Surrounded: The Valley of Blessing

One Year Bible (July 27)

2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37

Surrounded: The Valley of Blessing

“Hear Ye! Hear Ye! This is Where It’s At. Bow to King Jehoshaphat"!

Indeed, it is time for another royal announcement. The kingdom of Judah welcomes another king to the throne and he is the son of a good king, Asa the Avenger, who ruled faithfully for 41 years.

Yes, “Asa the Achilles Heal” had some kind of severe foot problem that turned into a spiritual problem! But, other than “sticking his foot in his mouth” later on in life, he had a “pretty good run of things”. Well, actually, his feet could not run, but you know what I mean. Now, it is time for his son to grab the reigns for 25 years.

Many years ago, I remember doing a children’s musical called, “Fat Fat Jehoshaphat”.

“Fat Fat Jehoshaphat, what a good, good king he was, The he, da dah, da, dah"… (Kathie Hill Music)

I remember thinking that I am sure glad that my name doesn’t end in “AT”! Cause that’s not where it’s “AT”! (Nicknames can be brutal, Just ask King J.)

Anyway, I know this sounds strange to say, but his title was actually a compliment!

You see, Fat Fat Jehoshaphat was Livin’ Large in the kingdom! He was Abundant in Prayer to his God, and actually Overflowing with Praise to the Lord!

How many positive synonyms do I know for “Fat Fat Jehoshaphat? Well, A LOT, actually!

But, seriously he had an AMPLE amount of faith that we can learn some lessons from... (Sorry, I just can’t seem to un-synonym myself!)

He was Bulletproof! (All of my struggling Keto friends will get that one!)

He had a HEFTY amount of problems, but he also had a Supersized God!

Sorry, I am binge-eating or waffling with words now. It is pretty bad when you need to highlight all your cinnamon, I mean synonyms. If you are a “Foody” like me and are on your way to the kitchen for a late-night snack, I apologize. Just be sure to say your prayers first because this is what our lesson today is all about…

You see, King Jehoshaphat was surrounded by MANY enemies. There were the Moabites, The Ammonites, and The Meunites. GOOD NIGHT! That’s a LOT of “NITES”!

On top of all of that, the Edomites are coming at him with a VAST army from beyond the DEAD SEA. (20:1-2) The next verse tells us that Jehoshaphat was TERRIFIED because he thought he was going to be “DEAD you SEA”.

That was his very first reaction, but do you know his second?

He called on the name of the Lord and begged for guidance. He then asked all the people to join him in prayer and fasting on behalf of their nation.

Here the message was given to him from God through the prophet, Jeruel, “Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (20:15)

They were instructed to do just three things, March. Stand. Watch.

The Battle would be the Lord’s!

When problems, pressure, pain, and persecution come your way… Remember good ol’ Fat Fat Jehoshaphat. With a name like that he had a LOT to overcome! The message given to him was that problems aren’t problems when you pray!”

So “GOLO”, I mean “Go Low” to your knees in prayer. Next, go “Lean on the Cuisine” as in FAST before the Lord in prayer. Lastly, Follow in his footsteps and contact WW, (That’s Weight Watchers) because after you fast and pray, you can Watch the Weight fall off your shoulders!

The Lord delivered them through prayer and fasting. Without lifting a sword, all the enemy lay dead around them with three days' worth of bounty to carry home.

They called it “The Valley of Blessing”, the place where an Unsurmountable Foe became an Unforgettable Lesson in Faith!

Fat Fat Jehoshaphat was “Fat on Faith” and “Lean on Mean”.

What obstacle has you terrified in your “valley” right now?

I pray that today is the day that we learn a BIG, JUMBO, SUPERSIZED lesson about Fasting, Faith, and Fortitude from

FAT FAT Jehoshaphat!

Jehoshaphat’s greatest valley began with SHEER TERROR but ended with TREMENDOUS TRIUMPH.

May we too be “LIVIN’ LARGE” in “The Valley of Blessing”!

(2 Chronicles 20:26)

“When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord HIMSELF had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of the Lord came over them.” (2 Chronicles 20:29)