How To Pray When Your Back Is Against The Wall

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

Camp Walker

Taegu South Korea

BIG IDEA: How To Use Prayer During Life’s Emergencies:

(O GOD, HELP ME BECAUSE YOU ARE GOD! )

REFERENCES:

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 1 Kings 22:41-42; 2 Chronicles 14:1-12; 1 Corinthians 10:11 (all scriptures are given for our instructions ...); Romans 8:31 (If God be for us ...); Hebrews 13:5b-6 (God will never leave us nor forsake us ...); Matthew 1:7-8 (References to Asa: AW-SAW). 2 Chronicles 16:7,10,12 (Although Asa did which was good and right, he too had his faults); Philippians 4:19 (My God shall supply all of your needs according to his riches in glory); Psalm 46:1 (God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble); Acts 12:1-19 (Peter was kept in prison, but the church prayed to God for his release).

II. READ THE PERICOPE: 2 Chronicles 14:7-14 (MSG Bible)

III. READ THE TEXT: 2 Chronicles 14:11 MSG (Then Asa prayed to God, "O God, you aren’t impressed by numbers or intimidated by a show of force once you decide to help: Help us, O God; we have come out to meet this huge army because we trust in you and who you are. Don’t let mere mortals stand against you!" ).

IV. PURPOSE: To teach the hearers What To Do When They Are Suddenly Outnumbered and Overwhelmed by their circumstances.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “How To Pray When Your Back Is

Against The Wall”

INTRODUCTION: (This past week has been very interesting to say the least. As a result, I’ve felt hurt, overwhelmed, outnumbered and outclassed. I’m not sure if you are aware of WHAT IT FEELS LIKE when you’ve given your best; and your best isn’t GOOD ENOUGH. When you’ve done everything that has been asked to do; and you’re still AT A LOSS. Well, if some of you (in here today) feel like I’m talking DIRECTLY TO YOU ... because I’ve just describe your week too; I stand here, today, to REMIND YOU that EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

Move 1: AND WHEN IT HAS ALL BEEN SAID; AND WHEN IT HAS ALL BEEN DONE – YOU AND I WILL be able to quote the Apostle Paul’s inscriptions in Romans 8:28

a. ... which says all things work together for the good for them that LOVE THE LORD, and ARE the CALLED according to HIS PURPOSE.

b. My brothers and my sisters ... from your vantage point – right now - It may not look like victory (in this situation) is possible;

c. Infact, all indicators may even suggest that YOU’VE ALREADY LOSS ... family, friends, and close associates are all seemily against you.

d. And their nothing YOU CAN DO about your present situation. LOOK AT YOU!

e. Your HANDS ARE TIED! The weapons against you have been formed and the meetings are ALREADY in progress ...

f. If the judge had to render his decision RIGHT NOW ... you and I both know ... that you would be GUILTY AS CHARGED ...

*****************TAKE 5 BEATS**********************

Move 2: BUT, .... I STAND HERE TO REMIND US ALL ... THAT GOD WORD SAYS THAT ... No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn... (Is. 54:17A KJV)

a. THERE’S NOTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD ... I HEARD

SOMEONE SAY THAT GOD HAS A 1001 WAYS OF

DELIVERING US.

b. HE HAS A MORE WAYS OF DELIVERING US ... THAN ...

SHAQUIELLE ONEILL HAS DUNKS ...

c. GOD HAS MORE WAYS OF DELIVERING BELIEVERS ... THAN

MICKEY DEES HAS HAMBURGERS ...

d. AND ... HE KNOWS HOW AND EXCACTLY WHAT TO USE IN

OUR DELIVERANCE ... FOR WHO CAN EVER FORGET the

STORY of how God delivered his servant – Samson –

(in Judges 15) ... with the Jawbone of a DONKEY.

******************TAKE 5 BEATS********************

MOVE 3: IN another incident of deliverance ... This same God use an ANGEL from HEAVEN to destroy 185,000 Assyrian enemies ... and King Sennacherib of Assyria who were threatening to destroy JUDAH under King Hezekiah reign (2 Kings 19 – Isaiah was the prophet).

a. Now ... the Bible SAYS ... (in 1 Corinthians 10:ll)

that all of these OLD TESTAMENT stories were

written for OUR INSTRUCTIONS ...

b. (These are all warning markers - danger! - in our

history books, written down so that we don’t repeat

their mistakes. Our positions in the story are

parallel - they at the beginning, we at the end -

and we are just as capable of messing it up as they

were MSG – 1 Corinthians. 10:11).

c. In our scriptures this afternoon, we find King Aw-

Saw ...ruler of Judah ... in a situation that

looks great ... He no doubt felt SECURE, WITH