The subject matter at The Loft today is STILL. At this typing it’s after 10:00 PM and I’m void of writing inspiration – perhaps we could say I am ‘still’ 🙂

So I searched The White Stone to see if the subject of STILL could be found. It could! More than once. I settled on this one. How about a cut and paste?

August 22, 2008 
Stand Still and See

Do you love some one who is teenaged or all the way up to senior citizen age who thus far just has not surrendered all to Jesus? Does this loved one of yours love dogs? Then I have a book I strongly recommend you pray about purchasing and give to them. I am only on page 21 and thus far this book is extraordinary! I think for any dog lover, Lessons From a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit will hit a home run!

Returning to 2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. [source]

The message given to Jahaziel to give to the people was for ALL of them. From the lowest level servant on the street to the King himself; all peoples of Judah and Jerusalem were to receive the same message. And Yahweh said, do not be afraid or dismayed. Obviously, they were afraid or He would not have instructed them to not be. And from a natural view, they had reason to be afraid. There was a multitude of folks out there wanting to take their lives and their land. Not much has changed, huh? A multitude continues to try to take from Israel. I am confident you know my constant prayer is for America to continue to stand with Israel. But I’m not going there today, at least not right here. So. They had reason to be dismayed. I wonder if we know how strong a word is dismayed? My on-line dictionary describes it this way: a complete loss of courage in the face of trouble or danger. I thought first to describe dismay as being paralyzed but I think that does not accurately describe their condition here. Yes, I think they were rendered immobile to move forward but not paralyzed from retreating. The absence of courage often causes us to run and hide from the ‘multitude’. It takes a Word from the Lord to infuse courage into us. Let me tell you why I think Israel was paralyzed from moving forward but not from moving back.

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” [source]

What do you see in that text? STAND STILL. Often the most courageous and the most difficult thing for us to do is STAND STILL. We want to run away from the ‘multitude’. We want to hide from that necessary holy confrontation; we want to close our eyes and wish away the adversity. Here Abba told them to STAND STILL. He said the battle is HIS – He will handle it. And I believe that is Always true. The battle is always HIS. There are times, I think, we are called to STAND so close to the battle field it seems like we are doing the battling ourselves, but we are not. Hold this thought. I want to come back to it. For a moment look with me at this. I love it.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. From the King to the servant, ALL bowed before the Lord and WORSHIPPED Him! [source]

Did you notice verse 14 read all Judah and all Jerusalem and then King Jehosphaphat? And in verse 18 Jehosphaphat is taking the lead in worship! How good is that?! The King leads the servants to worship. The natural tendency of people is to go the way of the Leader. It takes a rebel pumped up by the Evil One to refuse to follow a king who is bowing to worship THE KING. And it takes a ‘rebel’ empowered by God to refuse to follow an unholy king. I urge you to ponder that one!
Lets look now to see how Israel was to Stand Still before The LORD.

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever.” 22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.[source]

When the people began to sing and to praise Him, the LORD set ambushes against the ‘multitude’ and they were defeated.
Do we want to see our ‘multitude’ defeated? Then we must believe the LORD and praise Him. That my Dear Ones is the way we STAND STILL and see the Salvation of the Lord on our behalf.

Father, from this I understand the battle is Yours and our contribution is only to believe You and praise You. That is more than our minds can conceive. Thank You that is it so. We believe You and we entrust ourselves and all our battles to You. Amen and amen.

GOD has made The Way ~ ~ ~ Kathie