Seek the Lord, take up your position; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord

2 Choronicles 20:1-22
I so love this story about Jehoshaphat and lessons within it. When Jehoshaphat heard that the
men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir were coming against him, he proclaimed a fast for all Judah so they could seek help from the Lord. He didn't try to work things out on his own, he fully trusted in the Lord's ability to deliver and help him out. He turned to God in prayer and fully trusted His promise of deliverance. That was his first port of call! 

I could imagine the size of the army that was coming against him. In verse 12 it says
"For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” The thoughts that were probably running through Jehoshaphat's mind. He knew that they couldn't face this army alone but he knew that the great God that they served had the ability to turn impossible situations around. He admitted, Lord we have NO power to face this vast army. We do not know what to do but OUR EYES ARE FOCUSSED ON YOU! Despite what's happening around us Lord, our eyes are glued on You. All our trust and hope is directed towards You, fully trusting that You alone will deliver!

And I love the Lord's reply in verses 15-17, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’

I thought about how many times the Lord continuously reminds me that the battles I face in life are not mine but His. Often I try to fight with my own human knowledge, strength, finances etc. The
Jehoshaphat story reminds me to seek the Lord, take up my position; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give me,

When  Jehoshaphat heard from the Lord, he bowed down with all his people to worship God. Some Levites praised the Lord with very loud voices! On the morning of the battle, Jehoshaphat encouraged his army by saying "Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 
 He then led his army out, praising God for what the Lord was about to do, At the end of the story,
"As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another."

 What I love about this story is the fact that Jehoshaphat chose to fast and pray when he was overwhelmed with the news of the impending attack. He fully trusted His God to help him! He worshiped and praised Him! "Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his^[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his love endures forever.”

And his God delivered!  

Draw Me Close

This morning I kept playing this song over and over again as my prayer.

Lord,
You're all I want,
You're all I ever needed
Help me know You're near

Pray at all times

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24 NIV)

"We are to pray in times of adversity, lest we become faithless and unbelieving. 

We are to pray in times of prosperity, lest we become boastful and proud. 

We are to pray in times of danger, lest we become fearful and doubting. 

We need to pray in times of security, lest we become self-sufficient."

By Billy Graham

Prayer keeps me grounded. It also keeps me humble and at the same time confident.

Lord, thank you that You do not give a deaf ear to when we cry out to You. You remind me again this morning that I need to believe. Thank you. In Jesus name. Amen.

Praying for others

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
I was reminded yesterday by a dear friend about the importance of uplifting others in prayer and how our prayers are not in vain. Our prayers for others is so precious. We may not know or understand what they go through but our Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent Father KNOWS EVERYTHING! As His Spirit prompts us, He leads us as we respond in prayer. HE WHO WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES WILL DO THE REST!


Let's continue to pray for one another.

Prayers for the Qld flood victims

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Queensland who are being affected by the ongoing flooding. I was watching the unbelievable images of the 'inland tsunami' that hit the city of Toowoomba unexpectedly yesterday afternoon. 'It was like watching toy cars floating in a bathtub!' People were caught off guard!! Hopefully the rain will ease sometime soon.

Lord, we remember them in prayer.

Praying Colossians

Colossians 1:1-14



Heavenly Father,


May You fill me with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom

and understanding. I pray this in order that I may live a life worthy of the You

and may please You in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in

the knowledge of You, being strengthened with all power according to Your

glorious might ....so that I may have great endurance and patience, and

joyfully give thanks to You my Father, for You have qualified me to share in

the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light.

For You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into

the Kingdom of the Son You love, in whom we have redemption, the

forgiveness of sins.

In Jesus Name
Amen

The Spirit of sonship

Dear Lord

I believe that I did not receive a spirit that makes me a slave again to fear, but I received the Spirit of sonship. And by this Spirit I can cry Abba Father. Just like how I can cry to my earthly father, I know I can cry to You. The Spirit himself testifies with my spirit that I am Your child. If I am Your child, that means I am an heir, heir of God and co-heir with Christ (Rom:815-17).

What a priviledge!! Thank you Father. In Jesus beautiful Name. Amen.

Praying Psalms 35

A warfare prayer!

Dear Lord,
Contend with those who contend with me fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.

Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me,"I am your salvation."

May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.

May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away; may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise— may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.

My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."

Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.

They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved. But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slandered me without ceasing.

Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me.

How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you.

Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land. They sneer at me and say, "Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it."

LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord.

Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.

Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say, "We have swallowed him up." May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.

May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.

In Jesus Mighty Name.
AMEN.

Praying the Ephesians prayer 2

For the last few days I have been praying the Ephesians prayer. I would insert my name into the prayer each time I say them. Here is the second one.

Ephesians 3:14 - 19

Father, I pray that out of Your glorious riches, may You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith.

I pray that as I am being rooted and established in love, I will have the power together with all the saints to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep is the love of Christ.

And to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Amen.

Praying the Ephesians prayer 1

Ephesians 1: 17 - 23

Lord, may You give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know You better.

I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know:
-the HOPE to which You have called me
-the RICHES of Your glorious inheritance in the saints and
-the INCOMPARABLE GREAT POWER for us who believe

That power is like the working of Your mighty strength, which You exerted in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms. Far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Father, as You give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, may I know and remember that You placed ALL things under Christ feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church-which is Your body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

Amen.

Jabez Prayer-a simple yet POWERFUL prayer!

The Jabez prayer is found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10: "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave birth to him in pain.' Jabez cried out to the God of Israel,
'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.'

And God granted his request."

http://www.allaboutprayer.org/prayer-of-jabez.htm

Prayer

Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank you that You have heard me'. John 11:41

This reading really made me think! He just knew that His prayer was in the Father's hearing. When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of ONLY His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (Galatians4:19), the Father will always hear my prayers.

For me, I need to remember that the cross represents only one thing; complete, entire, absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ! I have been crucified with Christ. It's no longer I that liveth but Christ liveth in me. Galatians 2:20.


Precious Lord, teach me to pray.