Day 5: All in to Trust God
Life can be tough. We all face challenges—personal struggles, work crises, and family problems. Whether it is financial trouble, sickness, or uncertainty about the future, hard times can shake us.
The big question is: How do we respond? Do we panic? Try to fix everything ourselves? Or do we turn to God?
Today, we’re looking at the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. His example shows us how to trust God completely in tough times. Jehoshaphat was All In with his faith. He didn’t hold back; he fully relied on God in the face of trouble.
Let’s walk through this together and see what we can learn.
2 Chronicles 20:5-12:
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 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.”
In 2 Chronicles 20:1-12, King Jehoshaphat’s story is told in three parts.
1. Facing a Big Problem
Jehoshaphat was in trouble. A huge army was coming to attack Judah, comprising three enemy nations. If he had relied on his own strength, he would have prepared for war immediately. But instead, he turned to God first.
Instead of panicking, he called the whole nation to pray and fast. He stood in front of his people and admitted his fear. He prayed to God,
“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)
What a powerful moment!
The world might see dependence as weakness, but true strength comes from relying on God.
Jehoshaphat was All In — choosing full reliance on God rather than his own wisdom.
Hard times remind us how much we need God. Too often, we pray as a last resort, but Jehoshaphat teaches us to seek God first.
When we realign our hearts with God, we invite His power into our situation.
Also, Jehoshaphat had been leading a spiritual revival in Judah before this crisis. Yet, he didn’t complain that his obedience to God had brought trouble. Instead, he kept trusting God.
The world might see dependence as weakness, but true strength comes from relying on God.
This reminds us that following God doesn’t mean life will be easy, but it does mean we are never alone. Being All In with God means trusting Him even when things don’t make sense.
2. Focus on God, Not Just the Problem
The people of Judah did more than just ask God to save them — they worshipped Him. Jehoshaphat’s prayer starts by recognising who God is before even mentioning the problem. That is a lesson for us too!
Jehoshaphat prayed about:
- Who God is (verse 6): He is powerful, He rules over everything.
- What God has done (verses 7-9): He has been faithful in the past.
- God’s awareness of the situation (verses 10-12): God already knows what’s happening.
- God’s power (verse 12): “We are powerless… but our eyes are on You.”
The more we pray, the more we see how big God is. When we focus on Him, our fears shrink.
Are our prayers focused only on our problems, or do they remind us of how great our God is?
When we trust Him, He gives us peace, wisdom, and strength to face any challenge. True faith is being All In, worshipping God even before we see an answered prayer.
3. God Brings the Victory
God answered Jehoshaphat’s prayer through a man named Jahaziel, who declared:
“Do not be afraid… the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)
What an incredible promise! But here’s the key: Jehoshaphat and the people had to believe it. They had to be All In with their faith.
Instead of fighting, they worshipped even before they saw the victory. Imagine going into battle with a choir leading the way, singing,
“Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21).
And as they worshipped, God moved. Their enemies became confused and destroyed each other! When Judah arrived, the battle was already won.
Victory does not come by our own strength — it comes when we trust and obey Him.
Being All In means praising God before the battle is won, trusting Him when things seem impossible, and believing that He is in control.
As Corrie ten Boom said, “It’s not about great faith, but about a great God.”
Victory does not come by our own strength — it comes when we trust and obey Him.
May we be All In — fully trusting, fully worshiping, and fully believing in his goodness.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, when challenges arise, help us to respond like Jehoshaphat, turning to You instead of being in fear. We surrender our worries, knowing that You hold all things together. You are powerful, sovereign and faithful.
Strengthen our faith that even in the midst of our struggles, we believe You are working for our good. Teach us to walk in faith, to worship in confidence, and to keep our eyes fixed on You.
Today, we declare: “O God, we are powerless; we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
In Jesus’ name, Amen.