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The Weapon of Worship: Learning from Jehoshaphat
The Weapon of Worship: Learning from Jehoshaphat
Thanksgiving Week Message
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
Summary
Following our seven-week "Suited Up" series on spiritual warfare, this Thanksgiving week message explores one of the most unusual and powerful weapons in spiritual battle: worship. Not just worship on Sunday morning when everything's going well, but worship in the trenches—worship when you're surrounded, outnumbered, and facing impossible odds.
The story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 demonstrates how worship invites God to fight our battles for us.
The Story:
King Jehoshaphat ruled Judah during a time of relative peace. But one day, messengers came with terrifying news: three armies—Moab, Ammon, and others—were united and marching against Judah. They were outnumbered, outmatched, and out of time. Humanly speaking, the situation was hopeless.
But what Jehoshaphat did next is one of the most remarkable displays of faith in Scripture, teaching us how to fight spiritual battles with the weapon of worship.
Key Points:
1. When Facing Impossible Battles, Turn to God First
Jehoshaphat's first response reveals his character. 2 Chronicles 20:3 says, "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."
Notice three things: First, he felt fear—the text doesn't hide this. Three armies were bearing down and he was terrified. But fear drove him TO God, not away from God. Second, he sought the Lord with determination and focus—this wasn't casual prayer but desperate, all-in seeking. Third, he called the nation to fast, recognizing this battle was too big for human effort.
Jehoshaphat's prayer (2 Chronicles 20:6-12) is a masterclass in praying during impossible circumstances:
This is brilliant praying. Jehoshaphat doesn't deny the threat's reality, doesn't pretend they can handle it, doesn't give God suggestions. He simply reminds himself and the nation of God's character, God's past faithfulness, and their complete dependence on Him.
The first step when facing impossible battles: Turn to God first, not as a last resort.
2. God Responds With a Promise and a Strategy
After Jehoshaphat prayed, God responded through the prophet Jahaziel: "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them...You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord."
God's message had three parts:
A promise: "The battle is not yours, but God's"—one of the most important truths about spiritual warfare. When you're facing battles as God's child, you're not fighting alone. The battle ultimately belongs to God.
Strange instructions: "You will not need to fight. Position yourselves, stand still"—go to the battlefield but don't fight? Just stand there? This made no sense militarily, but God's strategies rarely make human sense.
Repeated reassurance: "Do not fear or be dismayed"—God knows fear is natural, so He repeats the command three times.
Before they saw any evidence of victory, they worshiped (2 Chronicles 20:18-19). The armies were still coming. The threat hadn't changed. But they worshiped anyway. That's faith—not waiting until the problem is solved to give thanks, but giving thanks because God has promised to solve it.
The next morning, Jehoshaphat did something audacious: "He appointed those who should sing to the Lord...as they went out BEFORE the army" (2 Chronicles 20:21). He sent worshipers to the front lines. Not warriors. Not weapons. Worshipers. The choir went first, armed with nothing but praise, singing about God's mercy while enemy armies bore down.
When God makes you a promise, respond with worship—before you see it fulfilled.
3. Worship Invites God to Fight Your Battles
Watch what happened when worship went to the front lines: "Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated" (2 Chronicles 20:22-23).
When they began to sing and praise, God set ambushes. The three armies that had united against Judah suddenly turned on each other. By the time Judah's army arrived, the enemy was already destroyed. Judah didn't swing a single sword. They just worshiped, and God fought.
The principle: Worship invites God's presence, and God's presence defeats the enemy.
When you worship, you're declaring several truths:
Every one of those declarations is an act of spiritual warfare. The enemy cannot stand in the presence of genuine worship because worship acknowledges the truth about who God is and who the enemy is not.
How this works practically:
Worship isn't just singing songs—it's declaring truth about God that drives out lies from the enemy.
4. Victory Through Worship Brings Abundant Blessing
The story doesn't end with the enemy's defeat. When Judah came to the battlefield, they found the dead bodies of their enemies and "an abundance of valuables...more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil" (2 Chronicles 20:24-25).
Three days to collect the plunder. They went to battle empty-handed with only worship, and came home with more wealth than they could carry.
They named the battlefield "The Valley of Berachah" (blessing) because that's what it became. They went to battle with worship. They came home with worship. And in between, God gave them victory and abundant blessing.
When God fights your battles, the victory is complete and the blessing is abundant. When you fight in your own strength, even if you win, you're exhausted and barely surviving. But when God fights for you, you come out blessed, strengthened, and with more than you had before.
The final result: "And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around" (2 Chronicles 20:29-30).
The Bottom Line: When you face impossible battles, worship is a weapon that invites God to fight for you. Jehoshaphat turned to God first in desperate prayer, believed God's promise before seeing the outcome, sent worship to the front lines, and watched God fight and give abundant blessing. This Thanksgiving, when battles come—and they will—send worship to the front lines. Declare God's character. Praise His faithfulness. Thank Him for past victories. Trust Him for present battles. Watch Him fight for you.
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By Plymouth Church of ChristThe Weapon of Worship: Learning from Jehoshaphat
Thanksgiving Week Message
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
Summary
Following our seven-week "Suited Up" series on spiritual warfare, this Thanksgiving week message explores one of the most unusual and powerful weapons in spiritual battle: worship. Not just worship on Sunday morning when everything's going well, but worship in the trenches—worship when you're surrounded, outnumbered, and facing impossible odds.
The story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 demonstrates how worship invites God to fight our battles for us.
The Story:
King Jehoshaphat ruled Judah during a time of relative peace. But one day, messengers came with terrifying news: three armies—Moab, Ammon, and others—were united and marching against Judah. They were outnumbered, outmatched, and out of time. Humanly speaking, the situation was hopeless.
But what Jehoshaphat did next is one of the most remarkable displays of faith in Scripture, teaching us how to fight spiritual battles with the weapon of worship.
Key Points:
1. When Facing Impossible Battles, Turn to God First
Jehoshaphat's first response reveals his character. 2 Chronicles 20:3 says, "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."
Notice three things: First, he felt fear—the text doesn't hide this. Three armies were bearing down and he was terrified. But fear drove him TO God, not away from God. Second, he sought the Lord with determination and focus—this wasn't casual prayer but desperate, all-in seeking. Third, he called the nation to fast, recognizing this battle was too big for human effort.
Jehoshaphat's prayer (2 Chronicles 20:6-12) is a masterclass in praying during impossible circumstances:
This is brilliant praying. Jehoshaphat doesn't deny the threat's reality, doesn't pretend they can handle it, doesn't give God suggestions. He simply reminds himself and the nation of God's character, God's past faithfulness, and their complete dependence on Him.
The first step when facing impossible battles: Turn to God first, not as a last resort.
2. God Responds With a Promise and a Strategy
After Jehoshaphat prayed, God responded through the prophet Jahaziel: "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go down against them...You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord."
God's message had three parts:
A promise: "The battle is not yours, but God's"—one of the most important truths about spiritual warfare. When you're facing battles as God's child, you're not fighting alone. The battle ultimately belongs to God.
Strange instructions: "You will not need to fight. Position yourselves, stand still"—go to the battlefield but don't fight? Just stand there? This made no sense militarily, but God's strategies rarely make human sense.
Repeated reassurance: "Do not fear or be dismayed"—God knows fear is natural, so He repeats the command three times.
Before they saw any evidence of victory, they worshiped (2 Chronicles 20:18-19). The armies were still coming. The threat hadn't changed. But they worshiped anyway. That's faith—not waiting until the problem is solved to give thanks, but giving thanks because God has promised to solve it.
The next morning, Jehoshaphat did something audacious: "He appointed those who should sing to the Lord...as they went out BEFORE the army" (2 Chronicles 20:21). He sent worshipers to the front lines. Not warriors. Not weapons. Worshipers. The choir went first, armed with nothing but praise, singing about God's mercy while enemy armies bore down.
When God makes you a promise, respond with worship—before you see it fulfilled.
3. Worship Invites God to Fight Your Battles
Watch what happened when worship went to the front lines: "Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated" (2 Chronicles 20:22-23).
When they began to sing and praise, God set ambushes. The three armies that had united against Judah suddenly turned on each other. By the time Judah's army arrived, the enemy was already destroyed. Judah didn't swing a single sword. They just worshiped, and God fought.
The principle: Worship invites God's presence, and God's presence defeats the enemy.
When you worship, you're declaring several truths:
Every one of those declarations is an act of spiritual warfare. The enemy cannot stand in the presence of genuine worship because worship acknowledges the truth about who God is and who the enemy is not.
How this works practically:
Worship isn't just singing songs—it's declaring truth about God that drives out lies from the enemy.
4. Victory Through Worship Brings Abundant Blessing
The story doesn't end with the enemy's defeat. When Judah came to the battlefield, they found the dead bodies of their enemies and "an abundance of valuables...more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil" (2 Chronicles 20:24-25).
Three days to collect the plunder. They went to battle empty-handed with only worship, and came home with more wealth than they could carry.
They named the battlefield "The Valley of Berachah" (blessing) because that's what it became. They went to battle with worship. They came home with worship. And in between, God gave them victory and abundant blessing.
When God fights your battles, the victory is complete and the blessing is abundant. When you fight in your own strength, even if you win, you're exhausted and barely surviving. But when God fights for you, you come out blessed, strengthened, and with more than you had before.
The final result: "And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around" (2 Chronicles 20:29-30).
The Bottom Line: When you face impossible battles, worship is a weapon that invites God to fight for you. Jehoshaphat turned to God first in desperate prayer, believed God's promise before seeing the outcome, sent worship to the front lines, and watched God fight and give abundant blessing. This Thanksgiving, when battles come—and they will—send worship to the front lines. Declare God's character. Praise His faithfulness. Thank Him for past victories. Trust Him for present battles. Watch Him fight for you.