SOMETHING DON’D ON ME…
“As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His Prophets and you will be successful.” II Chronicles 20:20

The odds seemed insurmountable. Everything looked grim. It was the 4th quarter, down by two touchdowns and they had no timeouts. Rudy wasn’t coming to the rescue. The enemy was big. Jehoshaphat was facing armies from Ammon, Moab, and Edom, and they outnumbered, out-armed, and out-warriored him on all levels. It was looking BAD for God’s people! His servants came and warned him, and he proclaimed a fast for all the people, to pray and to inquire of the Lord. When they did, the Spirit of the Lord came down on Jehaziel and he declared “Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s!”

We looked at this passage in last week’s article…but here’s where the story takes a turn! Jehoshaphat could have ignored the prophecy from Jehaziel. He could have just sat down and said “Since God is fighting, I’ll just watch SportsCenter and wait for the Highlights of this fight!” He could have even sent out a few warriors and stayed back a safe distance. But what he did…well, it wasn’t the way MOST Army Generals work. He did something that changed the course of history…and it matters even today!

He picked a choir. “Okay, Don…you’re using pretty poetry words here, right? A ‘choir’ is really a platoon with bazookas, right?” No, actually Scripture says that before he picked up a sword, before he looked at satellite footage of the battlefield, and even before he fortified the supply lines…he picked SINGERS?? II Chronicles 20:21 says, “Jehoshaphat appointed men to SING TO THE LORD and to praise Him for the splendor of His Holiness.” Now I haven’t been to West Point or Annapolis…but I doubt that would be the course work in Battle Prep 101!

One of the songs that our Praise Team has been singing is called, “Surrounded” and it has just two phrases in it:
1 – “This is how I fight my battles…”
2 – “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You!”
When you first hear it, that line #1 sounds weird. But as you sing it, and those words sink into you, the songwriter is reminding us that we don’t fight battles the way others do. We fight…by declaring the greatness of our God! We fight…by singing of HIS power, not ours. We fight…sometimes, when we can’t even speak. How are YOU fighting your battles? Are you stressing and fretting and worrying? Or are you singing and releasing it to the one that CAN fight…and WILL fight for you?? “It may look like you are surrounded…” – your enemies may be many and large: debt, depression, loneliness, brokenness. But our God is bigger than ANY of those!! “…but I’m SURROUNDED by You!!!”

“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the attacking armies, and they were DEFEATED!” (II Chronicles 20: 22-23)

The attacking armies…attacked EACH OTHER! And when Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah arrived, they only saw dead bodies! They went out and carried off the plunder…and there was MORE than they could ever carry!!

Do you feel SURROUNDED? Does it look like you are about to be crushed by your enemy? Maybe…this is the time you should SING?! Perhaps God is calling you to sing of HIS greatness, not cry about the oppression of what you are going through? Maybe it’s time for you to fight…but fight with a different plan. Fight…with song.

Jehovah God…fight for me! You are greater than my grief! You are stronger than my struggle! You are deeper than my depression! You are GOD! Get GLORY in my life! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Shalom Alachiem, Don

Central Christian Church

Service Times

Saturday Evenings:

6:30 pm – Contemporary Worship (Full Band)
Nursery, Wee Worship, and KidZone available

Sunday Mornings:

8:15 a.m. – Traditional Worship (classic hymns)
9:30 a.m. – Sunday School
10:30 a.m. – Contemporary Worship (Full Band)
Nursery, Wee Worship, and KidZone available

Church Location & Address:
1528 South Main Avenue, Portales, NM, 88130