Victory in Jesus!

Josh 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

In the 20^th Chapter of 2^nd Chronicles, the children of Israel were confronted with a potentially overwhelming enemy.

2 Chr 20:1-2

1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.

2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).

The king and those with him took steps in seeking God, hearing God, doing God’s will and then receiving God’s victory. We too can have this same success and victory!

First, the king called a fast. Fasting a scriptural principle from both the old and new Testament. Esther led others in a fast when they were in serious trouble. Among the many other examples is the Apostle Paul who said he was in fastings often. Jesus in the sermon on the mount said:

Matt 6:17-18

17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

18 “so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

I understand fasting to be a form of spiritual intercession or prayer. Often people may not know all the truths about praying the Word of God and speaking God’s Word, but they can fast. We can lay aside eating or some other activity for a period of time while we spend time with God in prayer and in His Word.

While fasting may be in order  for days and weeks, situations can turn around often in a short time.

Second, the king prayed. While he spoke of the problem, the king also spoke of God being greater than the circumstances.

2 Chr 20:6-12

6 and said: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

7 “Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

8 “And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,

9 ‘If disaster comes upon us– sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine– we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’

10 “And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir– whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them–

11 “here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.

12 “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Each of us as Christians can come boldy before our Heavenly Father with our requests! We can claim God’s promises of mercy, protection and provision. A favorite place in the Bible that lists the benefits we have is Psalm 103:

Ps 103:2-5

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

3 Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,

4 Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

We can each claim the five benefits that are listed.

Third, the king listened while God spoke through a prophet. We too can hear from God in our specific situation. Each Christian can know the leading of the Holy Spirit. Each Christian can know God’s peace in going the right way, and conversely feel the check of the Holy Spirit when we need to stop and listen.

Each Christian can spend time in prayer until they have clarity of direction.

Ps 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

God gave the king a plan of action. We can believe for God’s leading in our lives!

2 Chr 20:14-17

14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.

15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

16 ‘Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.

17 ‘You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.”

Fourth, the king believed God’s plan and implemented it. We need to be doers of the Word of God. We need to obey the Word of God we do now. If we aren’t God in the small areas, how can we expect further instructions? Lets check up on ourselves!

Fifth, the king and his people worshipped and praised God. They did it in advance of physically seeing the enemy defeated. They praised God before they went out to battle and as they went out to battle!

2 Chr 20:18-21

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.

19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, 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.”

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever.”

The end result was the supernatural deliverance of the Israelites from their enemy.

2 Chr 20:22 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.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we can walk in victory each day of our lives!

1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith.

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

We can overcome problems big and small as we abide in our Lord Jesus Christ!

Rev 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.