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. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.'”
It never goes well when we try to do things on our own. When we are faced with any issue, it is best to seek The Lord our God, for He will fight the battles we cannot fight. God is more than willing to stand between us and our enemies. We see this throughout the Bible:
- Jehoshaphat arrived at the battle scene, and all of the enemy were already dead
- Gideon with 300 men saw victory over thousands, but only after God reduced the number of men in his army
- God routed the enemy army before Barak and his army of ten thousand arrived.
There are others, but this should suffice. When we are faced with overwhelming issues, we should always seek the Lord. He may very well have planned to fight for us. Joshua did not inquire of the Lord, and was tricked by the Gibeonites. So, why don’t we seek God when we are faced with overwhelming issues?
- We think we can do it on our own
- This is usually an issue with pride.
- God has been silent, and we don’t think He will come to our rescue
- This is usually a test. The teacher is usually silent when we take tests…
- Sometimes, in order to see the beauty of the stars, night has to fall, because the Sun drowns out everything else…
- We are paralyzed with fear
- We have taken our eyes off God and placed them on our circumstances
- We may have sin in our lives, and we feel guilty about asking God for victory
- The devil has us backed into a corner, we believe the lies, and forget that God is merciful, forgiving, and faithful.
- Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed.
- Disease, or worry, has worn us down and brought us to a place of misery and despair
- When we are worn down by these things, we are in a very bad place. Even seeking the Lord is difficult when every breath brings pain and every moment is sheer misery.
- We need to be obedient to Scripture. Have you followed God’s prescription for healing?
In all of these things, we need to seek God for everything: the large battles, and especially the small ones; forgiveness, and strength. God is always working, and greatly desires us to seek Him in prayer that He may show up and bring glory to His name. When God is silent, be faithful, and know that He is with you. Seek Him out as did the Psalmists in Psalms 83 and 109. Let nothing come between you and God. We have so much technology that we often go to Google rather than go to God. And God WILL show up to help, for He loves you very much. And always remember:
“But God…“
So, what situation has you backed into a corner where you desperately need to hear, “But God…”?
A short prayer of preparation:
Father in Heaven, You are beautiful beyond description and a marvelous to behold. You enter into our pain, give us comfort and strength, and guide us in the ways we should go. You provide for our every need, and even for our desires. You are forever faithful, and like all fathers, delight in Your children. Help me this day, Lord God, for I am weary. Enter into my circumstances. Deliver me through them, and fight the battles that I cannot win. Guard me against all evil, and my heart greatly praise You for who You are. Help me to seek You always, even when You seem to do the opposite of what I ask. This I ask and pray in the name of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Want more? Why not try A. B. Simpson or A. W. Tozer?
CHRIST ALLIANCE CHURCH 