Pondering in His Presence: Raise Your Battle Cry!

"When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the LORD for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah." 2 Chronicles 13:14-15

I had a friend who used to say, "Life is hard, then you die." Although it may sound like he had a continual, pessimistic outlook, he actually was a very jovial guy who was a lot of fun. Sadly, his life did end too soon after an incurable diagnosis. As the writer of Chronicles traces the rise and fall of kings, certainly this adage appears to hold true. Repeatedly we read about nation fighting against nation, but when the people would call to the Lord and seek Him wholeheartedly, we see the powerful intervention of God.

I think we have all been there. We have stood in the place where we feel we are "being attacked from the front and the rear". In a place where we feel there is no way out and any decision yields loss. Any move at all seems overwhelming and frightening. Surrounded by "the enemy" we can feel trapped, without escape. It may not be people enveloping us, it could be difficult situations. In fact, the encircling can even come from emotions within that keep pressing and suffocating, making us feel like we cannot break free.

When they were facing more than they could handle, Judah's first response was to cry out to the Lord for help. I absolutely love what scripture records in response. "At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah."

Feeling shut in on all sides, with no hope of reinforcement penetrating the enemy line, we must remember that nothing can prevent God from swooping in from above! Even though harm may seem behind and before, our lives as believers are hidden in Christ. He hears our battle cries when circumstances appear hopeless. There isn't anything we will encounter that is outside of His reach. God responded to the sincere and desperate battle cry immediately and there was great victory. Relying on God will always prevail over our opposing foe, whoever or whatever it may be.

Yesterday, a name was attached to my husband's ongoing heart condition. Since his cardiac arrest last August and his valve replacement surgery three months ago, there are days we have felt surrounded by illness and disease. For the most part, we are staying home so that exposure to other viruses is lessened. Hearing the cardiologist explain that Gord has cardiomyopathy, a chronic disease that will remain apart from a miraculous touch from the Lord, could put a shroud of shadow over our days. Instead, we lift our battle cry to the Lord, reminded of lyrics from a song Michael W. Smith sings, that when it looks like we're surrounded, we are surrounded by the Lord.

And to encourage me further, earlier today I opened a daily devotional book I read entitled, "Rest in Me". The writing was entitled: "More than You Can Handle." The key scripture was, "Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." (2 Corinthians 1:9). When our hope and trust is in the Lord for deliverance, we don't need to despair. It is because of this truth alone that we raise a voice of victory! A battle cry of praise is a weapon of worship that declares God's dominion over us and can halt the enemies progress against us as we acknowledge the Lord's presence and keeping hand on us. Let's lift our battle cry remembering that we are not fighting for victory, but from a place of victory, and watch God turn our battles into blessings to glorify His name.