Many businesses, families and individuals are experiencing some type of troubling situation. Whether there is the loss of a job, lack of finances, health issues or a divorce, trying circumstances can make it difficult for us to move forward. The good news is that God is greater than our difficulties. Moreover, God is ready and able to help us overcome life’s hurdles.
Being a Christian does not guarantee that our lives will be trouble-free. But, it does guarantee us that we will never go through our problems alone. God says in His Word, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” (Hebrews 13:5). Despite our situation, winning over life’s hurdles is ours if we respond in the ways that God directs us. In the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles 20:1-17, King Jehoshaphat gives us an example of what we need to do to overcome life’s hurdles:
- Ask God for help
When facing a crisis, we must actively seek God’s help. This means that we must cry out to God in prayer for His help and commit ourselves completely to Him. This is what King Jehoshaphat, and the people of Judah, did in 2 Chronicles 20:1 after the enemy nations declared war against them.
- Let your fear drive you to God
The Bible says that King Jehoshaphat feared when he heard the news of impending disaster (vs.3). It is not unusual to be afraid when adverse circumstances come our way. Fear can be a positive force if it drives us to trust in God. Fear drove King Jehoshaphat directly to God. Rather than asking his priests to intercede on Judah’s behalf, King Jehoshaphat prayed to God himself.
- Acknowledge God’s greatness
We must have the faith to believe that God is greater than whatever problem that we are facing. Therefore, He will be the one to save us because our problems cannot exist out of His presence. King Jehoshaphat and his people exalted God above the invading armies even though they knew they were facing total destruction (vs. 5-6).
- Wait on God to respond
When King Jehoshaphat ended his prayer, the people of Judah stood before the Lord and waited on Him to speak to them. So many times, we take matters into our own hands because the pressure from our circumstances begin to mount, and we feel we do not have time to wait on God. Unfortunately, we sometimes regret our actions. We can focus so much on the problem that we lose sight of who God really is. We limit Him and forget that He is limitless.
- Act on what God says
Sometimes we question whether we heard God correctly when what He tells us to do is not what we want to do. Often, God tells us to simply praise Him and watch Him work on our behalf. This is where our trust in Him comes in because God takes the situation out of our hands. This is what happened with the people of Judah: “This is what the Lord says to you, ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s…Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you,'” (vs. 15, 17, NIV).
- Begin to praise and thank God for His Word
Praise releases God’s supernatural power into our situation. “King Jehoshaphat …appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.’ As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated,” (vs. 21-22, NIV). Their praise opened the door for God to move in the midst of their distress. The Word declares that God inhabits the praises of His people. He was most surely there in their midst, and He will be in our midst when we praise Him, as well.
In essence, when we encounter challenges in life, we must remember that we do not have to face them alone. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, God has given us the strength and ability to overcome life’s hurdles so that we will bring honor to Him and end up winners at the finish line, “Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…,” (2 Corinthians 2:14)
READ MORE: God’s Spiritual Surf Strategy
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