Praise Before Proof: When You Don’t Have to Fight Every Battle

Have you ever been so accustomed to fighting that you automatically prepare yourself whenever another problem appears?

You put on the imaginary boxing gloves. You put the Vaseline on your face. You lace up your sneakers. Emotionally, mentally, and sometimes spiritually, you prepare yourself to step into the ring.

• Someone comes against you—you’re ready.

• Something goes wrong—you’re ready.

• Someone misunderstands you—you start preparing your explanation.

• Someone mistreats you—you start planning your response.

• Another problem appears—and immediately your mind starts asking, “What am I going to do about this?”

But what if every battle that comes to you isn’t necessarily yours to fight?

What if some of our exhaustion comes from fighting battles God never asked us to fight?

There are times when we absolutely need to stand our ground, take action, establish boundaries, speak up, or confront what is happening. But there are also times when our greatest act of faith is stepping away from the fight and trusting God with the outcome.

The wisdom is learning the difference.

When You Don’t Know What to Do

There is a powerful story in 2 Chronicles 20 about King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah.

Jehoshaphat received frightening news: a vast army was coming against them. In fact, several groups had joined together against Judah. He wasn't facing one problem from one direction. He was facing overwhelming opposition.

Sometimes life feels exactly like that. It isn't just one thing.

• The financial problem happens at the same time as the family problem.

• The family problem happens while you're dealing with something at work.

• Then someone disappoints you.

• Another unexpected expense appears.

• A relationship becomes difficult.

• A door closes.

And before you can recover from one situation, something else happens.

Eventually you find yourself asking, “God, what is going on?”

Jehoshaphat could have immediately focused on military strategy, but instead he turned toward God, and said.

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:12

There is tremendous freedom in those words. Sometimes we think faith means always knowing what to do. It doesn't.

Sometimes faith means admitting:

• I don't know.

• I don't know how this is going to work out.

• I don't know what the answer is.

• I don't know what my next move should be.

• I don't know how God is going to change this.

But my eyes are on Him.

There are situations where our need to immediately do something can actually interfere with our ability to hear what God is telling us to do.Sometimes the answer isn't another move. Sometimes the answer is surrender.

Maybe You're Tired Because You're Fighting the Wrong Battle

Look at God's response to Jehoshaphat: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.” — 2 Chronicles 20:15

Think about that for a moment. The battle is not yours!

How much energy do we spend fighting things that belong to God?

• We lose sleep.

• We replay conversations.

• We plan responses.

• We try to convince people.

• We try to correct people's perception of us.

• We try to make people understand.

• We try to control how situations turn out.

• We try to anticipate somebody else's next move so we can be ready with ours.

Eventually we become emotionally and spiritually exhausted. Sometimes we're blaming the battle for exhausting us when the real problem is that we entered a fight God never assigned to us.

There is a difference between standing your ground and trying to control the outcome.

God told Jehoshaphat:

“Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:17

God didn't tell them to run.

• He didn't tell them to pretend there wasn't a problem.

• He told them to stand.

That's important.

Trusting God doesn't necessarily mean doing nothing. You may still need to maintain your boundaries. You may need to continue doing what God has instructed you to do. You may need to pray, prepare, work, wait, or remain consistent.

But you can do all of those things without trying to control how everything turns out.

Sometimes standing firm means:

• Keep believing.

• Keep praying.

• Keep obeying.

• Keep doing what you know is right.

• Keep trusting.

and stop trying to control the outcome.

What If Praise Became Your Response?

Jehoshaphat prepared the people to go out and face their enemies—but instead of simply putting his strongest warriors at the front, he appointed people to sing and praise God at the head of the army.

They went toward the battle praising. That means they praised before they saw the victory. Sometimes that's one of the hardest kinds of praise.

• It's easy to thank God when the prayer has already been answered.

• It's easy to praise when the door has opened.

• It's easy to celebrate when the breakthrough has happened.

• It's easy to say, “Look what God did!” when you're standing on the other side of the situation.

But what about when nothing has changed yet?

• Can you praise while you're waiting?

• Can you praise while the answer is still unknown?

• Can you praise when the door hasn't opened?

• Can you praise when you're still looking at something that seems impossible?

• Can you praise when the circumstances seem to contradict what you're believing God for?

That's praise before proof.

It's saying:

• God, I haven't seen it yet, but I still trust You.

• I don't know how You're going to do it, but I trust You.

• I don't know how this situation will end, but I know who You are.

• I don't have the answer, but my eyes are on You.

Praise before proof isn't pretending everything is okay. It is deciding that what you know about God is greater than what you currently see around you.

Something Happened When They Began to Praise

“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes…” — 2 Chronicles 20:22

• They worshiped. God fought.

• They praised. God handled what they could not.

The enemy forces eventually turned against one another.

Maybe everything doesn't require your immediate reaction.

• Maybe you don't have to answer everything.

• Maybe you don't have to explain yourself to everyone.

• Maybe you don't have to chase every misunderstanding.

• Maybe you don't have to force every door.

• Maybe you don't have to know exactly how everything is going to work out.

Sometimes you simply need to say: “God, this belongs to You.” and I am going to praise you.

Praise Isn't About Ignoring Reality

• It doesn't mean denying that something hurts.

• It doesn't mean pretending you're not afraid.

• It doesn't mean refusing to take appropriate action when action is necessary.

Jehoshaphat knew an army was coming. He wasn't denying reality.

He simply refused to allow what he saw to become greater than what he knew about God.

“I don't know what's going to happen, but I know who I'm trusting.”

Put Down the Gloves

Maybe you've been walking through life with your boxing gloves permanently attached.

• Always preparing for the next fight.

• Always preparing your defense.

• Always anticipating another disappointment.

• Always trying to stay three steps ahead so nothing catches you off guard.

That kind of living will wear you out.

There will be battles you need to fight. There will be moments when God requires courage, action, boundaries, and spiritual warfare.

But not every battle requires your gloves.

• Some require your surrender.

• Some require your silence.

• Some require your patience.

• Some require you to stand still.

• And some require you to simply praise.

Turn your attention away from everything you cannot control and toward the God who remains in control.

• You may not have the proof yet.

• You may not see the answer yet.

• You may not understand how God is going to work it out.

But you don't have to wait until the battle is over to praise the One who promised to be with you in it.

Go ahead and praise before the proof!