13 But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. 14 When Judah turned around, behold, [h]they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God [i]routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 When the sons of Israel fled before Judah, God gave them into their hand. 17 Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. 18 Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah [j]conquered because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their fathers. 19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured from him several cities, Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages and [k]Ephron with its villages.
Death of Jeroboam
20 Jeroboam did not again recover strength in the days of Abijah; and the Lord struck him and he died.
21 But Abijah became powerful; and took fourteen wives to himself, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his words are written in the [l]treatise of the prophet Iddo.
Previously, we saw Abijah claiming that God was on their side because they still followed Him. But it remained to be seen if that was empty words until Jeroboam sprung the trap and it really mattered. Then the men of Judah cried out to God, and He heard them in a big way.
Despite the trickery of Jeroboam and being outnumbered 2 to 1, the men of Judah destroyed the army of Israel and the only way that happened was God. What has ambushed you lately, what odds are stacked against you?
Cry out to God, and He will hear you. No, he may not answer exactly like you think, and the problem will not likely disappear instantly. But God will hear you, and He will give you whatever is needed to fight and win that battle. Nothing can stand against God, and when He is for you, that’s a mighty fortress where you can feel secure despite anything in this world.