After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting"(2 Chronicles 20:1-3)
During the reign of Jehoshaphat, a vast army assembled to attack the nation of Judah. His response to the situation can guide us in handling our own crises.
The Bible records that the king “turned his attention to seek the Lord” in prayer (v. 3). Likewise, when we face hardship, our best response is to cry out to our heavenly Father. As God’s children, we can be certain that He loves us and cares about the details of our lives. Through the cross, He established a new covenant for those who place their trust in the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:20)—He agreed to forgive our sins, adopt us into His family, and watch over us. This salvation does not depend upon our good actions but upon the completed work of Jesus, who died in our place (Ephesians 2:8). God also sent His Spirit to live in us as proof of our salvation and to be ever-present with us. He is interested in every aspect of our lives and promises to hear our prayers.
Jehoshaphat was ready for this crisis because he had developed the habit of seeking the Lord in various situations (2 Chronicles 19:3). If we want to be prepared for the unexpected, then we must discipline ourselves to seek God every day, acknowledging His Lordship and our dependence upon Him.
By examining our habits and thought life, we can know whether our attention is on the Lord or other things. If we start our day thinking about Him instead of our own plans, and regularly read and apply Scripture, then we demonstrate a heart that is pursuing Him.
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