It's Not Your Battle
2 Chronicles 20:15
"And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."
Jehoshaphat made the same mistake that many Christians make in that he made God's battle his own battle, and the result was that he was"afraid" and "dismayed." Jehoshaphat saw the great multitude coming to destroy Judah, and because of his position, he thought it was his battle. What he forgot was that he was simply a representative of God. Anybody who fought against him was actually fighting against God. His job was not to be concerned with the outcome of the battle, but to do what God told him to do. If he had stayed focused on his responsibilities, then he would not have had to worry or fear.
In the LORD's work you will find that there are many battles that will be fought. Christians will be attacked for their stand for what is right. Churches will face battles against liberal politicians who want to control churches. Preachers will be attacked for standing and preaching the truth. In any case, the battle is the LORD's, and because it is His battle we must let Him do the fighting.
Two things happen when you make God's battle yours. First, fear will grip your heart. You will notice that God said to Jehoshaphat, "Be not afraid..." He was afraid because he made this battle his. The LORD's battles are too big for you. When you make them yours, it will be natural to have fear because you are not able to handle them. I am reminded of David fighting Goliath. His heart should have been filled with fear, but it seemingly wasn't. Why? Because he understood that it was the LORD's battle. You need not fear when you're fighting the LORD's battles because they are not yours. The battle you face today may seem unsurmountable, but you must realize that the battle is not yours, but God's. You can repel fear from your life if you will keep the battle in its right perspective.
Second, disillusionment will grip your mind when you make God's battle yours. Many Christians become disillusioned with the Christian life because they see these battles and watch people fall in them and wonder how they can overcome. You shouldn't worry about overcoming the battles, for even if you lose it is not your battle. In the LORD's battle people will fall, but you must not become disillusioned.
What is the answer to keep from making the LORD's battle yours? The answer is to do what you are supposed to do. Stay focused on doing right, for that is your responsibility. Leave the victory up to God, and you do what you are supposed to do. You need to keep soul winning, doing right, and walking with God, and you will find that the LORD is very capable of fighting and winning His own battles. If you will stay focused on fulfilling your responsibilities, then you will not have to carry fear and disillusionment in your life. Your life can be free from these if you will not make the LORD's battles yours.