Worship: The Old School Battle Plan for Victory

Devotional

Day 1: Worship Begins with Surrender

True worship starts when we lay down our pride and admit our need for God, just as Jehoshaphat did when he faced overwhelming fear and uncertainty. Instead of relying on his own strength or strategy, he set his face to seek the Lord, leading his people in honest prayer and surrender. This act of humility opened the door for God to move, reminding us that the most courageous thing we can do is to surrender our lives to Jesus, even when we don’t know what to do next. When we lift our hands and voices in worship, we are physically and spiritually declaring our dependence on Him, making space for His presence and power in our battles. [35:12]

2 Chronicles 20:3,12 (ESV)
"Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah... 'O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you’ve been trying to handle things on your own? How can you intentionally surrender that area to God in worship today, even if you don’t have all the answers?

Day 2: Worship Positions You for Victory

Victory in life’s battles is not about rushing ahead or retreating in fear, but about aligning your heart with God and standing firm in His promises. God told Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah not to be afraid, but to take their positions, stand firm, and see His deliverance. This alignment with God’s Word and His ways is what prepares us for victory, even before circumstances change. When we submit to God and His truth, we are equipped with spiritual armor, ready to face whatever comes, knowing that the battle belongs to Him and not to us. [42:09]

2 Chronicles 20:15-17 (ESV)
"And he said, 'Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, "Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem." Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.'"

Reflection: In what practical way can you align your heart and actions with God’s Word today, especially in an area where you feel outnumbered or overwhelmed?

Day 3: Worship Shifts the Atmosphere

When we choose to worship God in the midst of our battles, something supernatural happens—worship shifts the atmosphere, silences fear, and invites God’s presence to move powerfully on our behalf. As soon as Judah began to sing and praise, God set ambushes against their enemies, turning the tide of the battle. Worship is not just a response to victory; it is the very means by which God brings victory and transforms our circumstances. Even when we feel surrounded by problems, worship reminds our souls who is truly in charge and fills our lives with hope and confidence in God’s power. [47:21]

2 Chronicles 20:21-22 (ESV)
"And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, 'Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.' And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed."

Reflection: What is one specific way you can use worship—through song, prayer, or praise—to shift the atmosphere in your home or workplace today?

Day 4: The Battle That Surrounds You Is Not Stronger Than Christ Who Is With You

No matter how overwhelming the battle may seem, if you belong to Christ, you are never outnumbered or alone. Just as Elisha’s servant’s eyes were opened to see the angel armies surrounding them, and as David declared God’s deliverance when surrounded by enemies, we can have confidence that Christ is greater than anything that comes against us. Worship puts God in the center of our fight, transforming fear into faith and defeat into victory. When you feel surrounded, remember that you are truly surrounded by God’s presence and power. [52:12]

2 Kings 6:15-17 (ESV)
"When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, 'Alas, my master! What shall we do?' He said, 'Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.' So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

Reflection: When you feel surrounded by challenges, what would it look like to ask God to open your eyes to His presence and protection today?

Day 5: Worship Transforms Battlefields into Blessings

God not only brings victory through worship, but He also turns places of fear and struggle into places of blessing and praise. After Judah’s enemies were defeated, the valley that should have been their destruction became a place of abundance and thanksgiving, renamed as a place of blessing. Worship changes our perspective, helping us see God’s hand at work even in the hardest places, and leads us to thank Him for victories we could never have won on our own. The very battles that threatened to break us can become testimonies of God’s faithfulness and grace. [49:37]

Psalm 118:10-14 (ESV)
"All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

Reflection: Can you identify a past battle or hardship that God has transformed into a blessing in your life? How can you thank and praise Him for it today?

Sermon Summary

As we gather in this season of gratitude and anticipation, it’s easy to get caught up in the festivities and the pressures that come with them. But beneath the surface, many of us are facing battles we never chose—unexpected challenges, losses, and fears that threaten to overwhelm us. The story of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 offers a powerful, ancient blueprint for how to face these battles in a way that is both counterintuitive and deeply transformative.

Jehoshaphat, a good but imperfect king, found himself and his nation suddenly surrounded by a coalition of enemies. Outnumbered, outmatched, and unprepared, his first response was fear—a very human reaction. But instead of letting fear dictate his actions, he set his face to seek the Lord. He gathered the people, called for prayer and fasting, and openly admitted, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” This honest surrender became the turning point. God responded not with a call to arms, but with a call to stand firm, to take their position, and to watch as He fought the battle for them.

What’s remarkable is that before a single sword was drawn, the people worshiped. They bowed, they sang, and they praised God—right in the middle of their uncertainty. Worship wasn’t a celebration after the victory; it was the means by which God brought the victory. As they sang, God moved in the enemy camp, turning confusion and destruction upon their foes. When Judah finally arrived, the battle was already won, and what should have been a place of defeat became a place of blessing.

This story isn’t just a historical account; it’s an invitation. Worship—especially through song—isn’t just a ritual or a response to good times. It’s a weapon, a posture of surrender, and a way to align our hearts with God’s truth. When we worship, we shift the atmosphere around us and within us. We silence fear, disrupt the enemy’s plans, and make room for God to move. The battle may not disappear, but worship positions us for victory and transforms our valleys of fear into places of praise.

Key Takeaways

1. Worship Begins with Surrender True worship starts where pride ends. Jehoshaphat’s willingness to admit his fear and helplessness opened the door for God to act. Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s the most courageous act of faith, acknowledging that our strength is not enough but God’s is. When we lift our hands and hearts in surrender, we invite God’s presence and power into our battles. [35:12]
2. Worship Positions You for Victory Victory is not always about action, but about alignment. God told Judah to take their position and stand firm—not to charge or retreat, but to align their hearts with His word and promises. When we submit to God’s truth and stand firm in faith, we are positioned for God to fight on our behalf. Our role is not to control the outcome, but to trust and obey. [42:09]
3. Worship Shifts the Atmosphere The moment Judah began to sing, God moved. Worship doesn’t follow victory; it triggers it. When we worship, fear is silenced, confusion is sown in the enemy’s camp, and God’s presence fills our circumstances. Worship changes our perspective, reminding us who is truly in control and transforming our battlefields into places of blessing. [47:21]
4. Worship is How You Win Unseen Battles Often, the battles we face are not of our choosing and beyond our control. Yet, worship is the way we fight and win these unseen battles. It’s not about waiting for the situation to change, but about choosing to praise God in the midst of uncertainty, trusting that He is greater than whatever surrounds us. [48:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[22:55] - Thanksgiving and Holiday Reflections
[23:41] - The Christmas Lights Story
[25:59] - Getting Stuck on the Roof
[27:43] - The Real Battles We Face
[29:08] - Introducing Jehoshaphat’s Story
[30:45] - Jehoshaphat’s Honest Prayer
[32:07] - God’s Response: The Battle is God’s
[32:53] - Worship Before the Battle
[34:27] - What Worship Means
[35:12] - Worship Begins with Surrender
[42:09] - Worship Positions You for Victory
[47:21] - Worship Shifts the Atmosphere
[48:40] - Worship is How You Win
[53:23] - Responding in Worship and Prayer
[55:00] - Invitation to Surrender to Christ
[56:14] - Closing Prayer and Celebration

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 20:1-30 (ESV) — (You may want to read the whole passage as a group, but especially focus on verses 1-3, 12-23.)

Observation Questions

When Jehoshaphat first heard about the approaching armies, what was his initial reaction, and what did he do next? ([30:17])
What specific words did Jehoshaphat pray in front of the people, and why are they significant? ([31:17])
Before the battle even started, what did the people of Judah do together, and how did God respond? ([32:29])
According to the story, what happened in the enemy camp as the people of Judah began to worship? ([33:57])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jehoshaphat chose to admit, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you,” in front of everyone? What does this reveal about leadership and faith? ([31:17])
The people worshiped before they saw any sign of victory. What does this suggest about the role of worship in times of uncertainty? ([32:29])
God told the people to “stand firm” and “take their position” instead of fighting or running. What does it mean to be “positioned for victory” in our own lives? ([42:09])
The sermon says, “Worship isn’t what you do after you win. Worship is actually how you win.” How does this idea challenge the way most people think about worship and victory? ([48:40])

Application Questions

Jehoshaphat’s first response to fear was to seek God, not to act out of panic or self-reliance. When you face unexpected challenges, what is your usual first response? Is there a recent situation where you wish you had responded differently? ([30:17])
The sermon talks about worship beginning where pride ends. Are there areas in your life where pride or self-sufficiency keeps you from surrendering to God? What would it look like to surrender those areas this week? ([35:12])
The people of Judah worshiped in the middle of their uncertainty, not after the battle was over. Is there a current situation in your life where you need to choose worship before you see the outcome? What would that look like practically? ([32:29])
The sermon mentions that worship “shifts the atmosphere” and silences fear. Have you ever experienced a time when worship changed your perspective or brought peace in a difficult moment? If so, share about it. If not, what might keep you from trying this? ([47:21])
God told the people to “stand firm” and “take their position.” What does it look like for you to stand firm in faith right now? Are there specific promises from God’s Word you need to hold onto? ([42:09])
The story ends with the valley of fear becoming a place of blessing. Can you think of a time when God turned a difficult situation in your life into something good? How did worship or surrender play a part in that? ([49:37])
The sermon challenges us to let worship go first, especially in battles we didn’t choose. What is one practical step you can take this week to make worship a first response, not a last resort, when you face stress or fear? ([51:14])

Sermon Clips

And the irony is, we don't find the satisfaction we're looking for when we seek anything other than Christ. And then when we only seek Christ, that satisfaction that we long for actually becomes ours. We get this true joy, eternal and internal. So you have to ask yourself, what? More importantly, who are you seeking? Who do you look to in the battle? Is it Jesus? Are you running towards him? Are you following after him? [00:38:53] (27 seconds) #WhoAreYouSeeking

The beauty in the psalm is that he said, I sought the Lord and he answered. Seek God. He is there. No matter how we feel. Remember, Jehoshaphat felt afraid. Feelings, they operate on what we think we want, but faith operates on the knowledge of who God is. Faith and feelings, that's why these are not the same thing. We can't wait to feel it before we worship, or you'll never worship. [00:39:21] (24 seconds) #FaithOverFeelings

Like this. Hands up. Surrender to Christ. Looking to him. This battle I didn't choose, that's here. And yeah, I might be afraid and not know what to do, but what I do know is that I'm going to look to God and surrender my worship to him. You don't have to know what to do. You just have to know who to look to. In the moment their eyes turned to heaven, God began to speak to them. [00:41:22] (26 seconds) #WorshipPositionsVictory

So worship begins with surrender and then number two, worship positions you for victory. Worship positions you for victory. Go back and read, like write down verses 15 through 17. Go back and read that as you kind of like unpack the story maybe this week. God tells them in those verses, he says, don't be afraid, don't be discouraged of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, it's God's. God's like, don't be afraid, it's not your battle, it's my battle. [00:41:48] (27 seconds) #StandFirmInFaith

Then he tells them, God tells them, take up your positions, stand firm, and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. I love that God tells them, take their positions and stand firm. God doesn't say, I want you to charge. He doesn't even say, I want you to retreat. He doesn't say, I want you to work harder and figure it out on your own. He says, get in position and align your heart with me. Because victory sometimes is not about movement, it's about alignment first. [00:42:14] (31 seconds) #ArmorOfGod

Why was this the plan? Because worship is the plan. It's the only, like that is the battle plan. They stood firm. They armored up. They got ready. They took their position, and they sang. They lifted their hands in surrender. They had this unique posture and position for the battle because before God changes the battle around you, he's always going to change the posture within you. He's more worried about your heart. It's about your heart. Where's your heart? He wants to change that. [00:46:39] (30 seconds) #MoreWithUs

Notice it says, as they began to sing. Not after they sang. Not once the worship team hit the bridge just the right amount of times, and the drums came in, guitars came in, and then you're like, yeah, and then they started to sing. No, it was the very moment they began to sing. The second they lifted their voices, God moved. Worship didn't follow the victory. Worship actually triggered their victory, and we see what God does. [00:47:44] (28 seconds) #JehoshaphatMoment

The armies that surrounded Judah, they turn on each other. They lose focus. Confusion hits the enemy camp, and they destroy each other. Why? Because worship shifts the atmosphere. It silences fear. It disrupts the enemy. It fills the space with God's presence. It reminds your soul who's really in charge. It changes your posture before it changes your circumstances. [00:48:11] (20 seconds)

Three days of just collecting plunder from their enemies. And on the fourth day, it says that they renamed the valley Berica, which literally means blessing and praise to God. This place that should have destroyed them became a place they praised him. The valley of fear became a valley they thanked God for. Because worship doesn't just win battles. It transforms battlefields into things that can become blessings. [00:49:22] (36 seconds)

And maybe that's where some of you are today. Maybe you're standing into a battle you didn't pick, surrounded by pressure that you didn't ask for. You're carrying a weight that you weren't ready to carry. But I want you to hear this, that the battle that surrounds you is not stronger than Christ who is with you. If you are a follower of Jesus, if you have made Jesus the Lord of your life, then that is true, that the battle that surrounds you is not stronger than Christ who is with you. [00:50:19] (33 seconds)

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