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WHAT IS OUR AUTHORITY IN PRAYER?

One day King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah saw that a great multitude had risen up against them. These groups of aggressors-the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the people of Mount Seir-launched a major assault against Jerusalem.

Jehoshaphat felt deeply afraid, but rather than cower in fear, he "set himself to seek the Lord" (2 Chr. 20:3). He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah and called the people together to join him in seeking the Lord. He stood before the people in the House of the Lord and prayed, " O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?" (20:6).

Jehoshaphat did not express doubt in the power in the power of God, but rather publicly proclaimed his trust in an almighty God. He declared that he was pitting all of his hope in the Lord of unlimited power. In addition, Jehoshaphat stated very plainly that he, even as king of Judah, stood in total humility and weakness before the Lord. He claimed no authority in or for himself. He said to God:

You are the one who gave us this land.
You are the one who has allowed your people to dwell in it and build a sancutary in it.
you are the one said that we should cry out to you in our affiction and you would hear and save us.
you are the one who told us to spare these enemy people when we first came to occupy this land.
you are the only one capable of judging these enemies who are rising against us-we have no power and no plan.

He concluded his prayer by admitting,''our eyes are upon you." in effect jehoshaphat was sayin "if you dont excecise your authority in this matter, we are doomed. We are putting our entire trust and confidence in you and you alone."

We see no trace of egotism in jehoshaphat. he made no demand that god do something that god did not desire to do. jehoshaphat claimed no authority in himself, and also no power for himself. But he wisely recognized that all power and all authority reside in god alone, and from understanding he petitioned the god of heaven.