HealingStrong's Around the Word

Episode 32 - The Jehoshaphat Series: When Enemies Surround You (2 Chronicles 20:1-2, Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

• HealingStrong • Episode 11

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We examine the powerful story of Jehoshaphat facing three enemy armies from 2 Chronicles 20, discovering how to maintain spiritual perspective during overwhelming challenges.

• Adversity often arrives right after spiritual renewal and commitment to God
• Ephesians 6:12 reminds us our battles are spiritual, not just against "flesh and blood"
• God doesn't always prevent attacks, but teaches us how to respond when they come

Suggested Resources:

BIBLE PLAN - Trusting God's Plan in the Battle: Lessons from the Life of Jehoshaphat

PODCAST - Genesis to Revelation Bible Reading

TOOLS - Refresh Your Spirit through God's Word


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Speaker 1:

If we begin like Peter, looking at the waves surrounding us, we will surely sink, but we have to keep ourselves our eyes on the Lord and making Him our Savior.

Speaker 2:

Hey, there, I'm Cheryl and you're listening to Healing Strongs Around the Word. We're friends sitting around a table that love God's Word and we love digging deep into it, finding those hidden treasures. Each day I'll read a Bible passage and then you'll hear us chatting about what we heard and learned from that passage. I'll be reading 2 Chronicles 20, verses 1 through 2, and Ephesians 6, verse 12, from the NIV version of the Bible. So join us Around the Word. 2 Chronicles 20, verses 1 through 2.

Speaker 2:

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, with some of the Munites, came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat a vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea it is already in Hazazon, tamar, that is, in Gedi. And now from Ephesians 6.12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. That was our Bible reading for today. So now let's listen in on the discussion that Angie, jeff, susie and yours truly had around the word. After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, with some of the Muneites, came to make war on Jehoshaphat. What happened just before this?

Speaker 1:

They came back to the Lord. They reestablished their systems, their whole heart going and seeking after the Lord. So it was important that they were all of one mind and spirit as a nation, seeking after the Lord because adversity is arriving at their doorstep now.

Speaker 2:

In the form of three major enemy armies. I was looking up at this passage recently and was looking at a map of Israel. But Jerusalem's basically in the northwest, and then you've got a little further south, you've got the Dead Sea and then you've got enemy nations are around to the east of that sea and to the south of it, and so they've gone around the sea and they're coming up from the south. There's still a bit of ways, because it's saying it's in Getty, and that's why it's so fun to go look at your Bible and just say, hey, where is this? I literally go online and look up these places because I want to have a picture of what's going on. So they are coming up from the south and they're still far away. But if you have a massive army and it's three of them coming your way, we going to get out and that's what's happened. So, susie, what is? Uh? What does ephesians 6 12 say for us here?

Speaker 3:

I love it. Ephesians 6 12 is the armor of god, it says. It reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms and it's hard to think like that when you against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Speaker 1:

And it's hard to think like that when you see the physical evidence of adversity coming right at you and you have three different people, groups, nations, coming in a battle towards you. And that's where, when we are faced with adversitiesities, that we have to discipline ourselves, to think spiritually with the mind of God, say, ok, I understand, this is coming at me, point your mind, your heart and your your anxiety towards the Lord and seek after him in that. Towards the Lord and seek after him in that. Because if we begin, like Peter looking at the waves surrounding us, we will surely sink, but we have to keep ourselves our eyes on the Lord and making him our savior.

Speaker 2:

You need to be prepared, too, that attacks can come at any time. They were in a good place. They had just focused on the Lord. The Lord did not prevent this enemy from coming to attack them. Notice that. You know the enemy's still going to come. What they dealt with and how they dealt with this attack that's what we're gonna learn in the next few days and it's gonna be some amazing principles for you. We'll find out what Jehoshaphat did when he had these armies coming against him tomorrow. It's really cool. This is the heart of the story coming up in the next few days is what Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel do and what the Lord tells them to do when they are facing this battle. Thank you so much for joining us for Healing Strong's Around the Word podcast. I hope you are encouraged to dig deeper into God's Word. If you have some time, check out our website, healingstrongorg, where you'll find all about our mission and our community groups. Until next time, remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.