Morning by Morning, November 25 - Spiritual Strategy of Thanksgiving and Praise
Good morning, Lord Jesus. As I begin my day with You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God -- I enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise! ...
Thanksgiving to God was the key to the battle the days of King Jehoshaphat:
“A great multitude” was against him and his people. “Jehoshaphat was afraid; (so) he set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the towns of Judah they came to seek the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:2-4).
And as the king and all the people of the land came to seek You and cry out to You, in their fear and distress for Your answer to their great need in the face of this great multitude of their enemies, You spoke to them a word of encouragement through one of Your prophets and gave them the spiritual strategy of thanksgiving and praise:
“Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the middle of the assembly. He said, ‘Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not fear or be dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them; they will come up by the ascent of Ziz; you will find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.’
Then Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you will be established; believe His prophets.’ When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise Him in holy splendor, as they went before the army, saying,
‘Give thanks to the Lord,
for His steadfast love endures forever.’
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the Ammonites and Moab attacked the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them utterly; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.
When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; they were corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped” (2 Chronicles 20:13-24).
The song in hearts of the people that shifted the spiritual atmosphere from fear to victory was a song of thanksgiving -- thanksgiving for the steadfast love of the Lord. Not a song of their might or power, but a song of thanksgiving for the might and power of Your love! It was the power of Your love that cast out their fear and it was the power of Your love that overcome their enemies, as they worshipped You with thanksgiving and praise.
Lord, we know there are different strategies for every battle. But let the Spirit of the Lord fall upon us and rise up within us to seek You and worship You with thanksgiving in our hearts for Your love that endures forever. As we sing praise, You move in power, You move in battle on our behalf, You shift the spiritual atmosphere and bring victory out of the grip of defeat to display Your glory in the face of our spiritual enemies. Thank You, Lord! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you be filled with thanksgiving and praise for the steadfast love of the Lord, as He shifts the spiritual atmosphere in your heart, your home, your nation, and every area of your life, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries
Messiah Ministries Mailing Address:
412 S. Adams Street #148
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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