2 Chronicles 20:25-26 (NIV) So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.

Three armies had joined together to try to destroy the people of Judah and Jerusalem, but the people had a godly king who knew what to do when he didn’t know what to do. He called the people to fast and pray and then had them come from all over the land to the temple in Jerusalem to call on God together. After they had prayed, the Spirit of the Lord came upon a Levite named Jahaziel with a prophetic message. The message from the Lord was that the battle that they were facing against the vast armies that had amassed against them was not their battle, but His. Through Jahaziel, the Lord continued to let them know that they were to take up their positions in battle, but that they would not have to fight it. He would do the fighting for them. King Jehoshaphat took his cue from what the Lord had said and decided to send singers in front of the army to sing praises to God as they marched to the battlefront. What a sight that must have been for the enemies of God! The army of Judah was approaching them but at the front lines were not Judah’s fiercest fighters, but their best singers. As they praised God, the Lord so confused their enemies in battle that they turned on each other and destroyed themselves. The people of God collected plunder for three days and on the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of Berakah. Berakah means praise and blessing. So they were gathered at the Valley of Praise or if you prefer, the Valley of Blessing, which was so appropriate because it was through their praise of their faithful God that the victory had been secured and the blessing that they were now experiencing had come about.

The road to praise and blessing is found by trusting the Lord through all of your circumstances and not letting worry, anxiety and fear steal your praise. Praise and worship God through all of your troubles and you will find yourself in this valley, which is the road that leads to the blessing of the Lord through the praises of His people. Praise Him at all times, through every situation, through the good times and the bad times and through all the seasons of life. That is the path that leads to the luscious and blessing-filled Valley of Berakah!

Pastor Joey Vazquez