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The Prayer of Jehoshaphat  

During the reign of Judah’s fourth king, Jehoshaphat, a massive enemy army approached Jerusalem from the southeast. After years of servitude to David, Solomon, and Asa, the people of Moab, Ammon, and Edom sensed that the time was right to fight for their independence from the kingdom of Judah. A messenger brought word of great danger to Jehoshaphat: “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come to fight against you” (2 Chron. 20:2). The threat was urgent; the joint forces of the enemy had already reached En-gedi, only twenty-five miles across the mountains. Faced with this threat, Jehoshaphat prayed.

News of the threat posed by the approaching enemy armies hit Jehoshaphat particularly hard. He had faced this crisis before. When his father, Asa, was the king, a vast army from Ethiopia had attacked Judah. Before the day of battle arrived, Asa had cried out to the Lord in prayer: 

LORD, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, LORD our God, for we depend on you, and in your name we have come against this large army. LORD, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you. 

2 Chronicles 14:11

God answered Asa’s prayer, and God’s army routed the Ethiopians.

When we face overwhelming odds, a reliable biblical pattern of prayer begins with rehearsing the Lord’s character and perfections. In the first portion of Jehoshaphat’s prayer, he reminded himself and the gathered people that the One to whom he was praying could handle even the most impossible situation (see 2 Chron. 20:6-9). 

After he had expressed his confidence in God, Jehoshaphat then admitted his own ignorance and impotence while confessing his total confidence that God would show the nation what to do (see vv. 10-12). In answer to Jehoshaphat’s prayer, the Lord showed what He intended to do through the prophet Jahaziel. After assuring the people that they didn’t need to be “afraid or discouraged” (v. 15), God revealed His plan. Judah would march forth to meet their enemy, but they wouldn’t have to lift their hands in combat. Instead, they would lift their hands and voices in praise and thanksgiving.