The Right Way to Overcome Fear and Discouragement

Fear. Discouragement.

There’s a lot of both going around out there in light of recent events.

Mainly because we feel helpless to do anything.

But that’s okay.

There’s a way to overcome fear and discouragement.

Overcome Fear and Discouragement – An Example

It’s easy to get frightened and discouraged when the enemy seems too powerful and too vast for us to fight. The kingdom of Judah also faced a large enemy, but their godly king took the right steps, and the nation’s people fell right in line.

Jehoshaphat was afraid and [c]turned his attention to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord. -2 Chronicles 20:3-4

Next they held a national prayer meeting.

“O Lord, the God of our fathers,are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, ‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.’ Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir,whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” -2 Chronicles 20:6-12

These things stood out to me in this prayer:

The prayer acknowledged God’s sovereignty, power, and authority.
The prayer accessed God’s past promises to Abraham.
The prayer admitted they were powerless without God and needed Him.

Out of that prayer meeting came a prophecy the Lord sent through His Spirit, which resulted in praise to God:

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s….You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves,stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.” Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice. -2 Chronicles 20:15b, 17-19

The next day, the kingdom of Judah praised God all the way to the battlefield, and the enemy army was defeated as they turned upon one another (2 Chronicles 20:18-28). All Judah had to do was take up their position, stand firm, and see the deliverance God gave them. Needless to say, there was a whole lot more of praising God after that.

And look what happened next.

And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. -2 Chronicles 20:29

Overcome Fear and Discouragement – An Application

Regardless of what happens as a result of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, brothers and sisters, we must not forget that our Sovereign God is in control. We also need to band together, to stand strong in our faith in God and His deliverance. This is a time to cry out to God and a time to deny ourselves as we seek God.

Then we’ll watch as He delivers and praise Him all the way home.

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