“And they…went forth” (verse 20). God's deliverance requires action on our part — action that is based on faith in the Word that He has sent. Jehoshaphat could have prayed the greatest prayer ever prayed, he could have humbled himself before God, and God could have sent His anointed Word through His prophet — but if that is where it stopped, God's people would have been eliminated from the face of the earth.

Jehoshaphat, at the moment, was concerned for his life and the lives of his people; but think of the ramifications for generations to come that hung upon his decision to put his faith into action and do what the Lord had commanded. Jehoshaphat could have said he trusted the Lord, and yet, refused to obey Him and go forth under His direction in the hour of testing. How many times I have said that God never does anything to us or for us, but always through us. The battle is not ours, but we must remain the willing instrument in the hand of God that we might “see the salvation of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

Jehoshaphat believed, but he also had to convince the people to follow him. He stood before the people and declared, “Hear me, 0 Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper” (verse 20).

Here we can draw a spiritual parallel. We read in the Word of God that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). In our hearts we can know that the Word of God is true, but our will must be brought into subjection to the Spirit of God.

Action must be the result!

Judah had to move out of the comfort of Jerusalem in order to confront the enemy face- to face. If they waited until the enemy reached the gates of the city, it would be too late to act. Here is another great secret that the revelation of the New Anointing has taught us. We must put the enemy on the run. If we wait until the enemy is on our doorstep, then we are on the defensive and it is harder to gain the victory.

I am a firm believer in meeting and dealing with every problem the moment it rears its ugly head. Do not live under the cloud of illusion that problems will work themselves out; they will only work you out — out of peace of mind and out of the health, happiness, and prosperity God wants you to have.

When Jehoshaphat heard of the problem, he immediately took steps to deal with it. He did not wait until the enemy was at the city gates. Because he dealt with the problem immediately, the Spirit of God was able to establish him in an offensive posture. He was able to pursue the enemy, not in his own strength, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today, I will pursue the enemy not in my own strength, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.