Praying for Help when You are Helpless: The Example of Jehoshaphat

Last time, we looked at enslaved Israel in Egypt, their cry to God for deliverance, and God’s hearing, seeing, and knowing their troubles. He responded with care because he remembered his promises to them, and he delivered them.

Hundreds of years later, we see Judah, the more faithful of the divided nation of Israel, once again in need of deliverance. This time, though, we have a recorded prayer to look at offered by the nation’s king, Jehoshaphat.

2 Chronicles 20 tells the story of how the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites came up against Jehoshaphat for battle. When Jehoshaphat was told that a “great multitude” was at Engedi (only about 25 miles from Jerusalem), he was afraid. What did Jehoshaphat do in his fear? He prayed.

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. (2 Chronicles 20:3-4)

We are going to examine his prayer, which sets an example for how we can pray when we are in a helpless situation.

He recognized God’s character.

O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. (2 Chronicles 20:6)

God is sovereign, and he is powerful. He rules over every kingdom; none can oppose him.

He remembered God’s past actions on Israel’s behalf.

Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, “If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.” (2 Chronicles 20:7-9)

Jehoshaphat remembered God’s driving out the Canaanites from their promised land. Perhaps also in Jehoshaphat’s mind was the story of Israel, enslaved in Egypt, when they earlier “cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction. . . and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand” (Deuteronomy 26:7-8). God had saved them in similar situations multiple times in the past.

He recognized the reality of his present situation.

And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:10-12)

Jehoshaphat didn’t sugarcoat his situation to make it seem not quite so bad. He told God: Behold! This is how bad it is! We obeyed you by not destroying them, and–behold!—this is how they reward us, by driving us out from the possession you’ve given us. We are powerless, and we don’t know what to do!

He requested help from God.

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

Jehoshaphat asked God to execute judgment against them. He knew he couldn’t do it, but his eyes were on the God whom he knew could do whatever it was that God knew to do.

God’s Response

While Jehoshaphat prayed all of Judah stood before the LORD, with their wives, babies, and children. Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel, a Levite, who spoke God’s answer to their prayer:

“Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20: 15-17)

In response, Jehoshaphat and all Judah bowed down before the LORD and worshiped him. The next morning, Jehoshaphat encouraged his men to believe in the LORD, promising them success if they did. While some walked before the army singing praises to God, the LORD set an ambush against their enemies.

For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. (2 Chronicles 20:23-24)

In the midst of a completely helpless situation, Jehoshaphat led his people to trust God and wait for him to work. God delivered him in keeping with his promises to deliver Israel from its enemies when they called on him for help.

What about us? Does God Hear, See, and Answer My Prayers Too?

We’ve seen examples of God answering Israel’s general cries for deliverance from Egypt, as well as a specific prayer by Jehoshaphat for help. But how can we know God will hear and answer our prayers today?

God knows what we need and will answer our prayers to meet our needs.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. . . . Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:6, 8)

All 3 Members of the Trinity Help Us.

God helps us:

So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)

Jesus helps us as he sympathizes and intercedes before God for us:

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

The Spirit helps us when we don’t know what to pray for as we ought:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

How Can We Follow These OT Examples of Prayer?

• Verbalize God’s character in your prayer.
• Remember and verbalize God’s actions and promises he has kept, both in the Bible and in your own life.
• Recognize and verbalize your own helplessness.
• Appeal to God for help and keep your eyes on him.
• Remember that God is your Helper, Jesus is your sympathetic Intercessor, and the Spirit helps you when you don’t know what to pray for as you should.

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Holly Huffstutler serves with her husband David, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Troy in Troy, MI. She has a master’s degree in Biblical Ministries and blogs with him here where this post first appeared. Holly is a homemaker, raising and putting her four children through school.

Image by Pawel Grzegorz from Pixabay