Take Up Your Positions

2 Chronicles 20:2

Some men came and told Jehosophat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar. Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said:
"O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God of our fathers, 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. O 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 of 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. O 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."

Then the Spirit of the Lord came... and said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God's...You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you."

Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.... Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful...Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever."

As they began to sing and praise the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah and they were defeated!

This was the scripture Natasha reminded me of as she declared she was not going to be defeated or lose her restaurant. We were discussing the trials of not being able to meet every bill that need to be paid. We also are experiencing something similar as sufficient funds for our house payment is not in our account and the payment is due Monday. She said, "I am not in this for the money! I started this for Tacu, to provide for him for school, for his future. I don't need to amass wealth, what will I do with that? My brother wants to move Tacu and me to Canada to be with him. I wouldn't have to work, he has plenty of money. But what will I do there? What will I teach Tacu there? It isn't where I belong, I belong here in Africa! Trials are not so that I will give up and run. Impossibilities are the conditions for a miracle! Trials help me put my faith and hope in God and help me teach Tacu the same. He asked me why the other children around us received Christmas gifts and he did not. He knows I do not have the money for such things. We sat down and prayed, Christmas day isn't the only day that God can send presents. Everyday he sends us gifts! Tacu and I prayed that Jesus would send him something for Christmas. We told no one, but I said to him, 'you watch and believe, God will answer our prayer.' When Laura took me shopping for supplies for the restaurant, which was also in answer to prayer, she asked if we could get a few things for Tacu. I didn't mention that we prayed and even tried to say no. But she would have nothing of it. We bought him a few things and when I went home that night and showed him the first thing I said was, 'come and see the answer to prayer from God.' When he saw he was so excited, so happy and thrilled. He said to his friend, 'look here at what Jesus sent me!' The friend said, 'no, it was your mommy.' Tacu said, 'no, my mommy hasn't got money for gifts. I prayed and God answered from heaven!' This is how I know, Susan, God will answer our prayers as we cry out for him. Jehoshaphat told God, 'but I'm afraid.' God said, 'Take up your positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.' God commanded Jehoshaphat to face his battles, his trials for when he faced them he could see that God was there before him to deliver him! I am believing he will do this for me, too! For I know I am walking in righteousness before the Lord in so doing."

Laura and I had gone to pray or Natasha, to encourage her! I had just told Laura what potential I could see all over the restaurant! It's just a small place, but it's so clean and Natasha is very faithful! The glory of Go is all over the place! It reminded me of that first day when we started Blood N Fire in the states. We were outside the building that God had said was ours, yet we had no money to buy it. The band cranked up the music, we lit some fires in old metal barrels to keep warm and when folks passed or stopped by we invited them to join our worship party- offering a cup of coffee and a donut. What a day of small beginnings that was! And now today in the Fountain View Cafe we were again witnessing a day of small beginnings. I saw fruit from our monthly prayer gatherings and from the relationships being built in the city of Cape Town and the potential for so much more! Previously I'd been thinking of going to the Cape Grace Hotel by the yacht basin to start writing my second book. I told Laura I thought the place to be was with Natasha at the Fountain View Cafe in Woodstock! Not the upmarket yacht basin! I know I need to stop in to encourage Natasha at least one day a week. She sat down with us for a few minutes and told me how much she would love for me to stop in once a week and do something like I do in Green Market for the women who come around there! She offered the restaurant as a meeting place for the BNF church on Sundays, even! And I told her about the school we want to do for the kids, inviting Tacu to come over Friday with the other kids. We plan also to invite Natasha and Tacu over on Sunday to hang out with the family. He wants to learn how to swim and Natasha wants to teach him. We want to be a part of the crowd that cheers him on in this! After our two hour long chat we prayed and thanked God that he had put us in each other's lives and for the 'church' that had happened there even though we hadn't planned it or the fact that the place was not a designated "church" building, we knew that where two or more are gathered in his name, He will be in their midst! Do I still need to go on Sunday? :) What you may not know about Natasha the restrauteur.... six years ago she was a refugee from Zimbabwe! "Who is this coming out of the desert?"