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).