"Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."  2 Chronicles 20:12

It is a most common response when one is overwhelmed, to panic. Fear sets in quickly and if we're not careful, despair will follow. There are situations in life that can throw us overboard. What do we do? How do we handle those times in our lives?

In this passage King Jehoshaphat was told that a great multitude is coming against him in battle. The scripture tells us that Jehoshaphat felt the fear and that fear was real (vs. 3). But we're also told that the first thing he did was to go to God about it. That's what we must do. We have to seek the face of almighty God for His help and direction. To be afraid is not a sin, reacting out of that fear is. 

At times, there are situations that will require us to fast and pray. The people fasted as they asked for help from the Lord God. That is crucial.  Sometimes prayer alone is sufficient for the need while at other times fasting must accompany those prayers. 

Are you in the midst of a challenging time in your life? Are you going through deep trials or afflictions? Run to God seeking His face and help in your time of need. He has the answer, and He will give the victory. He will navigate you through.

It's so important to keep our eyes on God each and every day because there are so many distractions that are designed to take our minds off of spiritual things. The enemy does not want you or I to draw near to God and to be poised and ready to hear His voice. Distractions like entertainment, social activities, the flood of news and media sensation, movies and things of the sort are all intended to fill our minds and time in such a way where we won't connect with God via prayer and the study of His Word. Believe me, it seems to be working with many Christians these days. When crisis happens, trials, or afflictions, we are hard pressed to have peace in the storm because we may have been following from a far off, spiritually speaking. This is how fear can consume us and try to make us react and respond when we become afraid.

Let us keep our eyes on God in the good times when we are not experiencing trials so that we will be ready when they come for they will come. If we desire to live in obedience to God and His Word, we will  have many trials and we will suffer persecution, so the Bible says. "Yea all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12

"It is written: man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of my mouth."                       Matthew 4:4

We must get beyond praying for our needs only (our family, our job, etc.). We should prepare our hearts for the Lord and His things.

Praying and preparing our heart helps us to know the will of God. We should be concerned about what concerns God.
                                                   

Proverbs 21:25 says:
"The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor."

Having dreams and desires but too lazy to do what is needed to see them come to pass?
With planning and diligence success is the result. You must do the work and what it requires for the thing you desire.

The lazy person just talks about it, they talk themselves up year after year, but you never see anything come of it. They're generally looking for other persons to come along and help them by providing everything that will be needed to get their dream off the ground. They, themselves do minimal work yet, they boast or speak about the thing as if they are spearheading it.

There is no success or accomplishment of anything unless we have rolled up our sleeves and set a plan of action in place. Then diligence and hard work must follow consistently. Even when you've reached your goal, it will take the same effort, time and attention to maintain what you have until it doesn't!

It's a New Year! Put a plan of action in place! You were created to succeed!