater than every problem I face and that nothing is impossible for You. Today, I place my battles in Your hands and choose to trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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