THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD
2 Chron. 20:2-25
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: BRAIN TRANSPLANT NEEDED
1. A man needed a brain transplant and met with a brain surgeon to discuss the prices. The surgeon said, “One pound of chimpanzee brain costs $1,000. One pound of human brain costs $5,000. Lastly, one pound of politician’s brain costs $10,000.”
2. The prospective patient had a look of amazement; “Why does one pound of politician’s brains cost so much?” And the surgeon replied, “Do you know how many politician’s brains it takes to get one pound?!”
B. TEXT
2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already [at En Gedi]. 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people…came from every town in Judah to seek [God]. 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly…at the Temple of the Lord…and said: “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 12 O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” 13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord. 14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah …as he stood in the assembly. 15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! 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. 16 Tomorrow 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. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 24 When the men of Judah came to the place…they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; 25There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 2 Chron. 20:2-5; 12-15; 17; 21-22; 24-25.
C. THESIS
1. This morning we're going to look at how a believer was able to connect with God in such a way that his problem was taken on by God.
2. Whatever battle we’re facing, we’re going to find that “The Battle Belongs to the Lord!”
I. WHEN CRISIS HITS THE BELIEVER
A. A GOOD KING ATTACKED
1. Jehoshaphat was a godly King. He was leading his nation toward God. Through him many people were hearing about God.
2. But the Devil didn't like it. He purposed to destroy Jehoshaphat and the godly remnant. He
sent a vast invading Army of three nations.
3. The Land Trembled. There was terror on every face. This invasion meant death, siege, destruction, starvation, slavery, loss of everything.
4. It was a dark hour for Jehoshaphat. Are you facing a hard time now? Watch closely what happens next.
B. FLUCTUATING FAITH
1. Although the Bible doesn't say it, I believe Jehoshaphat wrestled with what to do next.
2. WHAT OTHER KINGS WOULD DO?
a. Call up all able-bodied men & train.
b. Hire mercenaries.
c. Try to buy-off invaders with a huge bribe.
3. What do you do when disaster hits?
a. Panic? Blame God?
b. Try to solve it yourself?
c. Go into depression? (Some get closer),
4. We know from READING, A BATTLE BTW JEHOSHAPHAT & 3 KINGS NEVER HAPPENED! But Jehoshaphat did have a battle in his faith. Remember – we’re more than Conquerors! But we must know ‘who we are.’
5. ILLUS. A few years ago, everybody sang "I Went to the Enemy's Camp." The end of the song says, "He's under my feet, Satan is under my feet." There was a three-year-old girl in a church named Taylor. One day someone asked her, "Taylor, where does Jesus live?" She replied, "In my heart." The person asked her where Satan lived. Without missing a beat, Taylor said, "Under my feet!"
6. Jehoshaphat had to consider how big his God was. HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
7. Maybe you need to solve your problems with a spiritual solution -- a Prayer Meeting!
1). Have you lost your job? Pray!
2). Are you in feeling bad? Pray!
3). Are you depressed? Pray!
4). Are you unsure what to do? Pray!
II. JEHOSH.’S FAITH CONNECTED TO GOD. There were seven steps by which Jehoshaphat connected to God by faith:
A. HE PRAYED WITH FAITH
1. Fear and faith are opposites. Jehoshaphat took his eyes off his problems and put them on the Most High, who Rules heaven and earth!
2. He acknowledged God’s power; "O Lord God… YOU rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in YOUR hand and no one can withstand YOU" Vs. 6.
3. Hebrews 11:6 says God is "a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him!" There ARE BENEFITS to serving God!
4. Dwight Moody's favorite verse was Isaiah 12:2; "I will trust and not be afraid." He used to say: "You can travel first class or second-class to heaven. Second class is, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee,” Psalm 56:3. First class is, "I will trust and NOT be afraid." That’s the better way. Why not travel first-class?
B. JEHOSH. RECALLED GOD’S PAST ACTIONS. He remembered how God had helped him before.
1. The same God who took care of you last year, is going to take care of you this year! "Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today, and forever."
2. God hasn't changed -- He's still the living, all-knowing God. What He did for someone else, He'll do for you!
C. REMINDED GOD OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP
1. Verses 6 & 7, "Our God," "God of our Fathers."
2. God has a connection to us because He is our Creator; “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” Ps. 145:9.
3. The Lord Jesus told us, when we pray, to say, “Our Father." If we have faith in Jesus, we’re adopted into God's family and counted as His own dear children. He’s happy when you come to Him in prayer!
D. HE STOOD UPON THE PROMISES OF GOD
1. Jehoshaphat quoted a promise made to Solomon. He knew God would keep His promises, "I am watching over My Word to perform it."
2. God's Word is God's Promise. God’s Word is the foundation we stand on when we pray.
E. HE ACKNOWLEDGED HIS INABILITY
1. Verse 12, "We have no power..." God wants us to admit we CAN’T do it. Why? Because He’s God and we’re not. So we know where to find the answers.
2. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
F. HIS PRAYER WAS SINCERE
1. Three ministers stood on a sidewalk discussing what the best positions for praying, while a Power Co. man worked on a powerline above them.
2. One said, "Kneeling is best." Another said “I pray best with my hands raised." The third said, “I pray best when I’m stretched out on the floor."
3. The Power Co. man interrupted, "Guys, the best praying I ever did was hanging upside down on a powerline!"
G. JEHOSHAPHAT EXPECTED GOD TO ANSWER
1. Verse 12, "Our eyes are upon You," Vs. 13, "Judah stood." After they prayed they waited for God to answer.
2. ILLUS: GOD ONLY A SQUEAL AWAY.
a. Rod Cooper says, “We raised pigs. We raised about a thousand pigs a year. In one field we had 200 or 300 little oinkers running around. Every day, at four in the morning, as I’d walk into the field to feed those guys, they’d scatter.
b. Once a little pig came up and began to chew on my boot, so I picked him up and began to pet him. Soon he wanted down. I said, "No, I’ll let you down when I’m ready."
c. At that moment, he let out a squeal such as I had never heard. In about two seconds, thirty mama pigs weighing five to six hundred pounds each were headed my way.
d. I put him down and headed for the fence. I barely made it over, and all the mama pigs were snorting and walking back and forth, daring me to come back over and bother one of their kids.
e. I realized that the little piglet hadn’t been intimidated. He was totally in control of the situation. Why? Because he was one squeal away from rescue.
f. I don’t want to sound disrespectful, but we’re in the same way, “GOD IS ONLY ONE SQUEAL AWAY!”
III. THE OUTCOME
A. GOD’S MESSAGE TO THEM
1. Verse 15b, "The Battle is Not Yours, but God's." Vs. 17; "You won’t have to fight this battle." "Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you."
2. The great truth here is, we don't go alone! God hasn’t abandoned us. We don’t have to fight our battles by ourselves. God says He will fight them with us and that we will prevail!! The battle was not determined by who had the superior force or the best trained men; the battle was decided in the spiritual realm.
B. THEY BEGAN PRAISING GOD FOR THE VICTORY BEFORE THEY SAW IT! Manifestation of higher faith.
1. To some it looked like foolishness, but their faith pleased God. God wants us to rise to a higher level -- faith walk -- of trusting Him.
2. Verse 22 says; "As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against... their enemies."
a. Their faith provoked God to action. (Paul & Silas; 3 Hebrews)
b. God is a liberator: from bondage, sickness, lack, ignorance, weakness, doubts, fear.
c. The Closer we get to God, the More:
-- Our bands are loosed;
-- Our closed doors are opened;
-- Our ropes are burned off.
C. RESULT
1. The enemies turned and destroyed themselves.
2. Israel plundered their enemies!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: God Protects Prisoner
1. Aberra Wata worked with Christian youth in Ethiopia during the time of Communist rule (1974-1991). His words about the communist party were declared to be "treasonous" words. The commandant said, "The only way you can avoid execution is to deny that you are one of the believers."
2. I told the commandant, "If they execute me, I will be immediately with the Lord." The commandant replied, "That's what I expected you to say."
3. As he awaited execution in prison, Aberra sang songs and witnessed. “Seven men came to Christ in that prison, and we all sang together. One particular guard took delight in mocking us, yelling at us, and insulting us. One night he patted his revolver and promised, ‘Tomorrow morning at this time you won't
be in the land of the living.’"
4. Just after midnight that evening a tremendous storm burst on the town and the prison. Huge hailstones fell, wrecking many people’s roofs, including the one where the insulting guard was sleeping. He became terrified, pulled out his revolver, and shot at random into the darkness, using up all the bullets he’d boasted he was going to shoot the Christians with.
5. “At nine o'clock the next morning, that same guard was pushed into our cell, without his uniform, by the commandant, who was whipping him with his belt.”
6. Other people in the background were yelling, "We told this man to leave the Christians alone, but he refused, and so God has sent this terrible punishment on the town and prison. He deserves to be given some of his own medicine."
7. After some time the guard was released and given back his uniform. He told us, "I know that the Lord was with you. I treated you badly because Satan persuaded me. Please forgive me." Aberra said, “We did, and several more men came to Christ in the prison.” [Christianity Today]
B. THE CALL
1. How many are facing a dark time in your life? It’s time to call upon the Lord! God is a God who hears and answers prayer! If you want prayer, why don’t you stand up right where you are.
2. You don’t face your problems alone. WE HAVE A CHAMPION, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose living inside you and is present to help you defeat your stronghold. Jesus has never lost a battle!
3. Why don’t you take one more step and come stand with me here at the front. We’re going to pray for you. Salvation call.
