Isn’t it marvelous how many ways God uses the world around us for our benefit? Even the intangibles are his miracle-working tools, and one of my favorites is music. Its power is such that it can tap into every human emotion. Throughout history, music has calmed raging souls, soothed broken hearts, renewed flagging spirits and trumpeted good news to the hopeless. In the Bible, it even helped to win a war.
In 2 Chronicles 20, an alliance of nations prepared to march against Judah. King Jehoshaphat, fourth king of Judah, responded by asking God for help and guidance. He then asked his people to fast as he readied his armies.
Jehoshaphat employed a powerful strategy here. First, he involved the people in his supplication to the Lord. Verses six through 12 relate a powerful and eloquent prayer in the temple, and verse 13 takes a moment to point out to the reader that everybody was there. “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13, ESV). They were in it together, king and kingdom, standing in faith before God.
Next, they worshipped. “Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:18). Wouldn’t you have loved to hear the crescendo of praise that day? They knew who would bring their victory, and they praised in advance.
However, the best was yet to come. “After consulting the people, 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.’” (2 Chronicles 20:21).
Now this is how you win a war! God responded to the people that day as only he can, with a mighty victory for Judah and a humiliating defeat for their attackers who turned on one another.
Is your spirit feeling war-weary? Are you fearful of a looming battle in your life, or do you know someone who is? Do what the people did that day; stand together, worship and make some music. Praise God ahead of the battle and sing, even when you can’t see the outcome! When the praises go up, the blessings come down.