May Our Pathway Be Praise

One of my favorite stories in scripture is found in 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. The story of Jehosophat.

Terrified with the news of the invasion of war announced by the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites, Jehosophat went right into warfare.

We see it in his pattern of praise and prayer that begins in verse 3. He and his men begin to fast, and then he petitions for His help.

And we see a pattern of praise throughout these verses.

He praises God for who He is even when he is frightened.
He praises God for who He is even when he doesn’t understand.
He praises God for who He is even when the promise has seemed to go unfulfilled.
He praises God when he gets word through the Levite of the still confusing way God will provide in their time of need.
He praises in ADVANCE of the battle - sending praisers out before the fight.

Oh and it was their PRAISE that made victory possible! (Verse 22)

And it tells us so much about gratitude in praise and worship. It is to ALWAYS be the pattern of God’s people - in advance:
before the multitudes around us are singing.
while we are moving forward in our duty - even if that duty is straight into battle.
while we are serving our Savior.
while we are anticipating an answer (rescue)
remaining truthful
remaining free of self-confidence (instead being God-confident)

It’s about letting our hearts be filled and our songs be heard with reverent joy!!!

And so we learn from the life of a man mentioned very little in scripture… that our pathway into battle can be praise. And it can change everything. It can secure our salvation, it can encourage us in our distress, and it can propel us onto victory!

I pray to have a surrendered heart like Jehosophat.
May our pathway into battle be praise!