In 2 Chronicles 20 King Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel find themselves under attack from a coalition of enemy forces that far outnumbered the people of Israel.

2 Chronicles 20:1

It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites came to battle against Jehoshaphat.

How do we respond to what seems to be hopeless situations?

1. RESPOND WITH FASTING

2 Chronicles 20:3

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

“Fasting is not a tool by which one manipulates God to accomplish something” Jack Hayford.

“Fasting is simply an outward indication of an inward sincerity, evidence of the urgency we feel when praying for special needs” Jack Hayford

Jehoshaphat is facing an urgent situation. It moves him to proclaim a fast.

2. RESPOND WITH PRAYER

2 Chronicles 20:5-6

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said, “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

2 Chronicles 20:7

Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

2 Chronicles 20:10-11

And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir – whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them. Here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.

2 Chronicles 20:12

O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon You!

Jehoshaphat humbles himself before the Lord and before His people and cries out for divine assistance.

3. RESPOND TO THE PROPHETIC WORD

2 Chronicles 20:14-15

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

2 Chronicles 20:17

You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

2 Chronicles 20:20

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

4. RESPOND WITH PRAISE

2 Chronicles 20:21

And when he Had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 20:22

Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come up against Judah, and they were defeated.

2 Chronicles 20:26

And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah for there they blessed the Lord; therefore, the name of that place was called the Valley of Berachah until this day.