Jehoshaphat’s Story – Leading and Praying

“Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said…” – 2 Chronicles 20:5-6a

We are continuing to walk through Jehoshaphat’s story. The verses that follow the words above are a prayer. We will dig into that prayer next week. Today I want to focus on this verse and talk about prayer in general.

A Strong Leader

Something that stands out to me is the fact that Jehoshaphat stood before the nation and prayed. As the king of Judah and ultimately a person of influence, this was a vital step to take. With a vast army headed their way, the people of Judah would look to the king to see what his response was. If he was fearful, they would likely be fearful as well. But he responded with faith, which brought faith to the people.

We may not see ourselves as leaders, but we too can influence those around us to seek God with faith and seek Him in prayer. People are watching us, Christians and non-Christians alike. They observe what we do, what we say, and how we act. Whether we are facing a crisis or not, we can face each situation with faith.

How do we get there? How do we default to faith when we are tempted to walk in fear? For Jehoshaphat, as we talked about a few weeks ago, he walked with God daily. That helped strengthen his faith. And that is why he was quick to turn to God when a crisis hit. We can do the same. When we walk with God every day and spend time with Him daily, this will strengthen our faith.

That doesn’t mean we won’t ever have fear or worry. But we do have a choice. We can choose faith over fear. We can choose to speak words of faith. We can choose to act in faith.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – The words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:14-16

The Power of Prayer

Not only did Jehoshaphat stand before the nation, but he also prayed before the nation. He knew the power of prayer.

When we read the Gospels, we see how spending time in prayer was important to Jesus. We see many instances where it says He withdrew from the crowd and went to a solitary place to pray. Luke 5:16 is just one example in which we read, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” If prayer was vital for Jesus, how much more important should it be for us?

Prayer isn’t only for times of distress. Prayer is something we need daily. That is part of what walking with God looks like.

Here are some truths about prayer that we might consider when we feel our prayer lives are lacking.

Prayer is a Privilege… Prayer is an honor and a privilege. We are able to meet with our loving Father at any time and from anywhere. When we stop and ponder that for a moment, it fills us with gratitude for the gift of prayer.

Prayer Transforms Us… As we pray, we are being shaped and formed to be more like Jesus. We are molded into the person God purposed us to be. We shed the gunk of this world as we are transformed from the inside out. E.M. Bounds put it so beautifully, “Walking with God down the avenues of prayer we acquire something of His likeness, and unconsciously we become witnesses to others of His beauty and His grace.”

God is Always There… Whether we are crying out in despair, whispering words of gratitude, calling out in praise, or begging for divine help – He is there. He is eager to hear from us. He listens to every word. And He is happy to help us and wrap us in His loving arms. I love how the Passion Translation puts Hebrews 4:16: “So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.”

Prayer Helps Us Learn About God… Spending time with God in prayer helps us to learn more about Him. We begin to understand how incredibly merciful and faithful He is. We are filled with awe at His goodness. His love fills a void deep within our hearts. Dr. Charles F. Stanley said, “The first privilege of having an intimate relationship with God through prayer is that you get to know God. Consider what a great and awesome honor that is—to know the One who not only created all that exists but also directs it from His mighty throne.”

Prayer is Conversation… We don’t just rattle off our needs to God, but we sit in God’s presence and have a conversation with Him. We are forming a strong bond and a meaningful relationship. God is incredibly fond of us and longs to hear from us. Through prayer we not only receive strength, help and guidance, but we also receive love and tender care. What a priceless gift we have in prayer.

Prayer Keeps Us Anchored… The time we spend in prayer doesn’t just have an impact on those moments while we are conversing with God, but they actually impact our entire day. When we spend time with Him on a regular basis, this helps us to walk wisely in everything we face. We walk with peace in our hearts. We are in tune with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Restores Us… Something so simple and yet so beautiful that I have learned is that when we sit quietly in the Lord’s presence, He will help refresh our souls. Different versions of Psalm 23:3 verify this. “He restores my soul” (NKJV). “He refreshes my soul” (NIV). “He renews my strength” (NLT). What comforting words!

Whether we are facing a crisis or not, prayer is essential to our Christian walk. And I believe prayer played a vital role in Jehoshaphat’s story as well. Humbly coming before the Lord is not merely a way to seek help in a difficult situation. It also brings us comfort and strength, because we know that Almighty God is beside us. We can face each situation and each day with the peace that surpasses understanding.

Next week we will dig into Jehoshaphat’s prayer. I’m looking forward to it, and I hope you are too. Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful weekend.

© 2018-2023 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.