Preparing For Blessing

Mesha, king of Moab owed Ahab 200,000 sheep. Ahab died and his son, Jehoram, took over. Mesha decided that since Ahab died, he shouldn’t have to pay. Jehoram, the new king of Israel, got Jehosophat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom together and went to make war against Moab.

An urgent need arose

They realized they didn’t have water. There they were, arrayed in full armor, swords in hands, tempers hot, and their minds made up, but then somebody probably said, “Uh oh! Houston, we’ve got a problem!”

In spite of the fact that they were prepared as they could be from a military standpoint, there was no way they could win a war in the desert without water.

The king of Israel started to panic. He said, “The Lord has brought us together in order for the king of Moab to kill us.” But Jehosophat, king of Judah said, “Is there a prophet of the Lord anywhere around?”

Here’s the application: we may have everything organized as it can be, but without the water of life, that is, the Lord Himself, with us, we are doomed to fail. The most urgent need we have is that God would fight for us.

Whether we want to admit it, or not, there is a great spiritual battle going on. The battle is against powers, principalities, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places, which means the spirit realm.

I’ve seen old western movies where a man in the desert would gladly trade gold for water. When genuine thirst sets in, there is no price that is too great to pay for water. I doubt any of us have ever really been thirsty. We’ve been in situations where we wanted a drink, but real thirst is when you’ve got to have, or you will die.

Luke 16 gives us some insight about people in hell. They suffer genuine thirst. Luke 16 tells about a man who begged for someone to touch his tongue with just a single drop of water.

These three kings did the right thing, they inquired of the Lord. They sent for the prophet, Elisha. When Jehoram was telling Jehosophat that Elisha was there, he said, “He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” He had been a servant, but now he had been promoted.

It is so important to learn how to be a servant. If you’re too big for a little job, then your probably too little for a big job. Get out there and work the tables at the yard give-away. Serve in the Awana ministry. Work through the bus ministry. Get an umbrella and walk people in on rainy days. Jesus said that the way to be a leader is to be a servant.

An urgent request was made

On behalf of the Lord, Elisha told them to dig ditches in the desert! He told them they wouldn’t see wind or rain, but those ditches would flow with water.

They did it! They obeyed. Some of the people may have thought there ought to be a better way. It didn’t seem reasonable to dig ditches in the desert when there was no cloud in the sky.

God lead us to believe the unreasonable, so that we can receive the impossible! With God, all things are possible.

They need to do the same two things we need to do: Believe God’s word and expect God’s blessing. That’s the way we dig ditches in the desert of our situations!

We went to this prayer walk at the school this afternoon. I went into those rooms and I said, “Lord, You told me in Mark 11:24 that whatever things I ask when I pray, that if I will believe I receive them, I will have them; therefore, I am asking blessing on this room and the teacher that will teach in this room, and the students who will be in this room. In the authority of Jesus, whom I serve, I command every evil spirit that would desire to enter this room to leave and not return. I speak victory and blessing on this room in the name of Jesus.” You know what I was doing? I was digging ditches in the desert! I was making preparation for blessing. I pray for this church that way, and I want you to do the same thing.

They experienced a unique victory

God honored His word and their faith. God always, always, always honors faith that is based upon His word.

Who would have ever thought of digging ditches in the desert when there was no rain? But, it worked, because it was in obedience to God. God can do exceeding, abundantly above all we can ask or think!

The truth is, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. It is God who gives the victory.