The Moabites, the Ammonites, and with them the Meunites came against Jehoshaphat to battle. ~2 Chronicles 20:1 (AMPC)
In 2 Chronicles 20 the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites were all after King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. In other places in the Old Testament, the Jebusites, the Hittites, and the Canaanites were also troublemakers for God’s people. We are blessed to live in a country that we don’t have to worry about a band of people coming over the hill with weapons to take our possessions and land. For many of us the battle is not on the field, but in our minds. Our “-ites” come in the form of thoughts and they have the same purpose that those in biblical days had. They are sent to produce fear, anxiety, stress and ultimately loss. Have you had any of those kind of thoughts lately? We should look at them like a hand grenade! If someone put a grenade in your hand and you didn’t know if it was real or not, what would you do with it? You would throw it as far as you could, I hope! You should do the same with any thought that does not promote love, peace, kindness and all the other evidence that the Holy Spirit is behind it. Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV) Do you possess that life Jesus declared He came for you to have? What “-ites” are stealing your peace today? Maybe it's time to cast some thoughts down and seek God for clarity and direction.
We can learn a lot from King Jehoshaphat’s response to the “-ites” of his day. When he came face to face with adversity, he set himself to seek the Lord. Determined to hear from God, Jehoshaphat even proclaimed a fast throughout his kingdom for that very purpose. When was the last time you set your face like flint to hear from God? Have you ever told God I'm not moving until you give me peace about this situation and then truly waited to receive God’s peace? The Lord told us come to Him, all of us who are burdened, and He would give us rest. Do you need a break from your enemies today? Jehoshaphat knew he needed a battle plan, and only God could give him one that would succeed. Like Jehoshaphat, we should develop the habit of running to God in our time of adversity. That abundant life Jesus was talking about was a life of peace, not stress! We should be smart enough to know that consulting our own wisdom or asking for other people’s opinions before we seek God's wisdom and opinion is not going to produce the kind of peace we will need to walk in victory over our circumstances. Hearing from God will strengthen us. Being in God’s presence will invigorate us for the battles we face every day. Knowing God is with us and for us eases our minds. When we hear from Him, faith fills our hearts and drives fear away. Jehoshaphat knew he needed to hear from God centuries ago and we have the same need now. Be sure to seek God first today. There is peace for you in His presence.
Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His presence continually. ~1 Chronicles 16:11 (NRSVA)
What “-ites” are stealing your peace today?
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