Battle Belongs to the Lord

October 20, 2025

The battle belongs to God, not to us, we don't have to face challenges alone.

Today, let's explore a profound truth that can transform how we face challenges in our lives. When confronted with seemingly impossible situations, we often feel overwhelmed and alone. But there's a powerful reality waiting to be embraced in God's Word.

Connecting Our Problems to God's Promises

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat faced a terrifying situation with multiple armies advancing against Judah. His response teaches us a powerful approach to our own challenges. Instead of focusing solely on the threat, he connected his problem directly to God's promises through prayer:

"And said, O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one is able to take a stand against You." - 2 Chronicles 20:6

"Oh our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? They have lived in it and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, 'If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.'" - 2 Chronicles 20:7-9

Jehoshaphat wasn't just making a general appeal; he specifically reminded God of His covenant promises and what God had already done. When God has given a promise forever, how can anyone take it away? He recalled how his people had been faithful to build a sanctuary for God's name and established the pattern: when disaster comes, they would stand before God, cry out, and God would hear and save.

Presenting the Current Crisis

Only after establishing this foundation did Jehoshaphat present the current crisis:

"Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt (for they turned away from them and did not destroy them), behold, they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out of Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance." - 2 Chronicles 20:10-11

He pointed out the injustice of the situation. These were people whom Israel had shown mercy to in the past, yet now they were coming to take away what God had given as an inheritance. Sometimes we face attacks that seem unfair or unprovoked. Like Jehoshaphat, we can bring these injustices before God.

The Perfect Prayer Position

The prayer concludes with a powerful statement of dependence:

"O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless against this great multitude which is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You." - 2 Chronicles 20:12

This is perhaps the most important part of the prayer. Jehoshaphat acknowledged their complete powerlessness and lack of wisdom, but he didn't stop there. He positioned their focus exactly where it needed to be: "our eyes are on You." When we don't know what to do, the best position is to fix our gaze upon God.

God's Reassuring Response

As the people waited on God, His response came through the prophet Jahaziel:

"He said, 'Listen carefully, all you people of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.'" - 2 Chronicles 20:15

This is the central message of our meditation today. When we face overwhelming odds, God reminds us that the battle ultimately belongs to Him. This doesn't mean we have no part to play, but it does mean we don't carry the ultimate responsibility for victory.

The Danger of Self-Reliance

Many of us instinctively try to handle everything ourselves. We think we must solve every problem, fight every battle, and carry every burden alone. This self-reliance often leads to fear, discouragement, and exhaustion.

When we try to carry our battles alone, we experience:

• Sleepless nights

• Disappointment with others and ourselves

• Strained relationships

• Self-centered focus

As the transcript reminds us: "Most of the times we fear because we think we have to go through this all alone. We think we have to do everything on our own. We think there's no one around us, there's no one to help us, there's no one to lift us up."

Learning from David's Example

How David approached Goliath differently than King Saul. While Saul was paralyzed by fear, David ran toward the giant. Why? Because David didn't see it as his personal battle but as an affront to God Himself.

David connected the problem to God's promises and character. He didn't focus on his own inadequacy but on God's adequacy. This shift in perspective changed everything about his approach to the challenge.

Practical Application

How do we live in this truth daily?

1. Connect your problems to God's promises - Like Jehoshaphat, remind yourself of what God has already promised

2. Acknowledge your limitations - Be honest about your powerlessness in certain situations

3. Fix your eyes on God - When you don't know what to do, focus on who God is

4. Remember the battle belongs to God - Release the burden of having to win every battle yourself

5. Take action in faith - Partner with God rather than trying to do everything alone

   
   

Conclusion

Whatever challenge you're facing today, remember you don't have to face it alone. The battle belongs to the Lord. This doesn't mean you have no responsibility, but rather that you can approach your situation with confidence, knowing God fights alongside you and takes ultimate responsibility for the victory.

When we release our grip on controlling outcomes and trust God's involvement, we find freedom from fear, discouragement, and self-centeredness. We discover the peace that comes from knowing we're not alone in our struggles.

Reflect on This

1. What situation in your life do you need to surrender to God, acknowledging that the battle belongs to Him?

2. How might your approach to challenges change if you truly believed you weren't fighting alone?

   
   

Prayer

Father, I acknowledge that I've been trying to fight my battles alone. Today, I surrender my struggles to You. Thank You that I don't have to carry these burdens by myself. I declare that the battle belongs to You, Lord. Help me to work alongside You while trusting in Your strength rather than my own. I release my fear, discouragement, and self-focus, choosing instead to fix my eyes on You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Key Takeaways

• Connect your problems directly to God's promises and character, as Jehoshaphat did in his prayer.

• When you don't know what to do, the best position is to fix your eyes on God.

• The battle belongs to God, not to us; we don't have to carry the burden of victory.

• Fear often comes when we think we must face challenges completely alone.

• Like David, we can approach difficulties with confidence when we see them as God's battles rather than just our own.

  
  

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To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.