"...Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him;..." (II Chronicles 18:31)

God is able to preserve those that commit themselves to Him. God is faithful and full of love. He is ever trying to deliver us from temptation and evil. Even when we depart from His will, He sends us His angels, His prophets to correct us, to draw us back into His way. Jehoshaphat was a man who fixed his heart on God. He set his heart to walk in the ways of God. He pulled down the high places and the foreign altars that were built to strange gods. In Judah he appointed Levites and priests to teach people the law of God. With the books of the Law in their hands, these men went out into all the cities of Judah and preached the Word of God. The fear of God came upon Judah and upon the regions round about so that wars ceased. Jehoshaphat waxed stronger and stronger and prospered because God was with him. There came a time when he had to find a bride for his eldest son. Here Jehoshaphat did not find the will of God, but looked for status and royal lineage. This led him to choose Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel, as a partner for his son. We may fear God and obey Him in many matters but if in one important matter, if we do contrary to His will, we bring trouble upon ourselves. After this alliance with Ahab's family, Jehoshaphat was drawn into a war, which did not belong to him. Jehoshaphat wanted to know the will of God in this venture. Ahab sent for the prophets of Baal who knew not God. "Go unto Ramoth-gilead and prosper," they said with one accord under the leadership of Zedekiah. I want a prophet of the Lord said Jehoshaphat. When it came to the marriage of his son, he did not seek God's will. Royalty would do, he felt. Thus, we try to mix God's will and our will and fall into trouble. The prophet of God Micaiah, prophesied sure defeat. "A false spirit is in the prophets of Baal," he said. Zedekiah smote him on his cheek, and the king put him in prison. Just look at this contradiction in calling a prophet to prophesy and smiting him for speaking the truth of God. They went to battle, any way. Jehoshaphat was asked to wear garments of Ahab, while Ahab went to battle in disguise as a common man. The enemy targeted Jehoshaphat and surrounded him. He cried unto God and God sent him help immediately. Ahab had no one to call on. He trusted in his disguise to keep him and yet an arrow shot at random found its mark between the joints of his armor and by evening he died.