LIMITING THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL (PART 3): MY GOD IS GOD OF THE MOUNTAIN AND GOD OF THE VALLEY
1. 1 Kings 20: 19 The junior officers under the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them 20 and each one struck down his opponent. At that, the Arameans (Syrians) fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen. 21 The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans. 22 Afterward, the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, “Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.” 23 Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they. 24 Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers. 25 You must also raise an army like the one you lost - horse for horse and chariot for chariot - so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly. 26 The next spring Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside. 28 The man of God (a prophet) came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
2. Psalm 78: 41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
INTRO: DO NOT LIMIT GOD (PT3) GOD IS GOD OF THE MOUNTAIN, VALLEY, PLAIN
Chief Questions This Series Will Project Are: In What Ways Do We Limit God? Why Do We Limit God? How Do We Take Off The Limits? The Results Of A Life Without Limiting God. Some Examples From The Bible & Our Own Lives.
WHAT IS A LIMIT?
Limit: A limit is a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass. The terminal point or boundary of an area or movement; the furthest extent of one's physical or mental endurance, a restriction on the size or amount of something permissible or possible, etc. God’s problem is not with the atheist, the agnostic, the infidel, the devotees of modern godless & political movements – it is with His own people who limit Him.
EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE GOD USES AND ENABLES
The Bible Harbors Records Of God Using Ordinary People: David, Joseph, Little Maid of Israel (2 Kings 5 – Naaman), Daniel & His Friends, Boy with His Lunch (John 6), Peter, Paul, Gideon, Jephthah, Moses, Esther, Elijah, Jacob, Samuel, Elisha, Mary, etc. We See These Great Examples But Still Maintain: “This other problem God cannot solve.” Daniel 11:32 But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.
WE LIMIT GOD BY PLACING LIMITS ON…
1. Healing: Jesus healed all who came to Him in faith. The apostle Peter healed individuals and the multitudes. The apostle Paul had a remarkable record of ministering divine healing.
2. The Miraculous: Do you think of miracles as only for “Bible days”, or do you believe that miracles are for you even today? Remember: “I am the Lord; I change not!” (Malachi 3:6).
3. God’s Provision: Remember Jesus miraculously multiplying the loaves and fish and feeding thousands. He’s the “same yesterday and today...” (Hebrews 13:8).
4. God’s Protection: The bible has examples of God’s sovereign, supernatural protection and deliverance of His people. Three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace. Daniel in the lion’s den. Peter freed from jail by an angel. Thousands fall around you, but it will not come near you.
5. Others: Don’t Limit God In Finances, Job, Medical Report, Immigration, etc.
MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS, PLAINS EXPERIENCE: FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING…
1. God Of Mountains Or Hilltops: No Matter The Victory…
Mountains Or Hills Represent The High Points In Our Lives, the times when we feel like we’re on top - moments of success & excitement. A Mountain Is A Place Of Accomplishments. During these moments, it is easy to praise God. Abraham: God revealed Himself to Abraham as Jehovah Jireh on Mt. Moriah. Moses: God gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Elijah: God spoke to Elijah in a still, small voice on Mount Horeb. Jesus: Jesus’ victory over the greatest temptations occurred on a mountain. Jesus: Jesus’ most glorious moment was on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus: He also ascended from the Mount of Olives. Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from when comes my help…” Mountaintop experiences are events that empower us and launch us into the plan of God. But we can’t remain on the mountain tops. We experience mountain tops to prepare us for the valleys where our faith is stretched.
2. The God Of The Plains: The Areas Of Constant Problems.
But God Isn’t Just With Us When We’re On Top Of Everything. He’s also the God of the Plains - an extensive, relatively level area of land – constant monotony – problems or not. We must also find God in the daily and the ordinary, not just in the spectacular and heroic. God is as interested in the “plains” in our lives as He is in the mountains of our lives! Don’t let impatience and a lack of contentment with where you are cause you to think that you’re missing it! Talking About Plains: Genesis 18:1 Three visitors appeared to Abraham on the plains of Mamre to confirm God’s promise of a child. In Deuteronomy 34:1, Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. The Lord shewed him the Promised Land but he would not enter. There they wept for Moses.
3. The God Of The Valleys: The Short & Tragic Problem.
God Is Not Just God Of The Mountains, The Plains, He Is Also God Of The Valleys. Valleys - elongated lowlands between ranges of mountains, hills, or other uplands, often having a river or stream running along the bottom. In essence, the valleys represent the low, difficult times, challenging, short times. God doesn’t abandon us when we hit the hard times. Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Valleys In The Bible: The Valley Of Elah: "1 Samuel 17:1, 17 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel , were in the valley of Elah , fighting with the Philistines ". The Valley Of Baca: Psalm 84:5-6 "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools". Baca means “situation unknown” - these are places of unexpected tragic events. E.g. Losing someone to sudden heart attack, death, accident, shooting, etc. The Valley Of Achor: Joshua 7:24-26 There Achan was discovered and stoned to death and his entire family. Achor is a door of hope & the place where sin is confessed, judged and put away. John 11: Mary & Martha were in a valley as Lazarus was sick.
But No Matter What, Hear This Summary: Zechariah 4:6-7 “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain… because it is God that fight for you and it’s not by might nor by power but by His spirit.
THE ISRAEL EXPERIENCE AND THE ENEMY’S MISCALCULATIONS
In 1 Kings 20, The Enemies Of God’s People Made A Serious Miscalculation. Having lost a battle against the Israelites even with their 32 kings, the advisors to the king of Syria said in 1 Kings 20:23: “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they”. When they were ready to attack God’s people using their new strategy, God had a surprise in store for them: 1 Kings 20:28: Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, ‘Thus says the Lord: Because the Syrians have said, "The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys," therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord’”. The Syrians concluded that God was a “localized” God that was restricted in His ability to deliver - Jehovah God was only a God of the mountains. Psalm 95:4: “In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. In The Valley, Israel Was Outnumbered, Surrounded, Completely & Totally Helpless – so much that they look like two small herds of sheep, while Ben-hadad’s army covers the entire valley. But the prophet spoke that God would deliver them in battle again so the Syrians would know that God could not be limited or localized.
MISTAKES THE SYRIANS MADE:
1. Because Of What They Were Used To, They Under-Estimated The Character Of God. While The Syrians Ascribed Their Defeat To Jehovah, they made a great mistake concerning his character - supposing Him to be a local God, like their imaginary deities. They had gods for mountains, lesser hills, rivers, fields, houses, gardens, and these so-called gods were powerless outside of their own sphere. They imagined the True & Living God to be a God like their idols. God’s Character: God Is Eternal Life, Faithful (Immutable), Justice, Love, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Righteous, Sovereign The art of god-making is very common among men. Instead of praying for revelation of God through the Holy Spirit & His Word, men sit down and consider what kind of God he ought to be. Jeremiah 115: 2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. Ben-hadad’s counselors were led in their error to utter a blasphemy; they said, “He is the God of the hills, but not the God of the valleys.” They Under-Estimated The Power Of God..
2. Because They Under-Estimated The Character Of God, They Restricted (Limited) Him. In Psalm 78, Israel Limited God By Their: Disobedience: Psalm 78:10 They refused to live by His laws.. Forgetfulness: Psalm 78:11 They forgot his miracles in Egypt & the Wilderness. Unbelief: Psalm 78:19,20,22,32: Questioned God’s ability to provide for them. Constant Murmuring: Psalm 78:40 Grieved God by their murmurs. Worldliness & Sin: Psalm 78:33 So he ended their days in futility (worldliness)”. Insincerity: Psalm 78:36-37 They flattered God with their lips, but were insincere. Ingratitude: Psalm 78:42-72 unappreciative of His Hand, Signs, Interventions, Guidance, Provision, Chastenings. Idolatry. Psalm 78:58 They angered God with their idols worship. Familiarity: Psalm 78:20 They saw miracles but doubted - Can Se supply meat for his people? Mark 6: Everytime we under-estimate God, we restrict Him like they restricted Jesus at Nazareth.
3. Because they Restricted God, they Insulted Him: Insulting God is like mocking Him. Everytime we restrict God, we are blaspheming His character. Just as the Syrians fell into a great and blasphemous sin by thinking that God was a local God, a God of the hills and not of the valleys, so we may fall into much evil by the same surmisings. We Insult God When: We fear death and think our God cannot take care of us beyond death. We refuse to talk about Him to others. We refuse to put him first in choices we make. We refuse to acknowledge him as owner of everything. We put our possession and family ahead of him. We refuse to trust him by faith. We think He only works in Africa and not in America.
4. Because they Insulted God, they Angered Him: All year long, they built up their army, and prepared for an all-out attack against Israel. For 6 days, the two armies looked at each other - Syria’s army “filled the country,” while Israel’s small army was like “two little flocks of goats.” God sent His prophet to encourage Ahab, the king of Israel, and tell him that God would give him the victory, that He might prove by His power to be not only the God of the mountains, but also of the plains. On the seventh day, the battle ensued and a miracle happened. Israel slew 100,000 footmen in one day. When the Syrian survivors fled to the city of Aphek for refuge, the angels of the Lord pushed down the city walls upon them, and 27,000 more died. Why this victory and death? Because God was angry. What Makes God Angry? Romans 1:18-23, God gets angry. Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed...”
? God Gets Angry When Men Suppress The Truth: Romans 1:18-19 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
? God Gets Angry When His Evident Truths Are Ignored: Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
? God Becomes Angry When He Is Not Honored As God: Romans 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
? God Becomes Angry When His Glory Is Given Away: Romans 1:22-23 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four footed animals and crawling creatures.
5. Because they Angered God, They Suffered The Consequences. If We Anger God, He Will Prove Himself No Matter When. Because the Syrians blasphemy against Him, God delivered his people Israel. Many time the blasphemies of the enemies accomplished good for the people of God. We think God would forgive them for their innocence. But our God is jealous and sensitive about His glory. Though Israel was guilty and Ahab, their king, was detestable, yet God protected His glory by defeating the blasphemous nation of Syria. Many people feel they can get along without God, but Romans 14:11 says: “One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.” May I say this to anyone who is atheist, agnostics, heathen or what? God cannot be overlooked. No matter the mountain, valley or plain, God’s plans remain the same.
6. If We See God As God Of The Mountains, The Valleys And The Plains, He Will Stand On Our Behalf: Consider Joseph: Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold to die. He was unjustly accused when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. He was imprisoned and forgotten by all except God who patiently watched Joseph's reaction to difficulty. Rich or poor, blessed or smitten, Joseph served God. He was being tested – and passed his tests. Finally, at the right moment, the Lord suddenly connected all the loose ends of Joseph's life. We do not see His ultimate plan while we are in the valley, plains or in the mountains. Genesis 41:51 "Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, 'For,' he said, 'God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household'". Genesis 41:52 He named the second Ephraim, 'For,' he said, 'God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction'". God made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your affliction and battle is the place where God will make you fruitful.
CONCLUSION: HOW WE CAN OVERCOME IN EVERY SITUATION
1. Identify Your Mountain, Valley Or Plain: We all have our mountains, valleys or plains - only some are more obvious than others. The first step in overcoming anything is to first identify what it is that we are facing and how it is affecting us.
2. Put A Name To Your Mountain, Valley Or Plain: Is it poor health, a marriage problem, problems on the job, or maybe it is financial problems or any number of trials we may face.
3. Be Clear On What You Want: Maybe you want to overcome an addiction or you want to get well. Whatever it is be clear on what results you want to see. Without this clarity you will not be able to pinpoint the steps to overcome this mountain. Also, God loves it when we are clear.
4. Talk To Your Mountain. Sounds weird but you need to talk to your mountain. Jesus not only told us we could move mountains, but that we could talk to them with authority.
5. Be Patient About Your Mountain, Valley Or Plain: Don’t expect instant changes to be made but keep praying, and hoping and making necessary changes in your life. If you do not make changes you will continue to walk down destructive path even after deliverance.
6. Remember That Your God Is Not Limited By Your Mountain, Valley Or Plain: If you trust God, the Egyptians (the different trials or mountains you face) you see today you’ll see them no more. Don’t complain, worry or lose faith. Don’t go around letting everyone know that you’re going under but trust God and say to your mountain with faith and authority.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS: REGARDLESS OF OUR SITUATIONS, GOD CAN CONTROL…
1. Of Our Welfare: Matt. 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
2. In Our Wilderness: In Judges 15: Samson was taken captive by the Philistines and taken into the wilderness to kill him. There he tore loose the cords that held him and slew 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. There is no place so remote & barren that God cannot deliver!
3. Of Our Warfare: Exodus 1:14 The Egyptians made the lives of the Israelites bitter, but God heard their cries and raised for them a deliverer in Moses!
