“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.”
Victoria and Cousin Sarah Rose played on the same soccer team together when Victoria was in the first grade. Their team was called the Express, and they were just adorable running in the pack of girls after the soccer ball. I will admit most of their time was spent chasing the pack that chased the ball.
At the end of the season, my sister Linda drove both girls to the awards ceremony for all of the teams. Linda was trying to calm Sarah’s fears about the ceremony. Sarah was not happy when her mother told her they were going to have to walk across a stage to get their trophy. Stage fright overwhelmed Sarah. She was petrified and began to express her terror over and over to her mother.
When Linda pulled into the parking space at the church and opened the door for the girls to get out of the van, Victoria said something that was so profound. Now Victoria could not pronounce her “r’s.” So this is closer to what she said bravely, “Come on, Sawah, let’s go face our feaws.”
To their horror, they were the only two from their team who came to the ceremony even though their team had a winning season. Well, Sarah’s talk of fear had an effect on Victoria. When the pastor of the church called their names, neither girl wanted to step forward to take her trophy. Somehow Victoria gathered enough courage to step forward, but Sarah didn’t move. So Victoria just yanked Sarah up with her.
While there was no vast army coming against the two girls, it reminded me of King Jehoshaphat when the men from Edom and the other side of the Dead Sea came against him. He faced his fear. Jehoshaphat’s first move was to cry out to God. He knew his God was the God in heaven, and He ruled over all nations. Power and might were in His hand, and no one could withstand Him. He knew God’s promises to the people of Israel that if they obeyed Him, then He would deliver them should enemies attack them. He said, “We do not know what to do, but we fix our eyes on You.”
Then the Spirit of the Lord spoke to Jahaziel. He told the people to not be afraid or discouraged for the battle was the Lord’s. The people didn’t have to fight in the battle. They just had to fix their eyes on God, take their positions, stand firm, and see God’s deliverance. They had to face their fears and trust God.
I hope you caught that Jehoshaphat knew God’s promises to His people. He merely believed what God had said. The people had obeyed and followed God. If you and I keep walking with God and obeying Him, then we will have battles that are clearly His, and joy of participation will come through facing our fears and trusting our God for deliverance. So if Victoria could encourage us today she might say something like “My fwiend, we must face our feaws, fix ouw eyes on God, and stand fiwm. He will delivew us! Twust Him!”
Pray with me: Oh, God, we believe You. We believe that You will deliver us. You will not abandon us or forsake us. You will not desert us in our time of need. We have not outsinned Your mercy, love, and forgiveness. Infuse us with courage to face our fears. We desire to live victorious Christian lives that bring You glory and honor. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
2 Chronicles 20:17
Victoria and Cousin Sarah Rose played on the same soccer team together when Victoria was in the first grade. Their team was called the Express, and they were just adorable running in the pack of girls after the soccer ball. I will admit most of their time was spent chasing the pack that chased the ball.
At the end of the season, my sister Linda drove both girls to the awards ceremony for all of the teams. Linda was trying to calm Sarah’s fears about the ceremony. Sarah was not happy when her mother told her they were going to have to walk across a stage to get their trophy. Stage fright overwhelmed Sarah. She was petrified and began to express her terror over and over to her mother.
When Linda pulled into the parking space at the church and opened the door for the girls to get out of the van, Victoria said something that was so profound. Now Victoria could not pronounce her “r’s.” So this is closer to what she said bravely, “Come on, Sawah, let’s go face our feaws.”
To their horror, they were the only two from their team who came to the ceremony even though their team had a winning season. Well, Sarah’s talk of fear had an effect on Victoria. When the pastor of the church called their names, neither girl wanted to step forward to take her trophy. Somehow Victoria gathered enough courage to step forward, but Sarah didn’t move. So Victoria just yanked Sarah up with her.
While there was no vast army coming against the two girls, it reminded me of King Jehoshaphat when the men from Edom and the other side of the Dead Sea came against him. He faced his fear. Jehoshaphat’s first move was to cry out to God. He knew his God was the God in heaven, and He ruled over all nations. Power and might were in His hand, and no one could withstand Him. He knew God’s promises to the people of Israel that if they obeyed Him, then He would deliver them should enemies attack them. He said, “We do not know what to do, but we fix our eyes on You.”
Then the Spirit of the Lord spoke to Jahaziel. He told the people to not be afraid or discouraged for the battle was the Lord’s. The people didn’t have to fight in the battle. They just had to fix their eyes on God, take their positions, stand firm, and see God’s deliverance. They had to face their fears and trust God.
I hope you caught that Jehoshaphat knew God’s promises to His people. He merely believed what God had said. The people had obeyed and followed God. If you and I keep walking with God and obeying Him, then we will have battles that are clearly His, and joy of participation will come through facing our fears and trusting our God for deliverance. So if Victoria could encourage us today she might say something like “My fwiend, we must face our feaws, fix ouw eyes on God, and stand fiwm. He will delivew us! Twust Him!”
Pray with me: Oh, God, we believe You. We believe that You will deliver us. You will not abandon us or forsake us. You will not desert us in our time of need. We have not outsinned Your mercy, love, and forgiveness. Infuse us with courage to face our fears. We desire to live victorious Christian lives that bring You glory and honor. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment