{"id":8999,"date":"2023-09-29T08:48:26","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T12:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/delp\/?p=8999"},"modified":"2023-09-30T15:25:28","modified_gmt":"2023-09-30T19:25:28","slug":"you-will-not-have-to-fight-this-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/delp\/?p=8999","title":{"rendered":"The Battle Is Not Yours"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

You will not have to fight this battle.\u00a0 Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem.\u00a0 Do not be afraid; do not discouraged.\u00a0 Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.<\/p>\n

-2 Chronicles 20:1<\/p>\n

Recently I woke up, as I often do, with words to a song in my head.\u00a0 I couldn’t remember the name of the song or who sang it, just lyrics that throughout the morning kept coming to me, “he’s in the waiting.”\u00a0 \u00a0I know well enough by now that usually means God has something for me.\u00a0 So, I did what any almost-middle aged woman does when they can’t remember something, I googled it!\u00a0 The song that came up was Take Courage<\/em> by Kristene DiMarco.<\/a>\u00a0 As I listened to the song, I was overcome with encouragement, care and like I was given a big hug!\u00a0 We think a lot of time when we read scripture or when we listen to music with biblical words how much of an impact it has.\u00a0 But both of these things hit very differently when we are in the middle of our own battles, our own crisis or chaos, which is where we feel we are right now.\u00a0 That is what is so amazing about the God-breathed scriptures, they aren’t static, just as God is not static.\u00a0 He is always moving WITH and AMONG us.<\/p>\n

After listening to this song on repeat for awhile, I wanted to know how it came about so I researched what caused the writers to write it.\u00a0 It was based on 2 Chronicles 20 which talks about Jehoshaphat.\u00a0 He is in the middle of a crisis for sure.\u00a0 The chapter starts with Jehoshaphat getting some bad news that a huge army was coming.\u00a0 His first response was to inquire to the Lord and fasted together with all of Judah.\u00a0 Jehoshaphat stands up and gives a shout out to God and His faithfulness in the past.\u00a0 He ends this by saying,<\/p>\n

” For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.\u00a0 We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (v12)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After that the Spirit of God came to some of those standing in the assembly and spoke to Jehoshaphat saying THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS TO YOU:<\/p>\n

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.\u00a0 For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (v15)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So after he hears this, Jehoshaphat bowed down and all those with him did too in worship to the Lord (v18).\u00a0 Some stood up and praised Him.\u00a0 \u00a0The next day they left and Jehoshaphat stood up and said “Listen to me, have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.”\u00a0 After this he appointed people to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the SPLENDOR OF HIS HOLINESS as they went out at the head of the army saying:<\/p>\n

Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When they began to sing the army was defeated by the Lord. (v20-23)<\/p>\n

So when I read this, there was just SO MUCH speaking, so much good and hope and praise!\u00a0 It hit me differently because of what we are currently facing, challenges in ministry and it feels like our days are just filled with new problems and fires to put out.\u00a0 It’s heavy and today, I even said to myself, “things feel very hopeless.”\u00a0 I talked with my spiritual director about this today and we walked through this passage of scripture and came up with some great points to focus on that bring hope.<\/p>\n