Start with Praise: 7 Empowering PrayersSample

The Key to Remaining Unshaken and Empowered by Christ

As I was praying for my friend about her daughter’s infuriating snag that was delaying her college graduation, the Lord led me to 2 Chronicles. I prayed these verses over the situation, and texted them to my friend. Unbeknownst to me, she was headed up to meet with the school at the very moment I was praying. God’s timing is always amazing to me!

Since then, I’ve had many opportunities to cry out these verses to the Lord on behalf of my children, my husband, work, other family members, friends, and acquaintances. We might not have any idea what we should do, but if we keep our eyes on the Lord, despite the craziness swirling around us, then we can stand unshaken, empowered in Christ, knowing God will go before us and fight our battle for us. Our job is just to keep our eyes on the Lord and take each step of faith He has planned for us.

I love the story of King Jehoshaphat hidden in 2 Chronicles. The King of Judah finds out that he and his people will soon be under attack by not one, not two, but three armies. What I love is that his first response is not to stress out and run around crying or screaming. But he wasn’t without emotion, either. Instead he took his concern right to the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20:3 says, “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah” (NIV). When everyone gathered to hear the king, he stood resolute before all of Judah. Can you imagine? And then, when he starts praying, he begins as we do in Moms in Prayer. He doesn’t dive right into begging the Lord or pleading for protection. No, he started by praising God.

The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, 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.”
(2 Chronicles 20:4-6 NIV)

After praising and thanking the Lord, Jehoshaphat cried out, “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (verse 12 NIV).

Check out God’s answer to the king—and to us. “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (verse 15 NIV). Jehoshaphat and his comparatively small army are told, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (verse 17 NIV). 

The first thing you might notice in 2 Chronicles 20 is that they are not worried or nervous, because they’re keeping their focus on the Lord. Three big ol’ armies are headed their way, and they’re totally outnumbered. Yet, when the army gathered, they chose an unusual weapon to protect themselves: praise songs! “Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army” (verse 21 NIV).

How did they remain unshaken in the face of great calamity? They praised God! Now comes the completely amazing part. “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” (verse 22 NIV). Rival armies began fighting each other, so much so that by the time Judah reached the battleground, this is what they saw: “When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped” (verse 24 NIV). In those days, the winning army took the plunder. And since there was no one else to claim the equipment, clothing, and expensive articles, God blessed His people with them.

When confronted with an overwhelming challenge, Jehoshaphat and his kingdom went to prayer instead of fear. By starting with praise, they moved their eyes off the problem and onto the ultimate Problem Solver. And though they didn’t know what to do, they were unshaken, filled with God’s inexplicable peace as they took those steps of faith.

What are you facing today? That battle is not yours: It’s God’s. Let Him empower you. Start by praising God for who He is, then rest in the fact that the Creator of the universe is going to take care of your problem.

PRAISE
Lord, I praise You for Your power, that I need only to look to You, because You will go before me and fight my battles.

CONFESSION
Please forgive me for the times I take my eyes off You and become shaken and fearful.

THANKSGIVING
I thank You Lord specifically for _____________

INTERCESSION
I pray for _______ that he/she will keep his/her eyes on You, even though _______ may not know what to do.

PETITION
Lord, for myself, I do not know what to do in the area of ___________, but please help me keep my eyes on You, to step out in faith, knowing that You will go before me.

  

- - - - - - - -

We hope you enjoyed this 7-day prayer plan adapted from Start with Praise. Find over 30 more prayers and learn how to invite God's power into every area of your heart here: https://amzn.to/2JDnlHz

It all starts with praise!