By Apostle Cleophas Tavaya
2 Chronicles 20:17-24
_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 forever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set abashments 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. 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.”_
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.”
Be blessed as you keep worshipping God.
Apostle Tavaya writes in his own capacity
