2 Chronicles 20 explains how Jehoshaphat, King of Judah,
called the people his kingdom together to earnestly pray while
invaders from Moab and Ammon threatened them.
What followed was like an Early Church charismatic service:
(1) United as One
2 Chronicles 20:13
All the men of Judah, with their wives
and children and little ones, stood there
before the Lord
Acts of the Apostles 2:13-14
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs
to the room where they were staying.
Those present were Peter, John, James
and Andrew; Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew; James son
of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and
Judas son of James.
14 They all joined together constantly in
prayer, along with the women and Mary
the mother of Jesus, and with his
brothers.
(2) Power in Prayer
2 Chronicles 20:5-6
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the
assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the
temple of the Lord in the front of the new
courtyard
6 and said: "O Lord , God of our fathers,
are you not the God who is in heaven?
You rule over all the kingdoms of the
nations. Power and might are in your
hand, and no one can withstand you.
[Note in (3) below how that, in the flow
of the Spirit, Jehosaphat's prayer leads
to the anointed prophecy given by Jahaziel]
Acts of the Apostles 4:24, 26, 31
24 When they heard this, they raised their
voices together in prayer to God.
26 'The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together against
the Lord and against his Anointed One.
31 After they prayed, the place where
they were meeting was shaken. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and spoke the word of God boldly.
(3) The Gift of Prophecy
2 Chronicles 20:14-15
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon
Jahaziel son of Zechariah...
15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat
and all who live in Judah and
Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to
you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged
because of this vast army. For the battle
is not yours, but God's.
15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat
and all who live in Judah and
Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to
you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged
because of this vast army. For the battle
is not yours, but God's.
1 Corinthians 14:29
Two or three prophets should speak,
and the others should weigh carefully
what is said.
(4) The Impact of the Prophetic Gift
2 Chronicles 20:18
Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to
the ground, and all the people of Judah
and Jerusalem fell down in worship
before the Lord .
1 Corinthians 14:24-25
24 But if an unbeliever or someone who
does not understand comes in while
everybody is prophesying, he will be
convinced by all that he is a sinner and
will be judged by all,
25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid
bare. So he will fall down and worship
God, exclaiming, "God is really among
you!"
(5) Breaking out in Song
2 Chronicles 20:19
Then some Levites from the
Kohathites and Korahites stood up and
praised the Lord , the God of Israel, with
very loud voice.
1 Corinthians 15:26
When you come together, everyone has a hymn.
&
Ephesians 5:18-19
18 ...be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another with psalms,
hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord
(6) The Gift of Exhortation (Putting It All in Perspective)
2 Chronicles 20:12
Early in the morning they left for the
Desert of Tekoa. As they set out,
Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to
me, Judah and people of Jerusalem!
Have faith in the Lord your God and you
will be upheld; have faith in his prophets
and you will be successful."
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you
may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand.
(7) The Blessed Effects of Singing to the Lord Together
2 Chronicles 20:22
As they began to sing and praise, the
Lord set ambushes against the men of
Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who
were invading Judah, and they were
defeated.
Acts of the Apostles 16:25-26
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God, and
the other prisoners were listening to
them.
26 Suddenly there was such a violent
earthquake that the foundations of the
prison were shaken. At once all the
prison doors flew open, and everybody's
chains came loose.
__________
All Scripture text quoted above in italics is taken from the
HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan. All rights reserved. Bold text is mine.
called the people his kingdom together to earnestly pray while
invaders from Moab and Ammon threatened them.
What followed was like an Early Church charismatic service:
(1) United as One
2 Chronicles 20:13
All the men of Judah, with their wives
and children and little ones, stood there
before the Lord
Acts of the Apostles 2:13-14
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs
to the room where they were staying.
Those present were Peter, John, James
and Andrew; Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew; James son
of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and
Judas son of James.
14 They all joined together constantly in
prayer, along with the women and Mary
the mother of Jesus, and with his
brothers.
(2) Power in Prayer
2 Chronicles 20:5-6
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the
assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the
temple of the Lord in the front of the new
courtyard
6 and said: "O Lord , God of our fathers,
are you not the God who is in heaven?
You rule over all the kingdoms of the
nations. Power and might are in your
hand, and no one can withstand you.
[Note in (3) below how that, in the flow
of the Spirit, Jehosaphat's prayer leads
to the anointed prophecy given by Jahaziel]
Acts of the Apostles 4:24, 26, 31
24 When they heard this, they raised their
voices together in prayer to God.
26 'The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together against
the Lord and against his Anointed One.
31 After they prayed, the place where
they were meeting was shaken. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and spoke the word of God boldly.
(3) The Gift of Prophecy
2 Chronicles 20:14-15
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon
Jahaziel son of Zechariah...
15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat
and all who live in Judah and
Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to
you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged
because of this vast army. For the battle
is not yours, but God's.
15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat
and all who live in Judah and
Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to
you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged
because of this vast army. For the battle
is not yours, but God's.
1 Corinthians 14:29
Two or three prophets should speak,
and the others should weigh carefully
what is said.
(4) The Impact of the Prophetic Gift
2 Chronicles 20:18
Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to
the ground, and all the people of Judah
and Jerusalem fell down in worship
before the Lord .
1 Corinthians 14:24-25
24 But if an unbeliever or someone who
does not understand comes in while
everybody is prophesying, he will be
convinced by all that he is a sinner and
will be judged by all,
25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid
bare. So he will fall down and worship
God, exclaiming, "God is really among
you!"
(5) Breaking out in Song
2 Chronicles 20:19
Then some Levites from the
Kohathites and Korahites stood up and
praised the Lord , the God of Israel, with
very loud voice.
1 Corinthians 15:26
When you come together, everyone has a hymn.
&
Ephesians 5:18-19
18 ...be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another with psalms,
hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord
(6) The Gift of Exhortation (Putting It All in Perspective)
2 Chronicles 20:12
Early in the morning they left for the
Desert of Tekoa. As they set out,
Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to
me, Judah and people of Jerusalem!
Have faith in the Lord your God and you
will be upheld; have faith in his prophets
and you will be successful."
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you
may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand.
(7) The Blessed Effects of Singing to the Lord Together
2 Chronicles 20:22
As they began to sing and praise, the
Lord set ambushes against the men of
Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who
were invading Judah, and they were
defeated.
Acts of the Apostles 16:25-26
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God, and
the other prisoners were listening to
them.
26 Suddenly there was such a violent
earthquake that the foundations of the
prison were shaken. At once all the
prison doors flew open, and everybody's
chains came loose.
__________
All Scripture text quoted above in italics is taken from the
HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan. All rights reserved. Bold text is mine.
