"THE TABLES ARE TURNING"
TEXT 2 CHRONICLES 20:22
Many people have been in circumstances where it has felt like the enemy is controlling the scenario of your story.
If you can relate to this in one or more areas, I’m here to tell you to take heart!
Because the tables are about to be turned!
God has written the synopsis of your story and even though the narrative is not looking good right now. The tables are about to be turned!
The phrase - "THE TABLES ARE ABOUT TO TURN"
According to the Oxford English Dictionary if you "turn the tables" on someone, it is generally understood that you have reversed the fortunes in your favor to some capacity, so as to "reverse one's position relative to someone else, especially by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage.
If we were to look at it another way it would mean that someone who was initially weak now has the upper hand.
Many of You here today need to know you are not under a threat, no......you are a threat!
As we look at our text: One day the Moabites and their allies(the Ammonites and Edomites) have declared war upon Judah(Praise),and word has reached Jerusalem that a vast army is marching toward the Holy City.
As a result the King Jehosphat is shaken up pretty badly by the terrible yet terrifying news and calls for a time of fasting and praying.
The Bible says that Jehoshaphat leads the people in a time of public prayer.While he was praying. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel( who was a Levite-Preacher) and the Spirit of the Lord gives Jehoshaphat a prophetic word.
And say's, Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jersualem: this is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow I want you to march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
I wonder how many of us like them have found ourselves in a unpredictable position where we didn’t know what to do;we didn’t know what to say;we didn’t know where to turn but then we heard a word from the Lord and we fealt hope;we fealt strength;we fealt power because God was turning the tables for our advantage and favor.
2 times Jahaziel speaks to the congregation and tells them,"Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours,but God’s.
He say’s,"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:set yourselves (i.e. Take your positions),stand still (firm) and see the salvation ( Deliverance) the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem;fear not,nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them:for the Lord will be with you."
While we may not be fighting an enemy army every day we battle temptation and pressure.
The Bible says, Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
KJV says, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:12
The enemy wants us to rebel against God but need to remember that as believers we have God's Spirit in us. If we face obstacles and struggles, God will fight for us. And God always triumphs.
The next day they departed from where they were and met up with the enemy in the narrow mountain cliff called ZIZ this was located at the end of the brook before the wilderness of Jeruel. Once the enemy was in their sight the only thing they needed to do was stand still and watch what God was about to do.The Bible say’s The congregation falls down in worship to the Lord as the Levites stand up to Praise God with loud voices.
As they went into the wilderness of Tekoa (which means-firm-solid) as they approached the wilderness of Tekoa Jehoshaphat stopped the army and gave them one of the shortest charges on record:
1) Believe in the Lord your God;and so shall you be established.
2) Believe His Prophets,and so shall you prosper.
Jehoshaphat gets his appointed singers(those who know how to sing with the anointing and not in flesh) and they lead the way to the conflict praising the beauty of holiness. As they go before the army they say, "PRAISE THE LORD, FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER!
When they began to sing and praise the Lord.God set ambushments against the children of Ammon,Moab and Mt.Sier which had come against Judah(Praise) and they were smitten.For the children Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mt.Seir and utterly slaid them and destroyed them.The Bible says that when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Sier,everyone helped to destroy one another. i.e God caused such confusion among the enemies troops that they turned on one another. GOD TURNED THE TABLES FOR THEM!
Somebody here this morning needs to know that God has angels fighting for you in the spirit realm helping to turn your situation around.Just like the angels showed up for Judah right in the midst of their praise. God will show up for you.
Look at your neighbor and tell them, "YOUR TABLES ARE ABOUT TO TURN"!
IT MAY BE FEAR, AN ADDICTION , OR A RELATIONSHIP ISSUE.
"""""""""" THE THREAT OF SOMETHING.
"""""""""" A CONTROLLING SPIRIT AT WORK.
WHAT EVER IT MAY BE THE TABLES ARE TURNING FOR YOUR FAVOR AND ADVANTAGE!
I hear the Lord saying that for everything you lost in the battle He is going to make the devil give it back seven fold!
when they got to the place where they killed one another at.They found among them an abundance of riches and precious jewels with the dead bodies,which they took for themselves,it was more than they could carry away:there was so much stuff that it took them 3 days just to gather the spoil because there was so much.
On the 4th day they assembled themselves in the Valley of Berachah (the valley of Praise) to praise God for he had made then to rejoice over their enemies.
When we look for our victory, all we need to do is look back to the cross.
Jesus said, “It is finished!”
He turned the tables on the enemy over 2000 years ago!
So when the devil thinks that he has you depressed,disgusted,confused,and your back is against the wall.Thats when you flip the script on him and say Hallelujah Anyhow.
Thats when you flip the script and say, Lord I Thank You!
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""", Help me Jesus!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""", Lord you are my Waymaker you make a way out of no way!
The devil wants to steal your joy,and your peace but I learned along time ago that if I resist the devil he will flee from me (James 4:7)
My Praise not only helps me to put up a resistance against the enemy. My Praise is also my weapon. Don’t be fooled!
In Psalms 144:1 David said, Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.
Psalms 100:4 say’s Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with Praise;be thankful unto Him and bless His name.
Every time you and I praise God we are giving God an opportunity to Turn the tables on our situation.
Look at your neighbor and say, Neighbor, Are you ready to confuse the enemy?
Are you ready for the tables to turn in your favor and for your advantage?
Are you ready to get back what the enemy stole from you?
The Lord said that what He is about to do for you is going to strike fear in not only the enemy but those around you who said you weren’t going to get your miracle,those who said God wouldn’t heal you, those who others have called you crazy.
YOUR TABLES ARE TURNING!
Your house may be in Foreclosure,You may be behind in your bills,You may not have enough money to do what you need to do.
YOUR TABLES ARE TURNING!
SO TODAY BE ENCOURAGED!
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE TABLES IN OUR FAVOR AND FOR OUR ADVANTAGE!
When we face circumstances and situations in life that cause us to not know what to do, we must remind ourselves of the truth of Gods Word.
When God told Joshua to be of good courage and be not dismayed, that command was connected with Joshua having the truth of God to reflect upon!
The word "dismayed" is also translated "discouraged" it literally means, to be shattered or to be be filled with terror.
Can i encourage you that although you have become tired, weary and frustrated, you have a partner in Jesus who is waiting for you to tag Him so that He can fight this battle!
How do we let God fight for us?
1. Realize that the battle is not ours, but God’s!
2. Recognize human limitations and allow God’s strength to work through our fears and weaknesses!
3. Make sure we are pursuing God’s interests and not just our own selfish desires!
4. Ask God for help in our daily battles.
The Bible declared that the only actions required from the story was that they go to battle and still in their positions and their posture and watch the Lord's Victory.
Again If we ask for God’s help when we face struggles, God will fight for us. And God always triumphs.
As the singers lead the Army, he assigned praisers to march with them. And at the very moment the praisers and singers began to praise......the enemy started fighting against one another, all the Judean Army had to do was sit back and watch God move.
After the battle was over, Jehoshaphat's Army went in and took the spoils everything that the enemy had left behind belonged to them.
I don't know who I'm talking to but your coming out with more than what you went it with!
All you have to do is be STILL and KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD!
HE WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLE! TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR YOUR GOING TO WIN THE BATTLE WITHOUT EVEN FIGHTING!
I don't know who I'm talking to but I hear the Lord say, Be Still And Know That I AM God I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10
Psalms 46 says God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
