In the Valley of Praise
I love a good underdog story, don't you? The Bible is filled with them, but few capture my heart quite like the account in 2 Chronicles 20. Picture this: King Jehoshaphat of Judah receives the terrifying news that a vast army is marching toward Jerusalem. Not just one nation, but three allied forces coming to destroy God's people! Talk about overwhelming odds.
The Bible tells us Jehoshaphat "feared," which seems entirely reasonable given the circumstances. Yet, what he did next provides us with a masterclass in faith. Instead of panicking or immediately strategizing military defense, he "set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah" (2 Chronicles 20:3).
As the people gathered, Jehoshaphat prayed one of the most vulnerable and powerful prayers in Scripture. Then God's Spirit fell on a prophet named Jahaziel with this message: "Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicles 20:15).
The next morning, Jehoshaphat did something that still astounds me. He placed singers at the front of the army! Can you imagine? As they marched toward certain death, these worshippers sang, "Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever" (2 Chronicles 20:21). Before a single enemy soldier fell, they were praising God for the victory.
And what happened? The three enemy armies turned on each other, completely destroying one another. When Judah arrived, they found only dead bodies and abundant spoil. It took three days just to collect all the treasures! They named the place "Beracah," meaning "blessing" or "praise."
This story challenges me deeply. When I face my own enemies—whether health challenges, ministry obstacles, or personal valleys—my natural response is to praise God after He resolves things. But Jehoshaphat and Judah teach us a different way.
Their faith journey offers several practical lessons for our dark valleys.
They Focused on God's Character and Past Faithfulness: Look at Jehoshaphat's prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:6-12. He doesn't just focus on the problem; he starts by magnifying God! "O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?" He reminds God (and the people listening) of God's power, sovereignty, and faithfulness in the past, specifically how He gave them the land. When our circumstances seem overwhelming, intentionally shifting our focus from the bigness of our problems to the bigness of our God is a crucial step. Recall the times God has come through for you or others. Meditate on His unchanging attributes – His love, power, wisdom, and faithfulness.
They Acknowledged Their Helplessness and Placed Their Hope in God: Jehoshaphat's honesty is striking: "neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee" (2 Chronicles 20:12). There was no pretense of having it all together. They laid bare their fear and lack of resources. This radical dependence is key. True faith isn't denying the reality of the difficulty; it's admitting our inability to fix it and placing our hope squarely on God's ability and willingness to intervene.
They Received and Believed God's Word: The turning point came when the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel, and he delivered God's specific promise: "Be not afraid nor dismayed... for the battle is not yours, but God's... stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD... for the LORD will be with you" (2 Chronicles 20:15-17). Faith is often built and strengthened when we receive and hold onto a specific promise from God, whether through Scripture or a deep conviction from the Holy Spirit. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17). What promises in God's Word speak to your specific valleys?
Their Praise Was an Act of Trust, Not a Feeling: The people sent out the singers praising God before seeing the enemy defeated. This wasn't because they suddenly felt victorious; it was an act of will and faith based on God's promise. Praise in the valley, especially when it's long and dark, is a declaration of trust that God will do what He has promised, even when we don't see the how or the when. It's a spiritual weapon that shifts the atmosphere and aligns our hearts with God's perspective.
They Were Together: The whole nation gathered to seek the Lord. There's strength in corporate faith and prayer. Leaning on the faith of fellow believers and allowing them to stand with you in prayer can be incredibly supportive when your own faith feels weak.
Perhaps you're in your own valley today. What would it look like to position praise at the forefront of your battle? To thank God for the victory before seeing it manifested? That's the essence of faith—"the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
The Valley of Beracah awaits. May we be people who praise before the provision, worship before the warfare ends, and trust before the triumph.