Facing Overwhelming Odds Series

Facing overwhelming odds

Psalm 3

Sometimes we face situations that are overwhelming. The opposition might be too numerous. The medical report might be too negative. The time you have to solve the problem might be hopelessly too short. Your lawyers want you to count your losses. Your family and friends tell you that you've done what you can, but you can't expect anything more. And it would seem to the natural mind that there is nothing that can be done. It is easy in times like these to lose hope.

But, beloved, in times like these you and I should remember that we are NEVER without hope, for we have Someone who is an ever present help in the time of trouble!

When Sarai was 90 and had passed the age of childbearing, and when Abram was 100 and too old to have children, God stepped into their seemingly hopeless situation and turned it around!

When Moses and the children of Israel were confronted with a threatening sea in front of them and an angry army behind them, when they thought all hope had gone, God stepped into their seemingly hopeless situation and turned it around!

David faced trying times too - on more than just a few occasions, and he records some of these incidents in the Psalms. In Psalm 3 for example he says: Oh Lord, how many are my foes...

Here he faced overwhelming odds. The enemy army was too big. In all probability they had more people, more artillery, more supplies of food and water. It would seem that David and his tiny army of frightened men had been heavily outnumbered and cleverly outmanoeuvred.

Even his enemies were saying his situation was hopeless. Even the Lord can not deliver him.

But David refused to agree with his enemy! He refused to give in, and he refused to cave in. He refused to concede defeat, and he refused to call it a day!

Instead, he looked beyond his problem to a Person who had never let him down before...

In his cave, he turned to The rock that was higher than I.

He says: But thou oh Lord...

In other words David is testifying to us today...that when things careen out of control and your circumstances seem too difficult to contend with...don't give up!

He would say to us today...The God who delivered me from the paw of the bear...and from the jaw of the lion...and from the claw of Saul...will not fail me now! Yeh, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

When you face overwhelming situations remember these things:

God is way bigger than your problem

God is willing to help you. He wants to show himself strong on your behalf

God is waiting for you to put your trust him. In fact, God is watching over His Word to perform it in your life!

Sometimes problems come our way to crush us, but God allows them nevertheless to get us to rely on him again.

In 2 Cor. 8, 9 we read of one such incident...Paul says we do not want you to be ignorant of our troubles in the province of Asia. Things became so bad, that we began to lose hope, and feared even for our lives. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.

...In other words, Paul says, we did not think we would make it out of that situation...we expected to die...

But this happened he says, so that we could learn to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

2 Chron. 20... Records another event where Gods people seemed to be in a hopeless situation as they faced overwhelming odds.

In Verse 1-3, two vital things to do when facing overwhelming circumstances and crisis....

He resolves to enquire of the Lord

He proclaims a fast

Verse 4: the people of Judah did 3 important things

They Came...they responded. They stopped what they were doing. They realised the crisis they were in. And they realised the need to pitch up.

They Came together. They knew the importance of unity.

They came together to seek help from the Lord. They meant business. They were not there to socialise. Or to fellowship. There's a time and place for that! These people were determined to meet with God. indeed they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Verse 5: Jehoshaphat stood up. And he begins to pray aloud in the temple before the Lord, and in the hearing of the people. He focuses on five important aspects in his prayer, that we'd do well to learn from.

First he focuses on Gods great Power. He acknowledges Gods Sovereignty and Power over all...are you not the God in heaven...you rule over all kingdoms...power and might are in your hand and no one can withstand you.