Blog-votional: Principles for Winning the Battles of Life (Part 5)

II Chronicles 20 has been a fascinating story.  I hope you have taken the time to read it all to get the full excitement and drama that can be felt when you read it from start to finish.  It is in this story of a king who knew to rely on God as his leader that we find spiritual and practical principles for winning in life’s battles.

Principle Number Five: Give God thanks even before you experience a victory.  This is practicing faith and trust in God and His promises.

I love the true story (and there are more similar to this one) of the mother who bought her 18-year-old son a Bible and placed it in his room one Monday afternoon.  When her son came home from school and football practice he asked her what the Bible was doing in his room.  He reminded her that he had no interest in the church, the Bible, or God.  In fact, he said, “I,m going to play professional football, do my own thing, and then go to hell.”  The mother completely ignored his statements because she had heard them many times before.  She actually replied, “I got you a new Bible because you’ll be wanting it by Sunday.”  She went to see her pastor the next day and asked if he would give a few minutes for her son to share his testimony in the next Sunday morning service since he would be wanting to let folks know what the Lord has done for him.  Then, on Wednesday evening in church, she informed the congregation that the Lord was graciously going to save her son this week and they should be ready to rejoice on Sunday when they hear his testimony.

On Friday, the son went to the football game as usual.  He was a very important member of the state all-star high school football program.  At the end of the second half with a tied score, the young man scored a touchdown that was short of miraculous.  As he crossed the one-yard line to the goal, he was overwhelmed by his mother’s love and patience for him and sensed a deep pleasure in his heart from God.  He knelt and lifted his head to the sky and prayed, “Dear Lord, forgive me for all my rebelliousness.  Come into my life and save me.  Help me to be used by You as I pursue using my skill in football.  Amen.”  When the game was over, he did not bother to change out of his uniform.  He ran six blocks down one street, crossed four blocks down another, two blocks up another, and finally rushed through the back door and fell into his mathers arms, crying, “Mom, God saved me tonight.  He loves me just like you do.  I am so happy, Momma!”  His mother replied,  “I been telling you for three weeks, son, that you are going to enjoy the salvation that’s fast coming to you.”

In verse 21 of II Chronicles, we see King J appointing singers to lead the people into the impending battle.  He wanted God to be exalted for His splendor and holiness and power.  The result was that the armies became confused and turned on themselves!  God’s people divided the plunder! 

God has given us a powerful visual lesson in this historical story to remind us of the importance of always counting God into the mix and to do so by praising Him in advance of any victory.  Faith is extremely exercised in this manner.  There is power in thankfulness.

There is no situation that God cannot enter into and bring about purposeful ends or results.  For us, it is always a matter of choice as to whether we allow Him to help.  Today, thank God for His willingness to get involved in your life’s situations.

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

“Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always” (Psalm 105:4-5).

“You are the God who works wonders; You revealed Your strength among the peoples”  (Psalm 77:14).

Dr. Stan Parker

Blog-votional: Principles for Winning the Battles of Life (Part 4)

Looking at II Chronicles 20, we see practical and spiritual principles for winning the battles of life.  Today we look at another principle.

Principle Number Four:  Be willing to admit our inadequacies. 

II Chronicles 20:12 shows King Jehoshaphat admitting his inadequacy to face what seemed a hopeless situation.  He cried out to the Lord, “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us and we do not know what to do!”   The person (s) God doesn’t help is the person (s) who doesn’t think s/he needs help.  It is only when we admit our inadequacy and ask for help, that God can work on our situation.

After King J admitted he and his administration did not know what to do to face the situation, he prayed, “But our eyes are on You” (V. 12).  As a leader, J knew the importance of focusing on Who could render the kind of help that was needed in the situation they were facing.  Too often we have our eyes on everything and everyone else except the One who can solve our problems.  I read recently that “circumstances are like a mattress: If we’re on top, we rest easy, but if we’re underneath, we might suffocate.”  We must keep our eyes on the Lord if we are to win over any challenge, trouble, or crisis.

Promise:  “Not by might or by power, but by [God's] Spirit” we live the victorious Christian life.  Today, let God’s Spirit live through you.

Song to sing:  Faith in God can move a mighty mountain.  Faith can calm the troubled seas.  Faith can make a desert like a fountain.  Faith can bring the victory!

Dr. Stan Parker

Blog-votional: Principles for Winning the Battles of Life (Part 3)

Today, we continue to look at the story of King Jehoshaphat and the impending crisis that he and his people faced.  It is recorded in II Chronicles 20.  Read it and see how these principles connect, come to life, and apply to your real life situations. 

The third principle illuminated in the story that will help us in winning the battles, concerns, challenges, and issues in life is:

Principle Number Three:  Clearly identify the enemy. You may think this is an obvious piece of the process but it is not.  How many of us really know who our enemy is?  Is it someone who is trying to take something from us or is it our own attitude?  Think about this:  it is not so much the situation that gets us stressed but our response to the situation.  So before we can win a personal battle, we have to accurately and honestly identify the enemy. 

Notice how King J reacted when he heard these combined forces were headed toward him and his people:  he was alarmed (v.3).  That’s certainly how I would have reacted!  Most of us see a big problem (whether real or perceived), and panic and become unsure of what will ultimately unfold.  Thank goodness this is a natural reaction to problems, and this fear is not bad unless we deal with it in the wrong way.  How often has a little bit of stress mixed with a dose of fear motivated us  to conquer a crisis, challenge, or problem.  That’s a good use of fear and stress.  If we become discouraged and give up, or get angry with God and ask, “Why me?” then stress and fear defeats us.

So, take the time to stop and clearly identify the cause of the problem.  Only then can you effectively engage in a victory.

Dear Lord, help us today to have insight and clarity when we face challenges and issues that appear to be overwhelming.  Remind us that “If God be for us, who or what can be against us” ( Romans 8:31). Amen.

Dr. Stan Parker

Blog-votional: Principles for Winning the Battles of Life (Part 2)

We are looking at a story in II Chronicles 20 that tells us about King Jehoshaphat and the impending crisis he was facing that seemed hopeless.  Several armies were pressing in on his territory.  He admits to God that he and his administration did not know what to do.  What unfolds are certain spiritual principles that can help us in winning the battles of life.  Yesterday we looked at a principle that encourages us to relax in our faith.  The key is to trust God to fulfill His promises towards us believing that He engages many issues and battles on our behalf.  Read Psalm 91 to get additional insight related to this fact.

Today, let’s look at another principle.

Principle Number Two:  Take all problems, issues, challenges, questions, and concerns to the Lord immediately. 

In II Chronicles 20: 3-4, we see that King J called for the people in the territory to enter into a fast and also to gather in centralized places in order to seek God for favor.  He was unifying the people and encouraging a humble focus on the need of the hour; only God could help them and the king and his administration realized this.  People gathered from all over Judah to follow through on King J’s admonition.  What we glean from this activity is another significant principle for winning life’s battles: take problems, issues, concerns, circumstances, and crises to the Lord immediately.

One thing this means is that we are to become people of prayer.  Perhaps prayer is the last thing we do in a pinch?  Usually it is because we have become so self-sufficient in our day, and we want to work things out on our own.  So when challenges face us, we roll up our sleeves and go at it.  When all else fails, we go to the Lord in prayer.  The challenge is to go to the Lord first.    Our best example is Jesus Christ Himself.  He fought the most difficult battle in this life, spent the most time of anyone in prayer, and came out the victor and not the victim! 

Today, let us pray a prayer not unlike King J must have prayed as he realized the grave challenge he and his people faced:  Dear Lord, I know you have helped me in the past.  I know you can help me in the future.  Please help me now as I (we) face this concern, trouble, issue, challenge, crisis, battle.  Remind me that “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4).  “Thanks to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ” (II Cor. 2:14). Amen.

Dr. Stan Parker

Blog-votional: Principles for Winning the Battles of Life (Part 1)

II Chron. 20 records the story of Jehoshaphat, the king of Israel, who received word from a friend that the combined armies of three enemy nations were on their way to fight him and conquer him.  The odds were definitely not in Jehoshaphat’s favor.

This story is relevant to each of us because we all face battles each day: financial, spiritual, marital, vocational, relational, physical, ethical — and you can add your own battles.  God gave us the story of Jehoshaphat to illustrate certain principles that are vital to winning life’s battles.

Principle Number One:  Learn to relax in your faith – In verse 15, the Lord responded to King J’s prayer for support by saying: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God’s” 

Too many of us are totally w0rn out because we are trying to fight God’s battles in our own strength.  We get worn, tattered, bruised, and discouraged.  The apostle Paul said, “As you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him” (Colossians 2:6).  He’s saying, the way you became a believer (“not by works, so that no one can boast” Eph. 2:9), is the way you continue in Christ allowing Him to manage things.  Our victory comes through Jesus Christ.  “Thanks be to God!  He gives us victory!” (I Cor. 15:57).    

King J had every right to be fearful of the impending doom.  It was three-to-one odds against him. God told him two times in the passage (20: 15, 17) to not be afraid.  Why?  Because God promised to fight the battle for him and with him. 

Notice what else God said to the king: “You will not have to fight this battle.  Take up your positions; stand firm” (v.17).   Literally, stand firm means:  a mental attitude of quiet confidence that says, “I’m going to trust God.” 

Today think about this:  (1) God is sufficient for any problem.  Let’s stand firm on the character of God.  (2) He can be trusted with our lives.  (3) Let’s stand firm on the writings that he has provided to us in His Word. 

Dr. Stan Parker