Not mine
“This battle is not mine. You’ll bring the victory. This battle is not mine. You’ll bring the victory.” This was the beat that played out in head over and over as the conversation behind me continued. The conversation wasn’t about me in that moment, yet it did have everything to do with me. I knew in my spirit it was not time for me to speak, and that was the battle… holding my tongue. The more I listened to the conversation, I felt frustrated, betrayed, and taken advantage of. Yet, I decided to make God bigger than those feelings.
I picked up that little nugget of truth from the book of 2 Chronicles chapter 20. It’s a lesson from King Jehoshaphat to seek and trust the Lord. A vast army was marching against God’s people. In the face of a great battle coming his way, the king lifted up a prayer we have all had to pray at times. “Lord, we’ve seen You come through before. We know you will do it again. We cry out to You in our distress. You will hear and deliver.” Though King Jehoshaphat’s prayer was much longer than that, God’s response was just what He needed to hear. Although you could say that God gave him an answer to his prayer, he still had to put his faith into action by facing the battle.
Read along with me verses 15-17, This is what the Lord says: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, go down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.”
So King Jehoshaphat led his faithful troops out to see what the Lord would do, sending the worship team out first. They hadn’t even seen the victory yet, but they worshiped God until they did, trusting the word from the Lord to deliver them. When Jehoshaphat and Judah got to the place where the battle should have ensued, God had already taken care of everything! He had told them the battle was not theirs. All they had to do was position themselves with thanksgiving, stand still on God’s truth, and see God’s faithfulness. After all, they trusted Him.
I didn’t utter a word during the conversation happening just an ear shot away, and I didn’t say anything after. I was so tempted to pick up my phone to text a friend the whole ordeal, but I reminded myself to trust God’s victory— not my own. I didn’t even tell Eric about it. I positioned myself in God’s strength, thanking Him because I knew I wasn’t alone in the matter. I held my tongue and trusted His timing, worshiping Him all the way.
Four days later, the conversation was brought up again, and again it was right behind me. A solution needed to be figured out. That’s when my heart started pounding in my chest and I knew it was the Holy Spirit prompting me, “Now is the time. Go.” With a little shake in my voice, I turned and said what needed to be said and the whole matter was solved because of the truth. I would love to say that jaws were dropped as full justice was served with everyone giving me a pat on the back, but that wasn’t the case. Regardless, as I reached the point of “battle,” like Jehoshaphat and Judah, God made a way for light to shine on a situation and I trust He is still working in the matter in ways I cannot see.
Do you ever feel like circumstances are coming against you? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you keep questioning why you even try? Replace those thoughts with, “The battle is not mine. You’ll bring the victory.” Saying it out loud, or under your breath is like turning the key in the ignition of your faith. Sometimes our faith just needs to be jumpstarted. Then, rest in the promise that He WILL fight for you. Worship him and be still with thanksgiving in your heart.