Second Chronicles 20 tells the story of a fearful king Jehosaphat. He was surrounded and outnumbered by hostile nations, and, seeing the potential devastation that lay ahead, the king gathered all the people to pray and fast for God’s mercy. In the middle of the prayer meeting, a prophet Jahaziel spoke by the Spirit of the Lord to the whole assembly, “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s…. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf.” (2 Chron. 20:15-17)
The news could not have been any better. God was going to fight on behalf of his people! This word from the Lord turned the prayer meeting into a praise meeting (vv. 18-19), and King Jehoshaphat did something that no doubt would have been a shock to the invading armies. He took counsel with his people and “he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.’” (vv. 20-21) At the front line, Jehoshaphat didn’t place the spearmen or sword-wielders; he positioned the singers. As these front-line worshippers sang God’s praises, the LORD set ambushes against the hostile armies and delivered his people.
The apostle Paul said, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:4) Like Jehoshaphat, Christians today are engaged in a spiritual war. The good news is that God has won the battle through Jesus Christ, and every week we storm the gates of hell proclaiming, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Right before Paul outlined the equipment needed by the Christian soldier (Eph. 6), he exhorted the church to be filled with the Spirit, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father.” (Eph. 5:19-20) Worship is the proper response to Christ’s victory over sin, death, and Satan!
Worship is not only our response, however. It’s also a way we’re trained for the fight at hand. As we address each other with psalms and hymns, we are inundated with the Word of Christ (Col. 3:16). As we hear God’s Word proclaimed faithfully by pastors and teachers, we are made wise for the salvation that is in Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 3:15). When we witness a baptism, we are seeing the King claim another captive rebel for himself (Col. 1:13), and when we partake of communion, we eat at the victors’ banquet table even though we still struggle with sin.
When Christians gather together to praise God, they are in battle formation. This is why it’s so important that what we sing, and the message we hear preached is true according to Scripture. It’s the Word and Spirit of God that grant the victory! As Martin Luther put it in his famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God”: “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure, one little word shall fell him.”
