Sermon Central
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Prayer Of Jehoshaphat
Contributed by Alexander John on May 19, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: how to pray when trouble comes
Prayer of Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat wants to do what God said
What you will do during the crisis
1 Some cover up, some give up ,some deny they have a problem, some panic
It is not the crisis destroy you .It is what we do or don’t do during the crisis.
This is the time to pray-> some saying there is a time to pray and time to fight.
V.6-12 one of the greatest prayers in the Bible.
2 things 1] Faith
a] Faith in god
b] Faith in god’s character v.6
1 Psalms 91.1-4
2 1. “The Most High” in Hebrew the word “El-yon” it means Possession -The implication here is that God is the owner of everything! -36 X’s in scripture God calls himself by this name. -In heaven & on earth our God owns it all, for he created it all.
2. “The Almighty” in Hebrew the word “Shaddai” it means Provision -The picture here is that God is the provider of all. - God is the one that supplies all our needs.
3. “The Lord” in Hebrew the word “Jehovah” it means Promise -This was the greatest Hebrew name for God. –The eternal one! The immutable unchanging one! - The great “I AM” who has promised to care for his people.
4. “My God” in Hebrew the word “Elohim” it means Power -The word appears some 2700 X’s in scripture - It is often associate with creation thus the though is of power.
Now, consider the picture the Psalmist just painted!
El-yon, Shaddai, Jehovah & Elohim is the God of... Possession...Provision...Promise...& Power!
Therefore, our God is...
–A shelter of Strength!
-A refuge of Rest!
- A fortress Peace! - Were you can rest...peace...& hope from the fears of life!
But there is something required of you! Notice verses 1 & 2.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
We can’t do God’s will if we don’t know Him
We can’t have an intimate relationship with one we don’t love; we cant love one we don’t know
Know god and His character
c] Faith in god’s promise v.7
2] Simplicity
1 one request v.12 judge them
2 one complaint v.11 how they repaid us
3 one confession v.12 don’t know what to do
Prayer should be simple-God looks at the heart not the words
God’s reply to the prayer
Specific instructions V.15-17
1 Tomorrow you will march down to meet your enemies
2 Take your positions ,but you don’t have to fightV.17
3 Stand still and see the salvation of the lord
If the battle is yours you are in trouble
If the battle belongs to the Lord you don’t have to fight – you take position
V.18 they bow down
The choir leads the way – it is nonsense but it makes perfect sense to God because He knows what He is doing.
Military strategy – to surprise the enemy
But they sang praises to god V.21
Give thanks to the lord for His love endures for ever.
They never killed anyone .God fought for them.
2 Applications to this incident
1. Great things happened to us when we realize our powerlessness
V.12 we have no power
God will take all our false security
Christian growth is the process of continually breaking our false security.
Some time God will take everything else away so that we have nowhere to go but to the Lord.
Jehoshaphat said “we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon you’’
That is where god wants us to be
2. The cultivation of worshipful heart is important in the midst of problems.
1 Worship is our response to God’s presence
2 Worship is our response as we return to Him in our helplessness
They worshipped before the battle during the battle and after the battle.
Worship is a way of life.
