One of the things that brings utmost confusion to the camp of the enemy is when they surround you with problems and yet you praise God. Our worship is a weapon. Our praise affirms victory. It is a pattern throughout Scriptures; Joshua, Gideon, Jehoshaphat. Who would have thought that a trumpet 🎺 is an instrument of warfare? Yet, 7 trumpets are blown in the book of Revelations to release the wrath of God. Let us particularly discuss this as a Jehoshaphat strategy so that we learn to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD.
The Jehoshaphat Strategy
King Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of Judah when King Ahab and Jezebel ruled Israel. He lived at the time of Prophet Elisha as well. One day he woke up to hear that the Ammonites, Moabites and those at Mount Seir had joined forces and were about to launch a huge attack on Judah. To picture how devastating this is, their enemy was more than all the people in Judah, including women and children. They can wipe out this lineage of the Messiah, just as the devil tried through Haman during the time of Esther. It will shock you to know how many times the devil tried to prevent Jesus from being born.
We are always at war but there are particular heightened seasons of spiritual warfare. During those seasons, the enemy will mobilize substantial attacks against you. What do you do? That’s the time people complain to God for failing to protect them enough. That’s not what Jehoshaphat did. He sought the LORD. He fasted and asked all those involved (the people of Judah) to fast and seek the face of God. He gathered the people of Judah to seek help from God. No threats to God. No murmuring. No complains. No accusations towards God. It is senseless to blame the One you seek help from. The prayer of Jehosaphat was to remind God of His promise and purpose.
God is only obliged to answer prayers aligned to His promises, plans and purposes. One of such promises is that He doesn’t forsake those who seek Him (Psalm 9:10) and that we will seek Him and find Him if we seek Him with all our heart (Jer 29:13). Jehosaphat’s petition was to remind God that the present circumstances do not match His promised outcome. Therefore, God responded. The Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel and he prophesied. The Word of God came to remind His people that the battle is not against you; it is against Me. My friend, allow God to fight your battles. You are the apple of God’s eye. When the enemy touches you, He has touched God’s pupil.
God gave them a sign by revealing what the enemy had planned. Then God told them something very absurd to the human brain; “you don’t need to fight in this battle. Position yourself, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you…”. We are more than conquerors because we are fighting in a war that God has won for us. Do you believe God’s Word? Put yourself in their shoes and see. If you believed in God’s Word, you wouldn’t have been so anxious about your problems. All you need is one Word from the LORD; you will understand that He is with you. The battle is yours to fight and His to win, and He already won. Fight from victory.
It is so easy to trust God after He has done it. What He wants you to do is to trust Him even before you see any sign of victory. Jehosaphat and the people of Judah rose up early the following day and Jehoshaphat encouraged the people in some of the most famous words from Scripture;
II Chronicles 20:20
“…Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
Now this is where the Jehoshaphat Strategy comes in. After consulting with the people, the strategy was to sing to the LORD en route to the battlefield. Mind you, it wasn’t a direct command from God like in the case of Joshua; it was an act of faith based on the Word of God.
Things are not going as planned? Praise God. It looks like your prayers are not being answered? Praise God! It seems the prophecy is delaying? Praise God! You don’t know what to do anymore? Praise God! God has promised you victory? Praise God en route to your victory. The Bible tells us to give thanks to God in all things because it is the Will of God. The circumstances may not be God’s Will but your response should always be. One thing the kingdom of darkness is incapable of is praising God. Praise is the antidote for pride. Stop complaining. Stop murmuring. Stop threatening God. Stop threatening Him to prove Himself otherwise you will stop believing in Him. Who are you? He was God before you existed and will be God regardless of your outcome. Stop talking to God like He is the problem.
When the spirit of anxiety, fear, dismay and disdain attack you long before the real battle begins, lift up your praise. Praise actually confuses the enemy. Remember that the devil started complaining in Heaven where there is only Glory but you are praising God where there is gloom. It doesn’t make sense but do it anyway. Show up on the battlefield with your weapon of praise. Let your Judah go first. The enemy will be so confused by your response, and that is when you will see the salvation of the LORD. He will fight your battles for you. Praise God as if He has already done it before He actually does it. That shows that you actually believe in God. We live in time and He is eternal, all-knowing and all-powerful. If He says He has taken care of it, believe Him. Praise God! This is how you enter rest on all sides.
Praise God, somebody
Hallelujah!!!!!