Four Positions Necessary For Success

I love reading the Old Testament stories.  Especially those that spark my spirit with a truth that I can apply to my life.  The account of  Judah being attacked by the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites in 2 Chronicles 20 is one of those stories. After reading it there were several truths that I realized could be applied to my life.  I want to share them with you and hope they are inspiring to you also.

2 Chronicles 20:17 “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.”

If we want to see God do great things in our lives, we have to put ourselves in the right position. When King Jehoshaphat was told the armies of Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir were preparing to attack and invade Judah I see four positions he placed himself and Judah in so that victory was assured.

Prayer

2 Chronicles 20:6-12
Prayer is a vital component of every battle and every trial and circumstance we face. I know you may sometimes dismiss it because you think it doesn’t work or you feel like you can do it yourslef, but never discount the importance of prayer. Jehoshaphat “resolved to inquire of the Lord.” This is the first position we must take. There were four components of Jehoshaphat’s prayer and I wrote about them in another post. In brief they are

• Recognize who God is
• Review what He has done
• Remind yourself and God of His promise
• Request your petition

When faced with uncertainty, fear, and trouble take up the position of prayer! In your prayer time you want to make sure you are “hearing from the Spirit of the Lord.” Notice how at the end of the prayer the “Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there.” And he began to speak exactly what God wanted to say to them.

Praise

2 Chronicles 20:18-19; 21-22
The position of Praise is vital to our success and to our victory. You notice that  God began His work when the praise flowed out (v. 22). You want to ambush your enemy, your problem, your distress, or your trouble, then start praising the Lord! Don’t praise Him for the situation, but:

• Praise Him for the “splendor of his holiness.” (2 Chronicles 20:21)
• Praise Him for His enduring love (2 Chronicles 20:21)
• Praise Him for his acts of power (Psalm 150:2)
• Praise Him for His surpassing greatness (Psalm 150:2)
• Praise Him with every bone in your body (Psalm 35:10)
• Praise Him heaven, earth, and seas and all that move in them (Psalm 69:34)
• Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! (Psalm 148:1-4)
• Praise Him for His Son
• Praise Him for His salvation
• Praise Him for eternal life
• Who can ever praise Him enough (Psalm 106:2)
• Praise Him forever (Psalm 111:10)
• Just Praise the Lord!
• Are you starting to get the picture of the Position of Praise?
• You want more…turn to Revelation Chapters 4 and 5

Note here: We bow low to worship and stand to praise. (20:18-19). When you are ready to win the battle over whatever it is, take up the position of praise.

Participate

2 Chronicles 20:17
God was going to fight the battle for them (2 Chronicles 20:17) but they still had something to do. They still had to participate in some tangible way. Participating in what God is doing involves the first two positions of prayer and praise, but it also involves standing firm. Sometimes you have to position yourself to see the deliverance the Lord will give you. Judah had to go out and still “face the enemy.” They weren’t going to stay in their tents while God destroyed the armies of Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir.

Judah also had to go out and gather the spoils of victory. (2 Chronicles 20:25). Just like Judah had to participate in the battle to enjoy the victory you to must participate in the battle to enjoy the victory.

Place Your Eyes On The Lord

2 Chronicles 20:12
Notice that the very last words of Jehoshaphat’s prayer were, “but our eyes are upon you.” (20:12) When there is nothing else for you to do, then look to Jesus! When we place our eyes on the Lord it is representative of our faith. Jehoshaphat told the people of Judah to “have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld.” (20:20).

• Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)
• When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was fine, but when he took his eyes off the Lord he began to sink (Matthew 14:20-31). Don’t worry about the surrounding enemy. Keep focused on the Lord
• Be like King David and look to the hills, and where does your help come from?  Your help comes from the Lord. (Psalm 121:1-2)

When Jehoshaphat won the battle it took three days to gather the plunder. They came to the place of the battle and looked down over the desert and saw only dead bodies lying on the ground (20:24). It was in this valley the “Valley of Beracah” that God gave them the victory. Sometimes your greatest victory is going to come in the valley.

When you take up your positions of prayer, praise, participation, and placing your eyes on the Lord, you will look down on your enemy or problem and see nothing but carnage because God will have destroyed every problem and delivered you from every distress.

When we commit ourselves to “take up our positions:” the position of prayer, praise, participation, and placing our eyes on the Lord we will have victory and great rejoicing.

Are your ready to take up your positions so God can deliver you from your problem, distress, or enemy? What position might you add to these four?

— Keith

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