REALIZING THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S

July 17, 2011
MF Blume

2 Chronicles 20:1-6 KJV (1) It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. (2) Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. (3) And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (4) And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. (5) And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, (6) And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

Jehoshaphat did something that day upon threat of the enemy readying itself to attack his people Judah that reminds me of an event involving disciples of Jesus who were criticized for violating Sabbath.

Matthew 12:1-8 KJV At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. (2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. (3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; (4) How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? (5) Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? (6) But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. (7) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. (8) For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Notice that when Jesus was attacked about his disciples plucking and eating corn on the Sabbath, Jesus gave TWO EXAMPLES of things done IN THE TEMPLE.
1. David ate what was unlawful for him to eat, but was in the HOUSE OF GOD when he did it.
2. Priests literally profane the Sabbath, IN THE TEMPLE (referring to slaying beasts like they did on every other day).

They were GUILTLESS, though, because they were IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.

Normally speaking, these things David and the priests did were totally against THE LAW OF GOD.

But the common denominator is something the Lord refers to in His response to the Pharisees.
IT WAS IN THE HOUSE OF GOD THESE THINGS WERE DONE.
And then Jesus says: IN THIS PLACE IS ONE GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE.
In other words, IF THE TEMPLE was the reason that unlawful things were allowed, having been done IN IT, and there was a GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE WHO WAS THERE THAT DAY….
Then we are meant to understand that BEING IN THE TEMPLE is like BEING IN CHRIST.
That does not mean we can sin if we are in Christ, but it does mean that our sins are FORGIVEN when we have faith in Christ and seek forgiveness.
Also, Christ is Lord of the temple.
If David and priests did things in the house of God and the temple that others could not do elsewhere, then what can people who serve the LORD OF THE TEMPLE do?

Jesus is LORD OF THE SABBATH.

He is higher than the Sabbath, and not under it.
He can actually direct how Sabbath is observed.
He can dispense with it as He pleases!

But it also means that praying in the temple like Jehoshaphat did is analogous to PRAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS today!

Over and over again, the New Testament speaks about being IN CHRIST.

John 15:1-7 KJV I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, …

Romans 8:1 KJV There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The NAME OF JESUS is so powerful that it is interesting that even the Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 2 spoke of baptism in Acts where the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus, while Jesus said to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost:

St. Ambrose (Lib. I, De Sp. S., iii), “If you say Christ, you have designated God the Father, by whom the Son was anointed, and Him Who was anointed Son, and the Holy Ghost in whom He was anointed."

Pope Nicholas I to the Bulgarians : said a person does not need to be rebaptized if they were baptized “…in the name of Christ only, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles (for it is one and the same thing, as St. Ambrose has explained)".

Britannica Encyclopedia, 11th Edition, Volume 3, page 365 – Baptism was changed from the name of Jesus to words Father, Son & Holy Ghost in 2nd Century.

Canney Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53 – The early church baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus until the second century.
Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion, Volume 2 – Christian baptism was administered using the words, "in the name of Jesus." page 377. Baptism was always in the name of Jesus until time of Justin Martyr, page 389.

Schaff – Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, Volume 1, page 435 – The New Testament knows only the baptism in the name of Jesus.
Hastings Dictionary of Bible, page 88 – It must be acknowledged that the three fold name of Matthew 28:19 does not appear to have been used by the primitive church, but rather in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus.

The NAME OF JESUS is a powerful thing!

Colossians 3:17 KJV And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

So we really need to pray in Jesus' name!!

Jehoshaphat though a godly man, had made many poor decisions.

He allied himself with AHAB, wicked king of Northern Israel.

War occurred.
His son married Ahab’s daughter, and led to problems later for Judah.
One war allied with Ahab almost cost Jehoshaphat his life when Syrians surrounded him and saw him, but he cried out to God.
But his army was defeated.
HE NEVER CALLED ON GOD ABOUT THOSE THINGS, and that is why he blundered.

2 Chronicles 19:2 KJV And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

By the time we get to Ch. 20 Judah was weakened greatly and the enemy seeks to take advantage and hit him while he is down.

The Ammonites and Moabites were the descendents of LOT, when HIS TWO DAUGHTERS made him drunk and slept with him in order to have sons.

TWO HUGE BLUNDERS!
These enemies of Israel were the result of BLUNDERS.
And an ARMY OF BLUNDERS was coming against a king who made many BLUNDERS, himself.

Jehoshaphat heard the Ammonites and Moabites were coming to attack Jerusalem with a huge army bigger than Jerusalem had.

Did you ever have so many blunders coming at you that you could not deal with them?
He STANDS INSIDE THE TEMPLE before all the people.
He gathered people from all over Judah and proclaimed the whole region of Judah would FAST AND PRAY.

He prayed to God about how God gave Abraham that land of Canaan from which the enemy was on their way to remove them.

2 Chronicles 20:7 KJV Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

And then he reminded God of Solomon’s prayer when the temple was built:

2 Chronicles 20:8-9 KJV (8) And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, (9) If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

Then he reminded God how He commanded Israel to not attack Ammon and Moab during the Exodus under Moses.

2 Chronicles 20:10-11 KJV (10) And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; (11) Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

HE KNEW THE BIBLE!

And he ended his prayer asking God to judge them, saying the people alone could not deal with that great army.

2 Chronicles 20:12 KJV O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

And then as if we are left dangling, and made to appreciate the situation, we read a description of the people standing there looking to God as follows:

Like hearts beating and all are silent after the King spoke, waiting, wondering if God heard them…

2 Chronicles 20:13 KJV And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

It’s like I can see all their eyes in sadness and looking up with such a pitiful wide-eyed, cow-eyes, sort of appeal to God.

SUDDENLY THE POWER OF GOD MOVES!

2 Chronicles 20:14-17 KJV (14) Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; (15) And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. (16) Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. (17) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

Right out of the midst of the crowd of people, a LEVITE SINGER from the tribe of ASAPH utters a PROPHECY to the king and all the people of Jerusalem and Judah!!!

The first thing God says through this man is

(15) And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

We already read earlier these words:

(3) And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

God tells him to stop fearing.

Do not be dismayed!
What drove them to God – fear – must now be overcome, and they must trust God.

This is where we ruin it.

Fear destroys faith and faith is like oxygen for God to work in.
Although the battle is not ours, we do have a part to play.
He commands us to do one thing.
FEAR NOT.
DO NOT BE DISMAYED.

Moses said the same thing to Israel:

Exodus 14:13-14 KJV And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. (14) The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Moses said that before he even knew what God was going to do!

Paul had that kind of faith.

2 Corinthians 4:8 KJV We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

But here is the point.

Jehoshaphat stood in the temple that God directed them to build for His name.
In the land of Canaan that God led them to enter and gave them for an inheritance.
THE ENEMY WAS THREATENING GOD’S PURPOSE!
This was not just Judah and Jerusalem that the enemy was attacking.
IT WAS GOD!
THE BATTLE WAS NOT THEIRS, BUT GOD’S.

Think about it.

THE BATTLE IS A BATTLE WITH GOD.
THIS IS GOD’S CAUSE and business.

STANDING IN THE TEMPLE back then is like standing in A GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE, JESUS CHRIST!

Being IN CHRIST means it is GOD’S PROPERTY and BUSINESS THAT IS BEING threatened now.

When God sets you up in his kingdom, and you are threatened to lose faith or to abandon your position, and you made so many blunders and actually brought it on yourself...

IT IS STILL GOD’S CAUSE THAT IS BEING AFFECTED.
IT IS GOD’S BATTLE.

God has a purpose in putting you into the Kingdom position we have.

We have come to the KINGDOM for such a time as this.

Jehoshaphat was no sooner done praying than GOD IMMEDIATELY SPOKE!

Instantly.
Up from amongst the crowd of the congregation, JEHAZIEL, a singer priest from Asaph, starts to prophesy.
It is significant that a SINGER/PRIEST prophesies.
IT WOULD BE SINGING THAT JUDAH DOES.

2 Chronicles 20:21-23 KJV (21) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. (22) And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments (SURPRISE ATTACKS) against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. (23) For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

Judah had soldiers but no mention was made of a single weapon EXCEPT PRAISE.

Not one man lifts his hand.
GOD SLAYS THEM ALL!

And never was there such wealth won!

2 Chronicles 20:24-25 KJV (24) And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. (25) And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

AND NEVER WAS SUCH PRAISE EVER GIVEN!

2 Chronicles 20:26-28 KJV (26) And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. (27) Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. (28) And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

An entire DAY of praise!

AND THIS WAS ALL ACCOMPLISHED AS THE RESULT OF A PRAYER FROM A MAN WHO MADE SO MANY BLUNDERS HIS KINDOM WAS THREATENED!!!

This man who made so many blunders and mistakes saw the greatest victory and greatest award in battle IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE!!!!

If he could do that, then any of us should not be discouraged we made so many mistakes.

We can still call on God and see the greatest victory anyone has ever heard of, even more than those who never made the blunders we made!
Why would God give a man of so many mistakes the greatest victory ever known in the Bible?
It is because IT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD and people know it has to be God for such a blundering person to get such victory, for the glory certainly cannot go to a blundering man's ingenuity!

God cannot give great victories to people who hardly make mistakes, because they will take the glory to themselves, and others will give the glory to them and admire them.
But Jehoshaphat saw his enemies FEAR GOD, not himself.
AND THAT IS WHAT GOD WANTS.

And look what the enemy thought:

2 Chronicles 20:29 KJV And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

Commentators say that JEHOSHAPHAT’S song of praise was like an army praising God for victory AFTER THE BATTLE WAS ONE, BUT THIS WAS GIVEN BEFORE THEY EVEN FACED THE ENEMY!

They actually went into battle singing like people only sing AFTER BATTLE IS WON AND THEY RETURN IN REJOICING!!
THAT IS FAITH.

Faith is the evidence of things not seen.

It is when you SEE NO PROOF NOR EVIDENCE of total victory, yet BECAUSE GOD SAID YOU’D WIN you sing as song of such victory before the battle starts as though you already won the battle and made a clean and absolutely total sweep of the enemy!!

YOU ARE GOD’S AND THE BATTLE IS HIS IF IT AGAINST YOU!

Those IN CHRIST WERE PUT THERE BY GOD…. “OF GOD ARE YE IN CHRIST!”

So it is GOD’S BATTLE!

Jehoshaphat stood in the temple crying out to God, and God put Israel there!

This was God’s battle!

ANOINTED POEM!
BY CARMAN

Now Jericho was tightly shut up Because of the children of Israel. None went out And none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given unto thine hand Jericho. And the king thereof and the mighty men of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war And go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams horns. And the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And it shall come to pass that when they make a long blast with the rams horn and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the city shall fall down flat. And the people shall ascend up every man straight before him For the Lord hath said unto Joshua, SHOUT, for I have given you the city.

The inhabitants of Jericho were perverted by sin and corrupt
Surrounded by walls so thick that chariots raced on top
With ladders, catapults and spearheads readied and blazing in the sun
The armies of Israel stood ready for commands of war to come
For 39 years Joshua was trained under Moses' righteous hand
And it was Joshua who led nearly three million Israelites
Into the promised land

Now Moses was dead and the real test came
Could he simply follow God's word
And do something that to the natural mind
Would be utterly absurd?
Without Moses to ask advice of
Or an advisory committee
God said the walls will fall
Just tell them, SHOUT, for I have given you the city

Now God was putting in operation a principle of war
Setting at our disposal weaponry that drops demons to the floor
Something with tremendous power that assassinates fear and doubt
It’s the high praises of victory unleashed by a shout
When David played his songs of praise, demons fled from Saul

As Paul and Silas worshiped God, the chains began to fall
It lifts us above the circumstance and lets God's power flow
The shout of victory binds the devil with chains that won't let go
So with the confidence of warring angels
Israel stood stone ready
To obey Joshua, speak to their mountain
And SHOUT for God was giving them the city

Six days they marched around Jericho and the last day they marched seven
While the Canaanites jeered from their evil walls
Israel’s faith reached Heaven
Before any manifestation, with every brick still in place
Eyeball to eyeball they looked fear dead in its face
They didn't wait to feel some earthquake or to see a lightening flash
They didn't need to hear a theatric rumble or a mind blowing crash
They prepared their souls for victory
Now it’s God's turn to come thru
They'd scream their lungs out
Simply because... they believed...
God's word was true.

So, with the high praises of God in their mouths,
Came a massive... there came a volcanic sound
And Israel shouted in victory
And they shouted in faith
And the walls came tumbling down

Now this is where we come in.
How many know the anointing breaks the yokes of the bondages of sin?
Sin can’t survive in the anointed moving spontaneous praise of man
The devil’s tormented sickness can't function when we worship and when we pray
Cause the church of the Living God is still alive and well today
Now how many here within the sound of my voice
Are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ?

Are you ready to tear down walls that have held you captive tonight?
Are you sick and tired of being down and out
Are you want to be up and coming?
Are you ready to ransack the kingdom of darkness and set some devils running?
Are You ready to let some strongholds fall that have never fallen before?
How many know 'It's not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit' says the Lord

Then in the name of Jesus Christ I challenge you today and I dare you
I said... I dare you
To forget the person next to you and trials you've been in
Forget religious do's and don'ts and traditions made of men
And with a shout of victory on your lips with praise declaring war
To leap up on your feet right now and
Make a joyful noise and PRAISE THE LORD!