Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Thanksgiving (04/18/05)
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TITLE: Mighty Weapon of Warfare | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sherri Ward
04/22/05 -
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We cannot be thankful to God and despise a neighbor at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and wallow in self-pity at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and curse in anger at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and vent resentment at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and harbor bitterness at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and give in to temptation at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and display envy at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and gossip at the same time.
We cannot be thankful to God and ridicule others at the same time.
The list could go on, but the point is, what a powerful weapon against the enemy we have! Even negative feelings like fear, hopelessness and anxiety are hard to hold on to when we maintain an attitude of thanksgiving.
Judah used this mighty weapon of warfare. The sons of Moab, the sons of Ammon, and the Meunites had all come together to make war against Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast, and all Judah gathered together to seek the Lord. The Lord told them through a prophet that the battle was His, not theirs, and not to fear, but to trust Him.
2 Chronicles 20:18 – 24 (NASB) states: And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 And the Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 22 And when they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. 23 For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely, and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 24 When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped.
Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting, indeed!
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