“Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.’ (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.” (2 Chronicles 20:2–4 NLT)

 

Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario—a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered.

So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he “begged the Lord for guidance” (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, “O our God, won’t you stop them? 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” (verse 12 NLT).

The Lord told Jehoshaphat, “Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” (verses 15, 17 NLT).

Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.

There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances.

Maybe you’re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.

A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don’t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray.

We don’t always know what the future holds. We don’t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That’s why it’s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading.

Psalm 145:18 says, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth” (NLT). Call on Him.

 

Reflection question: What does seeking God’s strength and guidance look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

 

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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&ldquo;Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, &lsquo;A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.&rsquo; (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord&rsquo;s help.&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 20:2&ndash;4 NLT)
&nbsp;
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario&mdash;a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered.
So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he &ldquo;begged the Lord for guidance&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, &ldquo;O our God, won&rsquo;t you stop them? 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&rdquo; (verse 12 NLT).
The Lord told Jehoshaphat, &ldquo;Do not be afraid! Don&rsquo;t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God&rsquo;s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord&rsquo;s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!&rdquo; (verses 15, 17 NLT).
Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.
There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances.
Maybe you&rsquo;re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.
A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don&rsquo;t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray.
We don&rsquo;t always know what the future holds. We don&rsquo;t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading.
Psalm 145:18 says, &ldquo;The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth&rdquo; (NLT). Call on Him.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: What does seeking God&rsquo;s strength and guidance look like in your life?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."
&nbsp;
All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God&rsquo;s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from&nbsp;<a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/">Pastor Greg Laurie</a>, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.&nbsp;
*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

Whatever is bearing down on us is no match for the One who stands beside us.