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June 8, 2023
What is the First Thing You Do in a Crisis?
Beloved, remember this one thing, when you are attacked by the enemy it will be sudden and you experience loss in your life. That is an attack! You can’t sit there and take it; you must get up and fight in prayer and do spiritual warfare. This battle is not your battle. This battle belongs to the Lord! (1 Samuel 17:47) God gave us dominion on the earth from the beginning! (Genesis 1)
Our dominion is not to rule over people, instead, we are meant to have authority over every situation – physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual. Take your place and declare the Word of God over the situation you are currently facing! When Jehoshaphat learned a great army was coming against him, he immediately realized 3 things. (2 Chronicles 20:1-2)
1. Not even the vast army of Judah was a match for the joint forces of the attackers.
2. The joint attackers are no match for God Almighty
3. God Almighty was his ally and will surely come to rescue him and Israel.
Whatever you are experiencing today, however, the enemy has come to attack you, He’s no match for Jehovah God Almighty! What was Jehoshaphat’s immediate response? He immediately called for nationwide prayer and fasting then he bowed low to the ground and cried out to God. (2 Chronicles 20:3-11) Prayer was his first strategy. You must always go to your maker for the battle plan before you do anything. Your life will drastically change when you stop making prayer your backup plan! Whatever you are facing today, this battle is not your battle, this battle belongs to the Lord!
Treat prayer as a Rapid Response to a crisis, not a last resort. God has promised to reveal remarkable secrets we do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3) John Bunyan said, “Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit.” Three things happened when Jehoshaphat prayed:
1. God gave him assurance. (2 Chronicles 120:14-15)
2. God revealed valuable intelligence about the enemy’s movements. (2 Chronicles 20:16)
3. God gave him the battle plan and revealed the outcome of the battle.
(2 Chronicles 20:17)
Everything was great but in the natural, the battle plan looked ridiculous, yet Jehoshaphat obeyed God in full and in faith. (James 2:17) The author of the best-selling book ‘The Art of War’ Sun Tzu has said, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” Jehoshaphat is a good example of not lifting a finger and God defeating the enemy on his behalf. On the fourth day all Judah and Jehoshaphat went to the Valley of Blessing and thanked God for defeating the enemy on their behalf. The word of God urges us to do whatever we do for his glory. (1 Corinthians 10:31) God often tests us in matters of his glory. He doesn’t hammer us when we fail the test but tests us again and again until we get it right.
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