At church last Sunday, the message was based on 2 Chronicles 20:1-29 (New Living Translation), when Jehoshaphat was told that a vast army from beyond Edom was marching against him from beyond the Dead Sea. His nation was facing disaster and he was terrified. I was reminded of when my wife announced that she wanted a divorce and my reaction to the news. How differently I reacted than Jehoshaphat! And there’s no doubt that had I chosen the way of Jehoshaphat, I would have escaped many days of restlessness and anguish.

Throughout these scripture verses, Jehoshaphat stayed focused on God; he prayed, requested that his people fast; and then listened for God’s direction and obeyed. He realized the battle was not theirs, but God’s. He recognized their human limitations and allowed God’s strength to work through his fears and weaknesses. By making sure that he pursued God’s interests and not just his own selfish desires, he was led to obedience and God’s purpose. Jehoshaphat asked God for help daily and then he let God fight the battle for him.

Most of us have already reached the point in our circumstances of feeling terrified and at different times for all of us, begged the Lord for guidance and direction. In fact, that is how most of us arrived at standing for our marriages and perhaps came to this site. But wherever we are in our stand and our walk with God, it’s important to let God fight the battle for us.

First, we must commit the situation to God, acknowledging that only God can save our marriage. Most of us have already reached that conclusion because we’ve tried everything humanly possible to accomplish restoration and failed. So we need to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over the situation and let Him bring about peace in doing so. We can praise God’s glory and take comfort in His promises, because as we profess complete dependence on God, we have no option but to focus on His power and not our own.

My minister illustrated three traits that Jehoshaphat demonstrated. One was a “gutsy” trust in God; he believed God would do what He said He would do. Secondly, he said Jehoshaphat was diligent; he did what God called him to do so that God could do what ONLY HE could do. Lastly, he let go of his pride; he talked openly about his weaknesses and confessed them to the Father as he sought Him. And I was reminded that these traits are the same principles we promote and uphold in this ministry.

Finally, the most significant thing I got out of the message was the actual battle. In verse 21 Johoshaphat called for the singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising Him for His holy splendor! They sang, “give thanks to the Lord; His faithful love endures forever.” He truly believed and had faith that the battle was won; not by his doing, but because of God’s promise. Can you imagine the military announcing this strategy today? Okay, troops…we know God is with us, so we will send a platoon ahead of the armed soldiers to sing and give God praises for our victory.” Yet, we are called to do just that as we stand for our marriages and God’s truth.

So as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, let us march ahead, singing, praising and worshipping God for the victory that is ours. The battle is won, our families are healed and our marriages are restored to the Christ-centered unions He originally intended them to be. When we ask for God’s help as we face struggles, God will fight for us and God always triumphs. No one can stand against God!

Posted Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 10:02 am in Seeds Of Faith.