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MMB - Monday, November 21, 2016

MONDAY MORNING BLOG - 11/21/2016
Many of my meditations lately have been in the Old Testament. I taught a group of teens at a Sunday gathering recently about the Challenges of Conflicts and talked about Judah's King Jehoshaphat's conflict with three nations preparing to attack, which if they did, the King would have experienced sure defeat. The account is detailed in 2 Chronicles 20. So how did this King deal with this challenge of conflict? The answer became the thrust of my message to those eager Jr High teens. I encouraged those bright young people of diversity and multiple backgrounds, to see the King's response to the news of an imminent and enormous attack ... an ensuing conflict, if you will. This conflict was dealt with head-on by the King and his followers - with PRAYER. Prayer? Oh yes! A National Prayer Meeting, led by none other than the King!

King Jehoshaphat called his people to prayer and cried out to God Almighty boldly and loudly before the people of Judah. They, too, knew the horrible results if those three nations were to succeed on their mission against the Army of Judah. So, they complied and fully followed their King's lead in Praising God and seeking His help in this upcoming conflict. These people were committed to prayer along with their King until the answer came.

God's answer was simple and supernatural. He essentially said don't be fearful, don't fight, but go down and watch God work. That answer drove the King and the people to worship and praise. They thanked God for His answer and they obeyed His command. As the three opposing armies approached Judah; miraculously their mission against Judah and Jerusalem became fuzzy and they lost focus. So much so that the three armies never got to attack Judah because they ended up attacking and fully killing one another instead. God said to the King and the people to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Clearly, witnessing this mixed-up melee, the people did see God's salvation that day. And there was an added benefit ... all the remaining riches and possessions of the defeated armies became free pickings for the victors of the undefeated army and people of Judah.

Conflict doesn't have to defeat you. Prayer power and standing still before the King of kings is yours just as it was in the account of 2 Chronicles 20. Depend on it. Act on it. See the salvation of the Lord.

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