Two ways to deal with fear

I am in 2 Chronicles this week. I love to study the lives of the kings of Israel and Judah because their lives are such great examples to me of what I should or shouldn't do. They deal with some of the very same things I deal with. Take fear. It is very real, but how we respond to it is what God looks at.

Asa, king of Judah, had a heart that was loyal to God (2 Chron. 15:17). When Zerah the Ethiopian came out against him and he cried out to God, he was victorious. (2 Chron. 14:11-15) God blessed Asa with peace and rest until his 36th year as king. But then, when Baasha, king of Israel came up against him, Asa turned to another king for help instead of calling on God. God, through the seer Hanani, rebuked Asa and told him that from then on he would have wars. (16:9). What not to do? Rely on man. What to do? Cry out to God! Look at Asa's prayer of faith before his victory in Chapter 14:

"LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your Name we go against the multitude. O LORD, You are God; do not let man prevail against You!" 2 Chron. 14:11

King Jehosophat, the son of Asa, had similar problems to his father. Even though he "took delight in the ways of the LORD" (17: 6) Jehosophat aligned himself with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. He too was rebuked by a seer (19:2). However, in 2 Chron. 20, he had learned his lesson. Instead of turning to man for help, Jehosophat "set himeself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So all Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD." (2 Chron 20:3-4) Read Jehosophat's incredible prayer in verses 5-12 of Chapter 20. My favorite line from that prayer is in verse 12:

"For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."