2 Chronicles 20:4
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
The verse describes Judah facing danger from a threatened war when a great multitude came in invasion against Jehoshaphat. In fear Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah, calling the nation to turn to God with him. In response the people gathered together from out of all the cities across the kingdom to ask help of the Lord and seek Him.
That gathering included families and joined him in fasting and praying. Their gathering expressed united dependence on God in a united appeal to Him rather than reliance on their own strength. In that dependence they asked Him to confound their enemies and glorify His name.
To gather and seek in this way means to seek the Lord most earnestly with unity of purpose, with prayers going forth from sincere, unfeigned lips. The verse shows what to do when brought into strait places and when warfare to oppress the people of God becomes decided. For God is the strength of His people today, and in every emergency they are to seek Him together for help as Judah did.
Such seeking means not trusting in princes or setting men in the place of God, remembering that human beings are fallible and erring while God is a strong tower of defense. It means not looking at supposed impossibilities but to Him who has all power, feeling that the battle is His. His resources are limitless, so that apparent impossibilities will make the victory all the greater. The chapter where the verse stands is to be studied because in it there is light and courage for such times, but there are no words of encouragement in it for those who are unbelieving and refuse the message of God for His people.