Valley of Blessing
2 Chronicles 20: 22 – 30
God sent Jehoshaphat and his army into the wilderness to face the enemy. “Trust me.”, He said. “The battle isn’t yours, it’s mine.”. As the army of Judah lifted their voices in praise to God, an amazing thing happened: the enemy alliance turned on one another and defeated itself.
Look with me at verses 22 – 30. “22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. 23 The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. 24 So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.
The Bible says that it took three full days to gather up all the plunder left on the battlefield. And then…
26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
Verse 27 is the happily-ever-after part of the story.
27 Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies. 28 They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord. 29 When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord Himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. 30 So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”.
As you read how this story ends, think back to how it started. The seed for Jehoshaphat’s prosperity was planted with his decision to seek God in a time of crisis. His reign of peace was the result of time spent seeking God, trusting God, worshipping God, and obeying God.
Right now, you face your own enemies: health problems, money problems, marital problems, job problems, and many more. For you, there are battles yet to be fought.
You can win like Jehoshaphat won, if you’re willing to do what Jehoshaphat did. When you seek God and obey God, you walk in the favor of God. And soon you’ll experience life in the “Valley of Blessing”.
I love the fact that this great coalition of enemies wasn’t actually defeated by the army of Judah. Judah never fired a single shot. They launched no arrows, hurled no spears, threw no stones.
No, this enemy defeated itself. It’s not that the army of Judah did nothing. They prepared, they took their position, they trusted God, they filled the air with praise, but they didn’t have to fight the battle, because the battle belonged to the Lord.
God chose a unique way to give them victory: He let the enemy army defeat itself.
From a distance, this army looked powerful; however, up close, their limitations became obvious. They may have looked mighty, they may have appeared ferocious, but in the end they were merely a disorganized mob of inept, bickering co-belligerents.
By any other standard, this is a battle the enemy alliance should have won. Instead, they turned and destroyed one another. When the army of Judah arrived, the battle was already over. All that remained was to gather the plunder — the clothes, weapons, supplies, and food.
I would be remiss if I didn’t say a word about the plunder. This wasn’t something the people of Judah would have gone after themselves. They weren’t the ones scheming to attack and conquer. They weren’t devising plans to pillage the possessions of the Amonites, Moabites and Meunites.
Before this story began, the people of Judah were busy minding their own business. When the enemy armies conspired to do evil against them, God said, in effect, “You’re not taking anything from my people today. On the contrary, you’re providing for my people today.”.
For three full days the army of Judah wore themselves out, I’m sure, hauling it in. It reminds me of something Solomon once said. In Proverbs 13:22 Solomon said, “The sinners’ wealth passes to the godly.”.
Today let’s all learn how to live in the Valley of Blessing.
Now, you may be sitting there wondering, “What in the world is the “Valley of Blessing”?”. The “Valley of Blessing” is that place of spiritual windfall, where good things come your way, not by your own scheming and scraping and scratching, but by the abundant generosity of God.
Maybe your battle isn’t finished yet. Maybe your enemy still looms on the horizon, positioned for attack. Keep this in mind: God is ready to fight for you, and then beyond the field of battle lies the “Valley of Blessing”.
It’s one more example of the outrageous goodness of God. The battle belongs to Him, but the blessing belongs to you. As the prophet said, “15 ‘... for the battle is not yours, but God’s...17 Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you.’”.
Verse 26 says, “26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing...”.
Are you ready to move from the field of battle to the valley of blessing? If so, here are some things to keep in mind.
First…
#1: THE VALLEY OF BLESSING IS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO OUTLAST:
Do you know how to overcome many of the problems that arise in your life? You endure them. You refuse to quit. You keep on keeping on until the enemy gives up and goes away. This isn’t ignoring the problem. It’s looking the problem square in the eye and saying, “I’m here to stay. I’ve taken my position. I’ll continue to do all that I can do until the day when victory is mine.”.
One of my friend’s daughters got engaged to the wrong guy. Though he was charming and handsome, there were also some character issues that raised a red flag. Among other things, the guy had gone AWOL from military service just a few years before.
Mike’s daughter was in her late twenties; and he was in no position to forbid her to marry. He knew that if he tried to fight this situation on his own, he would lose, and he just might alienate his daughter in the process.
He wasn’t sure how to proceed, except to pray, and to continue to let his daughter know that she would always have his unconditional love.
And he waited. And he prayed. And he trusted. And he firmly held his position as father of the bride, just as the army of Judah firmly held their position as they approached the battlefield.
Do you know what eventually happened? Mr. AWOL went AWOL once again. Ten days before the wedding, he bailed.
The daughter was devastated, but she knew that she could get comfort from her father. He never said, “I told you so.”. He never said, “You got what you deserved.”. Instead, he expressed gratitude to God for protecting them from a bad situation.
There will be times when you and I have problems that we can’t personally conquer, but we CAN choose to outlast them. This doesn’t mean that you do nothing in the meantime. You continue to pray, you continue to trust, you continue to praise, you continue to put yourself in a position for God to work a miracle.
An effective coaching strategy is to play a conservative game, to focus on the fundamentals, to strive for consistency from start to finish...and let the other team make mistakes.
You’ve seen it happen: the team that could have won the game, and by every gauge should have won the game, ultimately lost the game — defeating themselves with their own mistakes.
There’s a sense in which you can use the very same strategy. When life gives you more than you can handle, stay focused on the fundamentals. Remain faithful. Strive for consistency. Keep walking with God. Ultimately, you’ll outlast the enemy.
Secondly…
#2: THE VALLEY OF BLESSING IS A PLACE OF PRAISE:
Listen to verse 26 again. “26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.”.
Have you noticed the common theme in each section of this story?
PRAISE
First, we see the people of Judah in praise and worship as they seek the Lord.
Next, we see them marching into battle with songs of praise charting their course.
And now, having won the victory and gathered the spoils, they are filled with praise for the goodness of God.
Look at verse 27, “27 They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord.”.
In every situation, let your response be PRAISE. Praise God when you seek His help. Praise Him when you step out in faith. Praise Him when He gives you the victory. God wants His people to praise Him.
The King James version of Psalm 22:3 says that God “inhabits the praises of His people.”. Other translations say He is “enthroned on the praises of Israel.”. In the Psalms we learn that God not only deserves to be praised, but He also wants to be praised.
Thirdly…
#3: THE VALLEY OF BLESSING IS A PLACE OF THANKSGIVING:
Again, verse 26 says, “26 ... the people praised and thanked the Lord...”.
This is what God wants you to do, all the time, in response to every situation. Whatever God’s will is for your life, it involves thanking Him all the time. It’s why Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”.
Luke tells a story about 10 lepers who came to Jesus asking to be healed. By law, lepers couldn’t approach others in public, because their disease was extremely contagious. So, they called out to Jesus from a distance, asking for His healing mercy. Jesus told them to go present themselves to the priests.
In those days, priests were like doctors. They were trained to recognize skin disease, and they had the legal authority to pronounce an infected person cured. He sent them to the priest, and by faith, they obeyed.
So far so good. As they went, the 10 men were cleansed of their leprosy. However, only 1 returned to say, “Thank you.”.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?”. {Luke 19: 11 – 19}
We’re sometimes guilty of the same thing. We seek God when we need Him. In desperation, we even step out in faith and obedience. And then, when He comes through with a miracle, we say, “OK, Lord, I’ll take it from here.”.
At each stage of a crisis — the stage of despair, the stage of faithful obedience, and the stage of victory — remember that praise and thanksgiving play a vital role. Never forget to say, “Thank you.”. And never stop saying it.
When you’ve been to the “Valley of Blessing”, others will take notice.
Verses 29 & 30 says, “29 When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord Himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. 30 So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”.
These three armies conspired to attack because they considered Judah weak and vulnerable. God used this event to let everyone know that Judah was, in fact, strong in the power of the Lord. He made sure Judah’s neighbors got the message. That’s why God allowed this non-battle to be such a public spectacle.
Sometimes your problems may be more public than you want them to be. It’s awkward when everybody knows that you’re having financial problems. It’s embarrassing when they know that your teenagers are rebelling against you. It’s humiliating when they know that your marriage is in trouble.
We don't like it when our battles are made public, but it comes with an advantage. Public battles lead to public victories. Public victories not only bring honor to God, they bring a proper amount of honor and respect to you, as well.
You will be able to influence people’s lives for the better, because they will have witnessed the power of God at work in your life.
That’s why, when you’ve been to the “Valley of Blessing”, you need to do what the people of Judah did. March around with harps and horns, making as much noise as possible, proclaiming to all who will listen, “God has given me victory.”.
My friends, obstacles are a fact of life, but they are not to be feared. By the power of God, every obstacle can become a miracle. And for the glory of God, every miracle can become a spectacle.
For some people, life is a never-ending series of battles. Just one thing after another. Problem after problem after problem. Have you ever felt that way? I know I have.
However, when you walk with God, life isn’t just a series of battles, it’s a series of victories. This is God’s promise. In all things you can be more than a conqueror. He created you to reign in this life. He made you to win. The “Valley of Blessing” is your destiny.
Maybe the phrase “Here Comes Trouble” describes your life today. But today doesn’t have to be forever. When you’re ready, you can change the phrase that defines you.
It’s no longer merely “Here Comes Trouble”. Now you can say, “Here Comes Victory.”. Now you can say, “Here Comes Power.”. Now you can say, “Here Comes Blessing.”.
Why? Because Here Comes Jesus. You are not alone. He is with you. Even at this moment. And His presence ensures that the battles you face are not yours alone; the battle belongs to the Lord.
Is there a storm on the horizon? Is the enemy approaching?
Seek God. Surrender your all to Him.
Trust God. Trust Him enough to walk in obedience. Trust Him enough to stand firm until your victory is complete.
Praise God. Praise Him loudly and thank Him often. Thank Him and praise Him with all your heart. Instead of living from battle to battle, you’ll live from victory to victory. Like Jehoshaphat, you will know peace, because God will give you rest at every side.
