J-phat Gets His Praise On!

I have loved, loved, loved studying 2 Chronicles chapter 20 this week. The text is so rich with nuggets of truth that I need to put into action every day. If you haven't read the last 2 posts, scroll down and catch up so you don't miss the blessing.

Yesterday we left off with Jehoshaphat face does in worship before the Lord his God. Today he starts his day, "Getting his Praise On" in vs. 20-21. What a way to start the day. He knows that the battle he is facing - it's not his, it belongs to the Lord. God has already assured him that victory is at hand. His response, J-phat gets together a group of men, forms a choir, and they start to praise the Lord. Can't you just hear them singing and shouting and praising God. Honestly..., what better way for the army of God to start the day. They were praising God for the "splendor of His holiness". As they walked to the front of the army you can just imagine the voices getting stronger and stronger as they recognized who they were fighting for. As they reached the front of the army they sang,

"Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever."

His love endures forever - did you get that? FOREVER! Verse 22 tells us that "As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against all of the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated". Did they lift a sword? No! Did they draw a bow? No. God caused such a raucous among the enemy that they slaughtered each other. By the time the men of Judah got there, the fighting was over and there was no one left standing to pursue.

25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.

Can you even imagine! Three days for this great army to haul off the goods that God had blessed them with. They had blessed God with their prayers, worship, praise and adoration. He blessed them with victory and the plunder of their enemies.

Can you take a wild guess what J-phat did on the fourth day? He spent another day with the men of Judah and Jerusalem, "Getting his Praise On"!

3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:3-4

Do you have a word of praise for our God?