Berachah

Day 126

Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:1 - 2 Chronicles 22:12

While meditating on the above portion of scriptures hope was rising within as I realised that God is indeed more than able to fight for me. I don't know what is ailing you or contending with your well being. What I know is that God is able to resolve the crisis for good.

King Jehoshaphat was advised that a great army was coming to fight him. Fear gripped him and he ran to God. He summoned the entire nation to seek the face of God. While he made prayer for salvation from the enemy the entire nation including children were together fasting in prayer. He understood that in trouble one should run to God. The king didn't run to other nations to fight for him. Nope, He ran to God. Run to God always.

In the midst of an entire nation seeking God, a prophet arose who declared the counsel of God. The battle belongs to God. Always remind yourself that in every battle God is with you. The prophet even instructed where they would go to the battlefront to face the enemy. Jahaziel the prophet declared that the approaching army would be found at the Ascent of Ziz. Ziz implies a flower that is blossoming. Don't allow the enemy to blossom. Fight the enemy in the place of blossoming. 

The battle would take place in the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. Jeruel is the fear of God. The enemy would be fought in the valley right before the fear of God. King Jehoshaphat then encouraged the people to believe God and His servants for their prosperity. He led the people to the battlefront. He organised the army and places a praise and worship team in front. 

The prophet had declared that the nation should position itself before God. When you hear that the battle belongs to God it is not time to go to sleep. It is time to praise God. It's time to raise a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God. The praises that went up declared that God's mercy endures forever. This praise was a shield being raised to remind God that we only are alive because of His mercies. And if God's mercies are cut off we would be no more. 

The second instruction was to stand still. This was not literal but the to stand still within. One cannot expect God to fight for them without them having an internal calmness of confidence in the capabilities of God. We need to learn to stand still to allow God to move in all circumstances. When we are fretting about the situation we lose the position for victory. 

In the midst of their total reliance on God, they saw victory. As you give God praise He ambushes the enemy seeking to contend with you. The enemy fought amongst themselves. When King Jehoshaphat and the people arrived at the battle scene God had already fought for them and caused the enemy to fight themselves killing each other. As you praise God, may every enemy fighting you begin to fight themselves for God's mercies endure forever! The Bible is not a fantasy book. It is God's wisdom to draw us near to Him; to help us understand who we are in God and what God can do for those who trust in Him wholly. 

The place of battle for Jehoshaphat acquired a new name. He renamed the valley Berachah. Child of God give that valley you are in a new name, stop calling it death or whatever name you have called it. Call it Berachah which means blessing. Serve notice to the enemy that this valley of death to him is becoming a valley of blessing to you. King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah gathered wealth from the battlefield for 3 days. They arrived at the battle scene thinking they were going to fight only to find that God had gone before them and delivered victory for them. May this be your story. The fear of God will fall on your enemies when they realise that God fights for you. 

Memory Verse: 2 Chronicles 20:22

Decree:

2 Chronicles 20:29

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. (italics mine)