The Lord of Hosts

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Message No. 0743 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

There is a reason why nations establish military schools. It is to train their armies in the art and science of warfare, so their boarders can be kept safe or defended against aggressors. Sometimes, nations go beyond their own countries to send identified military personnel abroad to learn more. Beyond education, nations spend billions of dollars in their annual military budgets, to ensure that they have the right weapons and tools to harass, bully, and or defeat their enemies, should there be an outbreak of war. What does this mean? It means there is a way battles are fought, and the nations that have better strategies and are better equipped are the ones who win the battles.

However, I dear to say, not so fast, as the saying goes. What if a military is better educated, better experienced and better equipped, but they end up being defeated? How can you explain that? Yeah, welcome to the buts of warfare. In the 1968 Vietnam war, American troops were better trained, had more air power and more artillery than the North Vietnamese government, but it was generally believed that the U.S. lost the war amidst waning support from home which were in part based on the horrific images of dead civilians and soldiers that were shown in the news media. In Ecclesiastes 9:11, the Bible says:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

The above verse is an eye opener, which is meant to let children of God know that we do not win battles based on our wisdom or weapons or planning or execution of plans. In most cases, Christians would see that they are less physically equipped to fight, and this may create fear in people, but the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4-5:

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

We do not use earthly weapons. No, or how else can we explain it when the children of Israel left Egypt with no weapon in hand, and the mighty military of Pharaoh pursued them into the Red Sea? How could Israel have won the battle? It’s because in Exodus 14:25, the Bible says that God jammed the wheels of the chariots of the Egyptian army, so that they had difficulty driving, to the extent that the unbelieving army exclaimed, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.” In the end, Pharaoh’s army drowned in the Red Sea, while the weaponless Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground.

There were other similar unexplainable Israeli wins in the Bible. One of such was the battle between Judah and the hosts of the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir – three armies against one! The Bible says that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah was scared, and rightly so, and this made him to run to the Lord of Hosts, who controls the armies of heaven and earth. You know what God told him? In 2 Chronicles 20:17, God told Jehoshaphat:

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.’ ”

The three ally armies abandoned Judah, their joint enemy, and faced one another in battle. First, Ammon and Moab faced Mount Seir in battle. I can imagine Mount Seir saying, what on earth! Are you both blind or something? We are not the enemy, Israel is, can you not see! But it’s too late. At that time, the Commander of all commanders was already in charge. When Mount Seir was annihilated, Ammon and Moab faced each other until they were both destroyed.

If you feel like you are surrounded by enemies, and the battle is beyond your comprehension, I’d like to echo to you what God told Jehoshaphat: You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your position in God and stand firm upon His promise. The Lord of Hosts will spring into action, and you will see the deliverance of the Lord.

PLEASE ACT NOW:

If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:

Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!

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