FAITH THAT FORTIFIES FOR THE FIGHT
2 Chron.32:1-23
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A man was having trouble getting his neighbor to keep his chickens fenced in. The neighbor kept talking about chickens being great creatures, and as such they had the right to go where they wanted.
2. The man was having no luck keeping the chickens out of his flower beds, and he had tried everything. Two weeks later, on a visit a friend noticed his flower beds were doing great. The flowers were beginning to bloom.
3. So, the friend asked, "How did you make your neighbor keep his hens in his own yard?"
4. "One night I hid half a dozen eggs under a bush by my flower bed, and the next day I let my neighbor see me gather them. I wasn't bothered after that."
B. EXAMPLE OF HEZEKIAH
1. Today we’re looking at a believer’s approach to facing serious problems. The problem Hezekiah and Judah faced was so enormous that only God could deliver them. And that’s where faith comes in. When the problems are bigger than our ability, that’s our cue to just rely on God.
2. In 2 Chron. 32 we not only see how he chose to face his problems, but also how unwavering faith produced a wonderful victory. One thing becomes clear: God honors steadfast faith.
3. The title of this message is, “Faith that Fortifies for the Fight.” Notice with me first:
I. THE THREAT
“After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. 4 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. 2 Chr. 32:1-4.
A. THE KING SPEEDILY COMMENCED PREPARATION
1. Notice here is that Hezekiah did not simply take a passive stance. He responded to this threat by first doing what he knew to be logical to do. That part didn’t take any faith—just common sense.
2. Hezekiah did what anyone should do when trouble appears imminent—make preparations. The Bible backs up this way of thinking. Prov.22: 3 “A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”
3. Hezekiah also determined not to give the enemy any unnecessary advantages. That’s why he stopped the waters outside the city. We too need to be careful not to give our enemy, Satan, any unnecessary advantages over us.
a. Rom.13: 14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
b. II Cor.2: 10 “To whom you forgive any thing, I forgive also...lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
4. HE STRENGTHENED THE WALLS
a. 2 Chron. 32:5 “Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.”
b. NOTE: We can strengthen our spiritual walls by getting full of the Spirit & the Word. Eph. 6:11-18 speaks of the Armor of God that can both shield us from attacks and also give us offensive weapons. “The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.”
5. HEZEKIAH STRATEGIZED FOR WAR. 2 Chron. 32:6a “He appointed military officers over the people…” He organized the troops so that everyone had a job. That’s what’s needed in the Church too!
B. THE ENEMY SOUGHT TO CREATE PANIC
1. THE ENEMY MADE LIGHT OF HEZEKIAH’S LEADERSHIP
a. 10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us’... he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. 12 Did not Hezekiah himself remove [your] god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it’? 2 Chron. 32:9-12.
b. The enemy wanted to cause the people to not only doubt Hezekiah’s leadership, but to doubt God’s ability to deliver them. If he can get us to doubt God, he can win the battle by our default.
c. In verse twelve, Sennacherib shows that he knew that Hezekiah had instituted religious reforms; he had destroyed the idols of his father, Sennacherib tried to use that to divide the Israelites by appealing to those who disagreed with Hezekiah.
d. Division is a deadly weapon in Satan’s arsenal. He believes strongly in the military strategy of “divide and conquer.” Christians need to unite for battle, not divide over petty issues.
2. THE ENEMY BOASTED OF THEIR CONQUESTS OF OTHER LANDS
a. II Chron.32:13 “Were the gods of [other] nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? 14...How then can your god deliver you from my hand?”
b. NOTE: This diatribe by the enemy sounds a little like the oft-stated warning of the Star Trek Borg — “Resistance is futile.” Satan wants us to give up before the battle has begun.
3. ILLUS.: BLACK BART
a. Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier.
b. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoaches. Amazingly, Bart did it all without firing a shot.
c. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and was never trailed by a sheriff.
d. Instead, Black Bart used fear to paralyze his victims. His sinister presence was enough to overwhelm the toughest stagecoach guard. [Today in the Word, August 8, 1992] That’s what Sennacherib was doing.
4. THE ENEMY RIDICULED HEZEKIAH’S GOD
a. 2 Chron. 32:17 [Sennacherib] “also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel...19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.”
b. Sennacherib didn’t take into account that the gods of all those other lands were just idols. Satan always tries to minimize God in our minds.
c. You might be thinking that surely no one in Jerusalem, listening to this drivel, would really believe it. But just think how easy it is for us to listen to Satan in the middle of a crisis, when he ridicules God for not caring about our situation.
II. THE TRUST
A. HEZEKIAH ENCOURAGED FAITH IN GOD
6 [Hezekiah] encouraged them with these words: 7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. 2 Chron.32:6-8.
1. Hezekiah reminded the Israelites that their God is the True God – that He’s supernatural and gets involved down here in the lives of His people. Sennacherib had nothing but his natural strength to rely on.
2. HUMOR. A young naval student was being questioned by an old sea-captain.
a. "What would you do if a sudden storm sprang up on the starboard?" "Throw out an anchor, sir."
b. "What would you do if another storm sprang up aft?" "Throw out another anchor, sir."
c. "And if another terrific storm sprang up forward, what would you do?" "Throw out another anchor."
d. "Hold on," said the Captain, "where are you getting all your anchors from?" "From the same place you're getting your storms, sir."
B. HEZEKIAH ENTERED INTO FERVENT PRAYER
“King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this.” 2 Chr. 32:20.
1. This was the 2nd prayer meeting of Hezekiah. At the first threat he “tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.” (Isa. 37:1; II Chron.32:1-16)
2. After the second threat (Isa. 37:14), Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread the letter of Sennacherib before the Lord. 15a And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord…” 2 Chron. 32:14-15a.
3. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all God’s children would learn to respond to all their difficulties with turning to God for help rather than unbelief and walking away?
III. THE TRIUMPH
A. HEZEKIAH’S ENEMIES WERE MIRACULOUSLY SLAIN
“And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.” 2 Chron. 32:21.
1. Isa.37:36 says that the angel killed 185,000 soldiers. Sennacherib, who’d boasted he was so powerful, wasn’t powerful enough to protect his troops or even his own life from his own murderous sons.
2. There’s always victory in Christ, for He cannot lose.
B. HEZEKIAH’S PEOPLE MARVELOUSLY SPARED
1. “So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side” 2 Chron. 32:22.
2. HEZEKIAH WAS HONORED BY FOREIGN KINGS. 2 Chron. 32:23 says that all the nations around Israel saw God’s intervention and sent gifts of congratulations. Hezekiah was highly regarded as a king in God’s favor. When we stand firm and see God’s intervention – it will be a witness to all around us!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUS.: SALVATION ARMY VICTORY
1. 150 years ago, the Salvation Army decided to take the Gospel to India. William Booth chose Major Tucker to lead the crusade in Bombay, India. Many Salvation Army “soldiers” were sent on the ship, but sickness took the lives of all but four – Major Tucker, two men and one woman.
2. When they came off the ship, they were met on the dock by police. The police looked at the four representatives and said, “Is this all? We were expecting 1,000. There’s only four?” Major Tucker said, “There are 4 of us and God!”
3. Major Tucker held the S.A. flag – “the Blood & Fire,” & Captain Bullard blew the trumpet, a private named Norman beat a drum and Mary Thompson joyously jingled a tambourine.
4. These 4 were going to launch the Gospel in India. They intended to march through India. As they marched through the streets, a large force of police on horseback stopped them, “No more marching, no more open meetings, this is not the religion we want here!”
5. When the Salvation Army officers kept marching, the deputy commander of the police said, “In the Name of Her Majesty the Queen of England – who’s over the province of India – I order you to disperse!”
6. Major Tucker put his flag down and raised his hands toward heaven and said in a loud voice, “In the Name of HIS Majesty, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords I command you – get out of the way!”
7. The police parted like the Red Sea – and the Salvation Army soldiers marched on and lives were saved!
B. THE CALL
1. Today we’re going to take the last 20 minutes of the service to move around and intercede for our country, our church, our families, etc.
2. Please don’t just leave, but move around and pray as the Lord leads you.
3. Hezekiah’s prayer changed the course of history. Prayer changes things! Your prayers today will be heard by God and will give God the go-ahead to step in and change things in your life!
4. PRAYER
[This is a rewrite of a message of the same title by Donnie Martin]
