The Power of Thanking God in Advance By Rick Warren
"The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!'"2 Chronicles 20:21 (NLT)
In 2 Chronicles 20:21, King Jehoshaphat had a very unusual way of organizing an army: "The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!'" (NLT).
Jehoshaphat’s battle plan was to put a choir before the infantry. Picture this: On one side, there are three enemy armies amassed to do battle against Israel. Then there’s the valley where they’re going to battle. Then there are the lowly Israelites. Jehoshaphat essentially says, “We’re going to take those of you who sing and make a choir out of you, putting you in front of the army as you march into battle.”
There’s a very important truth here: The Israelites were thanking God in advance for the victory. Praise and thanksgiving are verbalized faith. If you thank God after the fact, that’s gratitude. If you thank God before it happens, that’s faith.
Notice the effect of praise in verses 22 and 23: “When they began to sing, the LORD threw the invading armies into a panic. The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting" (GNT). God confused the enemy, and they turned on each other and destroyed themselves while the Israelites looked on. There is power in expectation.
You know that insurmountable problem in your life—the one with the odds stacked against you? When you thank God after he’s solved everything, that’s called gratitude. But when you thank him before it’s all settled—right in the middle of the problem—that’s faith.
When you allow God to solve your problems, it becomes a testimony to unbelievers. The world takes notice when his followers live by faith. And God loves to demonstrate his power in those who expect him to work in their lives.
Are you facing a difficult circumstance this week—in your finances, in your relationships, or in your career? Do you feel like the odds are against you? Do you think your problem is overwhelming? What do you do? You turn to God, who defends you.
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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