WHEN THINGS DON’T HAPPEN LIKE YOU EXPECT
- 2 Chronicles 32:1-8
Verse 1 says, Sennacherib, king of Assyria came and entered Judah. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want anyone invading my country. I wouldn’t want people coming in and stomping all over the place, destroying my cities and killing my people. This was not a good time for Judah.
Verse 1 says, “After these things” Sennacherib invaded. What were these things? Well, the things spoken of here start back in chapter 29. There we read that Hezekiah became king in Judah. He was 25 years old when he became king. Chapter 29 and verse 2 tells us that Hezekiah did what was right in the Lord’s sight.
Verse 3 of chapter 29 tells us that he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. In the following chapters we read that he had the priests purify themselves again. They had the temple cleansed. He started the worship of the Lord again. For the first time in many years, Hezekiah and the people celebrated the “Passover” again. Hezekiah had the idols and alters in Judah destroyed. In other words, when the people got right with God; when a godly king got on the throne; when revival came to Judah; then, Sennacherib invaded.
We are accustomed to thinking that when bad things come our way, it must be because we are doing something wrong, or we are out of God’s will, or we are being punished. God sometimes works that way, but sometimes the difficulties come and the hard times come, simply because we are doing what God has called us to do in the first place and the Devil is giving us grief.
My friends, The Devil doesn’t like it when God’s people start acting like God’s people. He doesn’t like it when they begin to get right with God. He doesn’t like it when they begin to act in faith. It is usually when a plane is over the target that it starts running into flak. If you’re not running into flak, you’re probably not where you’re supposed to be or you may not be doing what you’re supposed to be doing.
> John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world!
Let me ask you, who was it that was stoned in the New Testament? It was the vocal witnesses for Jesus Christ. Who were the ones imprisoned? In the Old Testament, do you remember Shaddrack, Meshack & Abednigo? You remember Daniel? How about Jeremiah, the weeping prophet? Do you remember the opposition Moses encountered, or Noah? Or how about Joseph? Just because hard times come doesn’t mean you are out of God’s will. It could mean you are doing exactly what God has called you to do.
How do God’s people respond when these attacks, when these invasions, when these setbacks and discouragements come?
I. GOD’S PEOPLE RESPOND
1. With Humility
- 2 Chronicles 32:3
Hezekiah consulted with his officials and warriors. He approached the leaders. He sought council. He said, “I’m the king. I know it’s my responsibility to lead this nation. Ultimately the buck stops here, but, give me your council.”
Hezekiah didn’t beat his chest and say he would handle all of the difficulties. He didn’t buck up and say he could handle it on his own. He humbled himself.
When things happen that we don’t expect, God’s people respond with humility.
2. With Clearing
- 2 Chronicles 32:3
They stopped up the waters. Hezekiah knew the enemy was coming. He knew he was going to be attacked. He knew the enemy was looking for an opportunity to destroy him, and he said, “Let’s don’t give him anything he can use against us. Let’s stop up the water.”
My friends, the Bible says we are in a battle. We are in a war against the Devil and his friends. We know that if we are truly God’s soldiers that we are going to be attacked. We know the Devil and his boys are going to launch their fiery darts at us. We need to make sure that we don’t do anything to comfort him. We need to make sure we don’t give him any tools he can use against us.
The Devil has many weapons at his disposal he can use to attack God’s people and God’s church. On some he uses pornography. On others he uses pride. Sometimes he uses jealousy. Sometimes he uses anger, bitterness or unforgiveness. Sometimes he uses things as simple as hurt feelings or envy.
My friends, you and I need to cover the waters. We need to get the things out of our lives and out of the church that the devil and his boys can use against us. We need to deal with the sin. For some it may mean we need to go to a brother or sister and apologize. Some may need to get rid of premium channels on their TV. Some may need to get some books out of their house. Some may need to find some new friends that don’t lead us astray. Some of us may need to stop long enough to thank God for the blessings He’s already given us. We need to stop up the waters.
Sometimes we need help doing it. Hezekiah didn’t stop up all the springs and streams by himself. He needed the help of others. They worked together. Sometimes the sin we battle with is tough enough that we need the help of others to deal with it. Sometimes we are blind to the sin in our lives. We need friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, who will humbly point out the sin we might be blind to.
I can’t always tell if I have a dryer sheet stuck to the back of my shirt. But Gladys, looking from a different perspective, can see it. There is a reason the Bible says, “Just as iron sharpeneth iron, so one man strengthens another.
God’s people respond with humility. They respond with clearing, and they respond by building.
3. With Building
- v 5
When Hezekiah saw the enemy coming he responded by building. He started building up the walls and building up the towers. He started strengthening his defenses.
Oh my friend, the attack is coming. The Devil is a roaring lion, roaming around seeking whom he may devour. You know the attack is coming, you know the temptation is coming; you know the trial is coming, you know a difficulty or disappointment is on the way. So, start your building. Build up your defenses.
a. Get to know God
Do you remember Joseph in the OT? You remember when he was a slave in Potiphar’s house? Do you remember how his boss’s wife tried to get him to sleep with her? Do you remember how he responded?
> Genesis 39:9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?
How in the world did he resist that temptation? He was able to resist it because he had spent enough time talking with God, praying and listening, that he knew God’s heart. He knew God’s opinion about the matter. He knew how sin like that would grieve God.
My friend, if you want to resist sin, if you want to build up your defenses, then get to know God. Spend time talking to Him. Spend time listening to Him. Spend time reading and studying His word to the point where the things that grieve God grieve you as well. Get to know of God’s love for you. Get to know God. Build up your defenses.
b. Memorize and meditate on Scripture
- Psalm 119:9-16
David says you can keep your way pure, your life pure, by meditating on God’s Word and by memorizing scripture. …
Build up your defenses.
Did you notice verse 5? It says he rebuilt the walls and he repaired the supporting terraces. Those things should have already been taken care of. The walls shouldn’t have been broken down in the first place. The terraces should have been in good repair already.
Sometimes the Lord allows the Devil to attack, sometimes He allows the Devil to give us grief, so we will take care of things we already know should be taken care of. Sometimes He allows those things to come to help us establish the disciplines in our lives that we know we need, but we have begun to neglect, or overlook.
Sometimes the Devil helps us out without even meaning to because it is often in his attacks that we find we are the closest to the Lord. When are our prayer lives usually the best? When we are going through trials. When does our faith usually grow the most? When we have no where to turn but to God. Sometimes it is only when we have nothing but God, that we learn all we need is God.
God’s people respond to unexpected circumstances with humility, with clearing, with building, and with worship.
4. With Worship
- vv 6-8
What the people needed was a word from God. At this time, the Israelites were not warriors, they were worshippers. They didn’t turn to their weapons, they turned to their God, worshipping Him and remembering nothing and no one could compare to their God.
5. With Prayer
- v20
The king and the prophet, the leaders called out to God. They prayed. Sadly it is often not until after we have tried everything else, that we finally get down to praying. …
The Devil did all he could against God’s people. He tried to stop the revival. He tried to stop the renewal. He tried to stop the recommitment. He pulled out the stops.
God’s people responded with humility, with clearing, with building, with worship and with prayer. God responded as well.
CONCLUSION
- v 21
God did something the Israelites never could. God performed a miracle. He gave them the victory. He can do that today. He can do that in your life. He can do that in this church.
