My "Valley of Beracah"

There is a lesson I think I will forever need to learn and relearn. It just doesn't stick. Maybe there is more than just this one lesson that will be like this, but for now...I know for sure, this is one that I will just have to go back to time and time again!

When there is a "battle" in your life, an upcoming issue you know might be challenging, maybe a short term confrontation or a longer term life change...what do you do? How do you prepare for it? Agonize? Stress? Not eat, or maybe eat alot? Pray for strength, right words, peace? Plan, plan, and plan some more?

Well what about PRAISE? Seems like that is something we should do after we see that God's hand was at work, or is that backwards?

This is the lesson I will have to relearn daily...Praise is the very thing we must do to prepare for a "battle" of whatever sorts! It is the weapon that we need to go into battle with!! However, I've always thought of it as something connected to the "victory" at the end!



2 Chronicles 20 gives us a perfect opportunity to see this at work...and maybe I've shared this before, actually I'm sure I have...but you know, every day is a new day for me!! It's about Jehoshaphat (I'm still trying to figure out what his mother was thinking with that kind of name??) and his battle against a vast army that was coming to take over Judah, where he (Jehoshaphat) was king!

Once he was told that this army was coming against him...he immediately went to the Lord and called the people of Judah to fast and seek help from the Lord. That part seems predictable, and certainly something we would consider fairly high on the "to do" list!

After prayer and some words that God gave Jahaziel to say to Jehoshaphat...the people of Judah and Jerusalem began to "worship before the Lord" and " praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice"! The battle had not begun yet, but they were singing and praising God for who He was, is and was about to do! They believed and had faith that their God of Israel would be with them and deliver them from this enemy. And He did!

Something of note here...Jehoshaphat appointed people to "sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness" saying "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever" (song sound familiar?), these people were positioned in the front of the army as they headed to meet their enemy! What a picture that gives me of where PRAISE belongs in our life!! Out front, first thing and with a loud voice!

All the meanwhile, the Lord was stirring things up...the enemy became confused and ended up killing themselves and turning against their own army. When Jehoshaphat's army arrived...the battle was over! Done. Taken care of completely.

They were able to collect the "plunder" or articles of value that were left behind, and it took them days to collect it all! Their arms were full of blessings! It's amazing how God plans to bless us...it is a different thought for me, but it might be through the threat of a battle!

The people assembled there in this valley where they discovered that the Lord, as always, was true to His word...and they once again praised the Lord for His faithfulness! This valley was/is even today called the "Valley of Beracah", which means the "valley of praise"!

As I face the battles, maybe even just the threat of a battle...I know that satan wants to discourage, overwhelm and paralyze me. But, I know that the enemy will flee and run like craziness when he hears God's children singing with a loud voice...praising God for who He is, and what He's about to do! Praise is our weapon to fight the enemy with.

Every time I sing "Give thanks to the Lord, our God and king, His love endures forever...sing praise!"...I have promised myself to think of this "Valley of Beracah" that I'm in today and thank Him for teaching me (and re-teaching me) how to do as Jehoshaphat did! May my praise be first and be heard loudly...for He is good and forever He is faithful...even in the tough "battles" in life!