THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S!

(The following is an abridged version of the sermon preached at Epworth Chapel, Baltimore on 2/19/12)

2 Chronicles 20:10-15

The movie from a few years ago, “The Lion King,” which has also become a popular Broadway stage-play, leads us to pause and consider the nature of authority and power in our world today. Though deemed by it’s Disney creators as being strictly entertainment – the movie and now the play – with its assortment of personalities – many aspiring for authority in the lion kingdom, and all wanting their respective “piece of the pie” – seems, whether intended or not, to be a sort of reflection on the world in which we live.

“The Lion King” brings to mind the thought that this a “dog-eat-dog” world in which we live –a world of “what’s in it for me?” If you know like I know, life is a battle. The apostle Paul characterized life as such when he said in the book of Ephesians that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in high places,” and encouraged people of faith to “put on the whole armor of God.” (Eph. 6)

As we consider the matter of life’s battles, I’m convinced that we can all relate to the sentiments of Paul. We’ve all been confronted by situations and circumstances that have seemed to be impossible and insurmountable. We’ve all been driven and buffeted - from time to time – by the trials and tribulations of life. As the song-writer intimates, “We’re tossed and driven by the restless seas of time.”

Life’s problems indeed have a way of consuming us - wrapping us up, tying us down, and turning us around. Life, and its ups and downs, can stress us out, burn us out, and eventually shut us out.

Today, we find battles all around us - with economic despair, political unrest, social discord, and family disarray all around.

And the truth of the matter is that there are some battles that we simply can't fight - and shouldn't fight in our own strength. Sometimes God tells us to take our positions, stand still and see His deliverance. Sometimes we need to take our hands off, stand back and let God fight for us.

In our Scripture lesson from 2 Chronicles, we find hope, encouragement and power for the battles that we are apt to face in life. Here, King Jehoshaphat was preparing to lead the people of Judah into battle with their arch enemies, the Moabites, and the Ammonites, and the Meunites. History would indicate to us that in terms of military might, Judah was overmatched by their enemies (all the odds were against them).

Judah was mired in what appeared to be a no-win, hopeless, dismal situation. Given their predicament, instinct would have told them that they should throw in the towel, retreat and accept their defeat. They were between a proverbial “rock and a hard place”… they were “up a creek without a paddle.”

How many of us have found ourselves in situation where we just wanted to give up… facing apparently insurmountable enemies in life?

It is interesting that as King Jehoshaphat prepared Judah to face their enemies from Ammon, Moab and Mt. Seir – as they prepared to fight this great military alliance that had been forged against them, the spirit of the Lord spoke through Jahaziel to remind Judah that they despite their enemies, despite the odds, they should not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle was not theirs, but the battle is the Lord’s.

Here is a word of hope and promise for us – good news for the times when we might feel like underdogs – feel overmatched and overburdened by life. Jahaziel declares that the battle is the Lord’s.

On the surface, Judah’s battle seemed to be simply a military battle… a battle of physical might, but I’ve come to know that any physical battle we might face, whether it is illness, or a financial challenge, or a problem relationship always has a spiritual dimension. And what we need to know is that in the midst of spiritual battles, we must deploy spiritual weapons.

After the powerful word from Jahaziel, Jehoshaphat realized that battle that Judah faced was spiritual in as much as it was physical. The word says that after consulting the people, King Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise God for the splendor of his holiness, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”

And 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.

In other words, as Judah looked up to God, the Lord showed up and showed out their lives. What Judah may not have realized, is that even before they went into battle, the fight was already fixed for them. All they needed to do was look up and praise the Lord, and God would fight their battle for them.

The battle is the Lord’s. What does this mean to us today? What relevance does the story of Jehoshaphat and Judah have for you and me?

It is important for the church – people of faith – to understand the importance of entering into situation knowing that God can and will fight our battles. God knows what we’re going through and already sees the way out for us. God stands waiting to help us. And it is our place in the midst of battles to turn our attention to God.

To know that whatever battle we might face is the Lord’s - is to know that God won’t send us into situations that God won’t go into with us. It is to know that the Lord can and will make a way out of no way. It is to know that we can depend on Jesus…

The word says that the people of God sang and praised the Lord, and the Lord showed up and defeated their enemy.

The battle is not yours; the battle is the Lord’s.

The words from the great Gospel singer Yolanda Adams help us today:
There is no pain what Jesus can't feel
There is no hurt, he can not heal
For all things work, according to
The master’s purpose
And his holy will
No matter what you are going through
Remember that God wants a chance to use you
For the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord’s!