Jehoshaphat - his predicament and the solution

In 2 Chronicles chapter 20 we read about Jehoshaphat. I have gathered some insights (if you can say that)

Three Rhetorical questions of Jehoshaphat
1. Are you not
(Verse 6: "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.)
Praising God is one of the most integral part of Praying and this is what Jehoshaphat is doing here.
Note: These sentences focus on God in the present tense in other words God encompasses all the tenses, past, present and future.

2. Did you not
(Verse 7: O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?)
Praying using the promises that God has given is considered a very effective way of praying by many saints. Recollecting what God has done shows Faith and that you have not forgotten what the Lord has done.
Note: This sentence talks about God in the past tense.

3. Will you not
(12: O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.")
Acknowledging your weakness and asking God is the attitude that is needed in prayer.
Note: These sentences here focus on God in the future tense by Faith. (Thanking God for what He has already done. Words of negative confession and positive confession)

Three God’s great Answers (15, 16 & 17)
He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you:
· Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged. Present tense
· Tomorrow march down against them. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the
deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Go out to face them tomorrow,
and the LORD will be with you.' " Future tense
· For the battle is not yours, but God's. . You will not have to fight this battle. Past tense – the
battle has already been fought and won.

Lessons
1. Learn from the past / history or in other words the history in the Bible.
a. Unlike his father he depended on the Lord - II Chron 16:7 (the entire chapter talks
abut Asa depending on Ben-Hadad king of Aram)
b. There is a reason why the Bible contains History (Heb 12:1)
c. Listening to testimonies in the church also help in this regard
2. Believe in God and not me (II Chron 20:20)
a. In life we need to know that He is to increase and we must decrease ( John 3:30)
b. Most of the time it is the way we say our testimony that hinders people from coming to
the Lord
3. Enemies will be destroyed by themselves or with their work of their hands itself (II Chron 20:23)
4. Battle is the Lords
a. When we work for the Lord or do what the Lord has asked us to we sometimes forget
that the battle belongs to Lord but be sure that Lord is not going to do what you re
supposed to do, take for example the Lord told them to just show up and victory was
theirs but if they did not show up, things would have been different.
5. God did not ask to praise
a. God asked them to just show up but He did not tell them to Praise. This is the
advantage if you are in the company of people who love the Lord. They would give you
the advice that is most appropriate. Otherwise if it was people who do not know the
Lord they might not disagree but giving suggestions like this…

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