Prayer Before Panic

James Madison

The Vida Church family was blessed this Sunday to hear from one of our leaders, James Madison, while Pastors Ben & Kara Diaz and family were ministering in Israel. James brought us a powerful and timely reminder on how to fight our battles. Every one of us faces them—and the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 gives us God’s supernatural battle plan.

King Jehoshaphat was a leader who trusted God much like King David. Yet when five armies rose up against Israel—outnumbering them ten to one—fear gripped his heart. Instead of panicking, he turned to the Lord. He called the nation to fast and pray, seeking God’s direction for the battle.

From the beginning, they reminded themselves of who God is: great, mighty, and faithful—the same God who had delivered them before and would do it again! Jehoshaphat prayed in 2 Chronicles 20:6:
“O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you!”

Then came God’s word to them in verse 15: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” And in verses 17–18, the Lord laid out His strategy:

“You will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you… Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”

The people responded by bowing low, worshiping the Lord, and praising Him in advance of the victory.

James showed us that the same three steps apply to us today:

1. Seek God first. Before you panic—pray.
2. Stand your ground in faith.
3. Lead with worship. Let praise and thanksgiving go before the problem.

He closed by challenging us to ask the Holy Spirit: “What battle am I fighting that really belongs to You?”



James reminded us that when we cling tightly to control, like gripping the steering wheel at “10 and 2,” we can’t let God take over. But when we release the wheel—just like the song says, “Jesus, take the wheel”—we allow Him to fight for us. Our job is to seek, stand, and worship. His job is to win the victory. And He always does!

To watch this powerful message in its entirety—and to hear inspiring testimonies from the mission team who just returned from serving at our orphanage in Kenya—CLICK HERE.