Battle of Faith

At my cubicle's wall, I hung a bookmark I received from a close friend says "when everything's failed,SMILE!"

Sometimes in life we'll face a huge wall in front of our journey. We've tried to climb it, push it, tried everything we could ever think of, and it just stand still there. This wall could be problems we're facing, un-answered prayers we've whispered,challenges, troubles, you name it.

We've tried the ordinary,the spiritual, and also the extra ordinary way to get rid of it,but it just doesn't move. We bow our head down and start thinking "Well,yeah s**t happens."

Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 faced the same thing. He had to face the Moabites and Ammonites in a war. He was loosed not only by number,but also war skill and experience. Just imagine basketball game between an elementry student versus Shaq. Jehoshaphat was the kid and his enemies was the Shaq.

Realize this inevitable going to be lost situation, He gathered all his citizen to come to God,begged for His mercy upon them. The most "ridiculous" was happened, God answered their prayers (this is not the ridiculous part) and said (this is it): "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ”

If I were Jehoshaphat,I'd be stoned. I'd be looking for a "I'll send you a saviour" answer, maybe it'd sound like: "Don't worry, I'll send you my angel to fight with you in person" , or maybe "Don't worry,I'll give you this powerful juice for you to be given to your soldier and they will be as strong as Asterix and Obelix"

Stand still facing a huge army coming to you with full loaded armour doesn't seem right. It's a suicide mission. I like the first choice better,because we could see the angel in person fighting with us, We could see with our bare eyes what happened. Or maybe the second alternative choice,because it seems more real. We get the divine power on our hand and fight. We like those choices better because we can see it and feel it. In the other hand,stand still is irrelevant,doesn't make in sense,betrayal to the law of cause and effect. It is a crazy idea. And you know something?(With a grin on my face) God works beyond our wildest dream :)

The next day at the war, Jehoshaphat and his army obeyed God,stand still firmly,and began to... sing and praise God's kindness (2 Chronicles 20:21-22). Imagine this scene in your mind, a huge number of army coming to you with tanks, heavy machine guns, F-16 flying above you waiting command to drop tons of missiles,and you are there standing firmly with...a singing choir behind you... Halleluya anthem soaring in the air along with the voice of death machine coming.

And Miracle does happened. As they sang praises, the Moabites and Ammonites start slaughtering one to another. They're fighting by their own. They were blinded and couldn't know who is ally and who is enemy. They demolished them self until no one of them stand alive. Without a sweat Jehoshaphat and his people win the battle (ok maybe they need an orange juice to recover their voice,but that's just it). God and His army fought for them. Jehoshaphat's faith won the battle.

Let's get back to today,to our life. I know you will shout at me madly "you idiotic moron if you dare to ask me to stand firm and praise God for my problem! You don't know the burden. you don't know how big it is. you don't know how this could destroy my entire life!" Well mate,for sure I don't know. My life is not your life,neither does Jehoshaphat's. But what choice do we have? If we still have a way in our thought,then try it. But when we face the dead end and have no choice in hand,maybe it's time to find the extra ordinary way to solve the problem;it'll be better to do this on the first hand though.

Pay attention on this, Jehoshaphat wasn't just laid back,relaxed and sipped a can of soda while the war happened. He stood there with his people and did his part. He did all he could there and He had faith that he won't be left alone by God. And His faith saved him.

Maybe it's time for us to have faith like Jehoshaphat. It's time for us to see our problems in God's perspective. God didn't leave Jehoshathat and because He remains the same,He won't leave us with our problems either. He just needs us to have faith in Him. He needs us to be patient upon His time. He needs us to see from His point of view. He needs us to... Believe.