Worshipping God in Trying Times – Part 2

Victory Through Praise: The Lesson of King Jehoshaphat

2 Chronicles 20:17-19 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. 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 

In our previous instalment, we explored how Abraham continued to worship God through trying times—serving, obeying, and loving Him even in the furnace of sacrifice. Today, we turn our attention to King Jehoshaphat.

The biblical account describes a moment when three kings formed a coalition to move against Jehoshaphat. It was a scene of fierce opposition, the kind of crisis where one can almost see death approaching before it strikes. There are times in our lives when we are faced with challenges so overwhelming that they demand a power far higher than our own.Faced with this threat, Jehoshaphat and the Israelites resorted to seeking God through worship. This aligns with the powerful revelation shared by Archbishop Dr. Mbeveri: 

“Preparation to worship is considered as worship.”

In 2 Chronicles 20:5-13, Jehoshaphat’s prayer sounds as though he is posing questions to God. In reality, he was adopting a profound posture of worship. When we face tough situations, we must seek God and reflect on our inadequacies without Him.

In the heat of the crisis, we must remember that God is our refuge and our hiding place. As we acknowledge our weakness before Him, we simultaneously remind ourselves of His greatness. This shift in focus is the essence of worship. While the situation surrounding you may be shifting and threatening, God never changes His status or position. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

As the people of Israel kept their gaze fixed on God, a word of prophecy came to strengthen the King. Because they had run to the "secret place" and surrendered their fears, they were effectively surrendering the battle to God. The instruction was simple yet radical: Stand still and watch an effortless battle be won. Rather than sharpening their swords for a head-on collision, they fortified their praise. Logically, this made no sense, but spiritually, it was the key to their triumph. Israel won the battle that day not through military might, but through the sound of praise.

Whenever you are faced with a difficult battle or a personal crisis, remember these steps:

• Run to God: Make Him your "City of Refuge" and your first resort.

• Reflect on Your Vulnerability: Acknowledge that you cannot do this without His strength.

• Listen for His Voice: Stay sensitive to His direction and His Word.

• Never Stop Praising: Use your worship as a weapon to clear the way.

As you do these things, you are preparing room for God to manifest. As Dr. Ron Kenoly once said, 

"When we praise and worship God, we are literally "preparing a room" for His presence to dwell and move."