Facing the inevitable!
2 Chronicles 20:1-23
By Ysrael De la Cruz
We face a great many challenges in life; we go through life trying our best to avoid the bad and enjoy the good. However, we know the reality of living in this world is that we will experience difficulties, storms in this life. These things are inevitable, unavoidable; you do not plan for them, they just happen to come to rock your world. It’s like a car accident, you went out but never planning to get into a car accident, but you may be involved in one someday. Delay flight, getting sick, waiting to hear the results of the exam you just had; a broken relationship, sudden death and so forth. We are not exempt from experiencing these things. How do you prepare yourself to face the inevitable in life? How do you face the inescapable? Everyone will respond differently to those challenges. Here is how a king of Judah responded when faced with the inevitable.
He felt helpless, just like many of us may feel at times.
Jehoshaphat was the 4th king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. He was a good king; he appointed judges in the land and told him to judge with justice as God’s representatives. He also turned people back to seeking the LORD (2 Chro.19:4)
Right when things were going well in his kingdom, trouble loomed on the horizon.

Three nations were coming against his kingdom. (2 Chr.20) The Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. This would be a battle he would not win. Three against one.
The news: A vast army is coming against you from Edom (2)
Jehoshaphat was terrified, but he did the best thing one can do in this type of situation.
-He sought the LORD. He proclaimed a fast throughout the kingdom
v.4 The people of Judah came together to seek the LORD
Jehoshaphat prayed to the LORD.
We can learn so much about this prayer made by this king.
O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God who is in heaven? (v.6)
-You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the world.
-Power and might are in your hands.
By this, Jehoshaphat acknowledged his faith in a God who is bigger than all the kingdoms of the world; a God stronger than anything in this world. Power and might are in your hands.

Did you not? V.7-11
-Did you not drive out the nations and give us this land? Your people have lived securely in this land because you allowed them to. Jehoshaphat knew how God had acted on their behalf before. God was also responsible for the victories of the past. When you take a look at the past, from where you came and where you are, God’s providence and power is still evident. Did you not do that for us before?
Jehoshaphat presented his situation to the LORD. (v.10-12)
Will you not judge them?
-See how they are repaying us; they intend to drive us out of the very place you have given to us.
The king acknowledged how powerless he and his kingdom were before these nations. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”
Jehoshaphat knew that only God could deliver them from death.
When he did not know what to do, he did the right thing; he looked to the LORD.
We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are fixed on you.
Are you not God? Did you not? Will you not? Whatever situation we find ourselves in we must never forget that our God knows our present situation and is way bigger than storm or problem we may be facing. He was God in the past and will continue to be the same in the future.

The nation of Judah humbled herself before the LORD. Men, women and children gathered to seek the LORD. And God answered their prayer. V.14-17
God’s answer: through the prophet Jahaziel (God sees) This is what the LORD says to you:
-Do not be afraid or discouraged because of your situation.
-The Battle is not yours but God’s
-March against them. Go face them, but you will not have to fight this battle.
-Stand firm (v.17) The LORD will be with you.
Jehoshaphat worshiped the LORD. (v.18-19)
-he bowed down with his face to the ground. The nation of Judah fell down in worship to God.
They praised the LORD the God of Israel with loud voice. They worshiped God and God had not given them victory yet. They worshiped in the midst of difficulties. They worshiped because they trusted God’s word. They believed the LORD and this was a reason to worship him. How many of us take this posture of worship when faced with difficult situations? Judah was threatened and they worshiped, they sought God in prayer, fasting and singing. God answered and they continued to worship him.
“Believe in the LORD your God and you will be established; believe his prophets and you will succeed.”
They went to meet the enemies singing to the LORD. This is the best way to fight your battles. Trusting in the LORD and giving praises to him.
“Give thanks to the LORD for his love endures forever.” (v.21)
God gave king Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah victory, the enemies ended killing each other.
When they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the nations that were coming against Judah. (v.22) While they worshiped, God was fighting for them.
When you are faced with inevitable situations, seek the LORD. When you don’t know what to do, fix your eyes on the LORD. Seek him through prayer, fasting and singing. Don’t allow your situation to distract you from worshiping him. Worship him during the struggle, worship him as you wait for his answer. Trust his word, every battle you face, he is there. The battle is His, not yours.
Do you want to experience triumph within the situation you’re in right now? Believe in the LORD and you will be upheld or established; believe his prophetic word and you will be successful.
Your trust in him will have you worshiping in ways you never thought before. The greatest battles are won by resting in his presence.