THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE
2 CHRONICLES 20
The apostle Paul wrote, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Paul, of course, is speaking of spiritual warfare. Whether we like it or not, we are engaged in a spiritual war. The weapons we fight with are not material weapons such as smart bombs and missiles. However, the weapons we fight with are powerful and they are effective.
Have you ever faced a situation or a crisis that was so difficult that you simply didn’t know what to do? Of course you have, and most likely your will face such a crisis again.
What do we do when we face those moments in life when we just don’t know what to do? The story of Jehoshaphat gives us a picture of what we can do when we simply don’t know what to do. We learn from the story of Jehoshaphat just what our spiritual weapons are.
I. THE FIRST WEAPON IS PRAYER TO GOD (20:3-12)
King Jehoshaphat faced a serious crisis. Three nations were about to attack Judah and Jerusalem. It was the case of David and Goliath all over again. Like us, Jehoshaphat’s initial human reaction was panic. "And Jehoshaphat feared...." However, he did not let his fear defeat him because he "set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast...."
Not only did Jehoshaphat pray, he called his people to prayer. There is power when God’s people unite in prayer for one purpose.
Note that in his prayer, Jehoshaphat reminded God of His past deliverances. (6-7) It was not that God had forgotten, but Jehoshaphat needed to build up his own faith. Furthermore, he appealed to Scripture as he prayed (8-9). Actually, he appealed to 2 Chronicles 7:14. We need to learn to pray the scriptures. He presented his problem to the Lord (10-11). Finally, he rested his case in God’s hands (v. 12). "O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming up against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
When you and I face those crisis moments when we don’t know what to do, prayer ought to be our first resource, not the last resort.
II. THE SECOND WEAPON IS THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD OF GOD (20:13-17)
One of our greatest weapons when we are actively engaged in spiritual warfare is the word of God. We must let God speak to us through His word. As we seek God in prayer and as we look to God’s Word for guidance, God will give us an answer.
Remember the temptation of Jesus. Jesus answered Satan’s attack with the Word of God. Satan used Scripture but he twisted scripture for his own diabolical purpose. Jesus used scripture rightly. That is why we need to learn to rightly divide the Word of truth.
Following his prayer, God sent a word of hope, a prophetic word through a prophet named Jahaziel.
Jahaziel said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you:” In the OT, God spoke through the prophets. They delivered God‘s Word to the people. Therefore, they often began their messages by saying, “Thus says the LORD.” Yet Jesus never said “Thus says the LORD.” Why is that? Jesus is the LORD. He is God in flesh. He said, “Verily, verily, or “truly truly, I say unto you.” The Greek word, is “Amen, Amen, I say unto you.”
Jahaziel encouraged the people to trust in God. “Do not be afraid not dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 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. 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.”
God told them where the enemy was and that they would not have to fight them. They were to position themselves, not for battle, but for observation. They were to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD. They were to watch what God was going to do.
III. THE THIRD WEAPON IS THE PRAISE OF GOD. (18-19)
If only we could begin to realize the awesome power of worship and praise. It would transform our lives and our churches.
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” Ps 22:3 KJV.
“But you are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.” NKJV.
“Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” NASB.
“Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One: you are the praise of Israel.” NIV
God is the one whom Israel praises for His saving acts in her behalf. Jehoshaphat believed the word that God’s prophet had given and began praising the Lord. Note the place of praise in God’s victory in Judah. We learn that:
A. WE OUGHT TO PRAISE THE LORD BEFORE THE BATTLE. (18-19) As soon as Jehoshaphat heard the message of God’s prophet, he began to worship the Lord. “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. 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.”
B. WE OUGHT TO PRAISE THE LORD DURING THE BATTLE. Early the next morning, everyone went out to the Wilderness of Tekoa, and Jehoshaphat challenged the people saying, “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.” It seems that Jehoshaphat’s earlier panic had gone away.
Then Jehoshaphat appointed singers “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.”
Can you imagine what the enemy thought as they heard the choir singing, “Praise ye the LORD for his mercy endureth forever.”
ILL: I preached on this verse once and after the service a choir member said, “it’s about time the choir got some respect.”
C. WE OUGHT TO PRAISE THE LORD AFTER THE VICTORY IS WON. After God gave them such a wonderful victory, the people “assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.”
In other words, the praise that began before the battle, and during the battle, continued after the battle was over.
Remember, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” Prayer, the Word of God, and praise are three of our greatest weapons as we engage in spiritual warfare. May God help us to be a people of prayer, a people of the word, and a people of praise.
JEHOSHAPHAT
Based on 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
When Jehoshaphat heard
The enemy was in the land,
He knew for certain
That war was at hand.
The enemy was so strong
And Judah felt so small,
From the surface it looked
That Judah was about to fall.
There was no earthly way
That Judah could win,
In this war
That was about to begin.
So Jehoshaphat called the people to pray
Throughout the land,
Cause their only hope
Was for God to show His hand.
He remembered what God
Had done in the past,
And believed God would help again
At long last.
He confessed their weakness
Against a foe so strong,
And prayed that God would come
And deliver them from this wrong.
“Oh, our God,” He prayed,
“We don’t know what to do,
All we know, dear Lord,
Is that our eyes on You.”
Then God sent a preacher
Who delivered God’s Word,
“Don’t be afraid,” He said,
Was the message they heard.
“The Battle is not yours
For it belongs to God.”
Then they knelt in worship
With their faces to the sod.
With joy in their hearts
They began to praise,
They formed a choir
And a song they did raise.
“Praise ye the LORD”
They sang with voices loud and clear.
“His mercy endures forever,”
And their hearts were filled with cheer.
Suddenly Moab and Ammon
Turned against Mt. Seir,
Then they turned on each other
As enemy hearts filled with fear.
To the wilderness, Judah looked,
And what did they see?
The dead corpses of their enemies
Cause their God had set them free.
As they returned to Jerusalem,
They did praise and shout,
Cause their God gave them rest
From their enemies round about.
Frank Lay © 11/05/04
