Keys To Responding To The Unexpected Series

Keys To Responding To The Unexpected

(Rev. Rodney Johnson and Rev. Barry Johnson)

NOTE: New Light Faith Ministries and Barry Johnson Ministries, founded by Rodney V. Johnson and Barry O. Johnson, respectively, are partnering to offer Bible studies for Christians who are seeking to grow in their relationship with Jesus. This is a Bible study lesson, not a sermon. The Bible studies teach foundational truth that are designed to challenge, encourage and, most importantly, flame the fire of hunger in the Christian who wants to learn more about who they have become in Christ Jesus. The Bible studies you find on this site contains the written version of the lesson. However, these lessons also include a video and an audio file of the study, a PDF version of the lesson and a sheet for note taking. If you would like any of the additional resources for these studies, please email us at newlightfaithministries@gmail.com or bjteachingltr@gmail.com for more information or contact us at the email provided on both of our Sermon Central pages. Please visit our YouTube Channel (Barry Johnson Ministries; New Light Faith Ministries, Inc.) to watch or listen to these lessons as well as other available sermons. Be blessed.

Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome to this month’s Bible Study. Let’s open with a word of prayer. One of the best known fights in professional boxing history occurred in 1965 when Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston for the second time. In their first fight in 1964, Ali (then Cassius Clay) defeated Liston on a technical knockout when he didn’t answer the bell for the seventh round. In the second fight ended with a controversial first round knockout in what many have described as a “phantom punch.” The reason we mention these fights, especially the second one, is because Liston didn’t see, anticipate or expect the punch that knocked him out.

For us, this is an excellent example of how Satan, the enemy of the soul, operates. He is subtle. He is decisive. He works from the shadows. He works to influence and initiate unpleasant situations and circumstances in our lives. He is like Muhammad Ali’s “phantom punch.” We often don’t see it coming. After Ali hit Liston, he laid dazed on the canvas. He had time to get up, but in his stunned state, he simply looked at Ali and the referee. This is what Satan is after when he attacks us. He wants us to be confused. He wants us to struggle to find a response.

In this month’s lesson, “Key to responding to the Unexpected,” we’re going to look at an Old Testament record that involves King Jehoshaphat and Judah’s response when faced with armies marching to invade their country. The primary lesson we are going to see in this passage is this: How we respond to situations will be based on how we’ve prepared ourselves for them beforehand. When we are not prepared, Satan will send trouble our way to devour us. When we are prepared, Satan’s attack will cause us to respond in a way that allows heaven to move on our behalf. The lesson will focus on Second Chronicles chapter 20, but first we want you to see what the Bible says about Jehoshaphat by looking at some key points in chapters 17-19.

King Jehoshaphat

In chapter 17, Jehoshaphat becomes king of Judah after the death of his father, Asa. We read the following in verses 3-6: “(3) Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals, (4) but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel. (5) Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance. (6) And his heart took delight in the ways of the Lord; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah. (Second Chronicles 17:3-6) Because of his love for God, Jehoshaphat purposefully sends out his leaders to teach the people the Word of God as we see in verse 9, which says, “So they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.”

In chapter 18, some years have passed, and Jehoshaphat decides to visit Ahab, the king of Israel. After having a meal prepared for them, Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join forces with him in a battle against Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat agreed but asked Ahab to consult with the Lord first (verse 4). So, Ahab called his 400 prophets, and to a man, they all told the king go to war with Ramoth Gilead because “the Lord will deliver it into your hand” (verse 5). But something just didn’t sit right with Jehoshaphat when he heard this, so he asked Ahab if there was another prophet who could confirm what the 400 prophets had said. Ahab calls for Micaiah, a prophet he despised because he never told him what he wanted to hear. And in verse 16, Micaiah did not disappoint. He disagreed with the 400 prophets. “Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace” (verse 16). But Judah and Israel still went to war against Ramoth Gilead and Ahab was killed.