THE BATTLE
text 2nd Chronicles 20:15
and he said heaken ye all judah and ye inhabtansts
of jerusalem and thou king jehosphat: thus saith jehovah
unto you fear not ye neither be dismayed by reason
of this great multitude for the battle is not yours but Gods
INTRODUCTION
JEEHOSAPHAT THE FOURTH (4th) KING OF JUDAH LEARNED A DIFFICULT LESSON FORM HIS FATHER KING ASA ALTHOUGH KING ASA FOLLWED GOD EARLY IN HIS REIGN HIS PRIDE LATER PROMPTED HIM TO REJECT GOD’S JUDGEMENT.
FOLLOWING THE FALTTERING WORDS OF FALSE PROPHETS RATHER THAN THE WILL OF GOD ASA FELL ILL AND DIED
JEHOSHAPHAT ASSSUMED THE THRONE, HE BECAME ONE OF THE FEW GOD FEARING KINGS OF JUDAH OR ISRAEL. IN ADDITION TO DESTROYING MANY SITES OF IDOL WORSHIP AND RESTORING THE TEMPLE HE PERSONALLY APPOINTED JUDGES AND SET THE LAW OR MOSES AS THEIR STANDARD.
HE PLACED THE CHIEF PRIEST OVER THEM TO COMMAND JUDGEMNET IN FEAR OF THE LORD’S FAITHFULNESS (2nd CHRON 19:9) AFTER THESE THREE NATIONS COMBINDED TO TO INVADE JUDAH WHEN MESSENGERS REPORTED APPROACHING ARMIES JEHOSAPHAT’S REPSONSE WAS UNLIKE THAT OF ANY OF JUDAH’S KINGS EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER HIM.
HE ASSEMBLED THE ENTIRE NATION TO PRAY JEHOSAPHAT HIMSELF PRAYED ’O OUR GOD WE ARE POWERLESS AGAINST THIS GREAT MULTITUDE WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU (2nd CHRONICLES 20:12)
BODY
NOW REIGNING AS KING OVER ISRAEL HE REICIEVED A MESSAGE THAT THERE IS COMING A HOST OF PEOPLE TO FIGHT AGAINST HIM WELL FEAR CAME UPON HIM (men of God do get scared and fearful) BUT INSTEAD OF PANICING HE BEGAN TO SEEK THE LORD TO GET THE MIND OF CHRIST ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION FOR THIS WAS A CRISIS SITUATION (an unstable or uncertain time, an emotionally or drastic change of status in a persons life, unstable or crucial time or state of affairs)
A) PEOPLE WILL PRAY IN THE TIME OF A CRISES
1) WORLD TRADE DISASTER
2) ANTHRAX SCARE
B) PEOPLE WILL FIND A CHURCH INT HE TIME A CRISIS
JEHOSAPHAT CAME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD TO PRAY IN THE MIST OF THE PEOPLE TO GET THE MIND OF CHRIST TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO CONCERNING THE SITUATION FOR HE WANTED GUIDANANCE AND HE NEEDED A QUICK ANSWER FROM GOD BECAUSE HE WAS CONFUSED AND DID’NT WHAT TO DO (vs12)
o our god wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against us: neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon you.
IN THE MIST OF PROBLEMS, IN A CRISIS SITUATION WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD IS OUR
A) BATTLE AXE (vs15)
VS15-and he said hearken ye all judah and ye inhabitants of jerusalem and thou king jehoshaphat: thus saith jehovah unto you fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great mulititude for the battle is not yours but God’s.
B) HELP IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE
psalms 46:1 god is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
CONCLUSION
AFTER THE PRAYER WENT UP GOD BEGAN TO MOVE INTHE CONGREGATION AND THE ANOINTING OF GOD CAME UPON A MAN BY THE NAME OF JAHAZIEL(vs14)
then upon jahaziel the son of zechariah the son of benaiah the son of jeiel the son mattaniah the levit of the son of asaph came theh spirit of jehovah in the midst of the assembly:
AND HE BEGAN TO PROPHESY AND HE SPOKE A WORD TO JEHOSAPHAT AND TOLD HIMNOT BE AFRAID (God will give assurance) DON’T GET UPSET BECAUSE OF THE MULTITIUDE OF PEOPLE, GOD SPOKE TO JEHOSHAPHAT AND LET HIM KNOW THAT THE BATTLE IS NOT YOUR BUT GOD’S.
SO AFTER GOD GAVE HIM ASSURANCE HE THAN GAVE HIM INSTRUCTIONS FIRST HE TOLD HIM WHERE TO FIND THE EMENY, SECOND HE ASSURED HIM AGAIN ADN TOLD HIM WHAT TO DO.
A) SETTLE YOURSELF, B) STANDSTILL , C) SEE
THE SALVATION OF THE LORD
(17a-ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still and see the salvation of jehovah with you)
AFTE THE PRAYER HOUR I BELIEVE THERE WAS A PRAISE IN THE MIDST, I BELIEVE SOME WORSHIP WAS IN THE MIDST
(vs18-and jehoshaphat bowed his head and his face to the ground and all judah and hte inhabitants of jerusalem fell down before jehovah worshipping jehovah (vs19) and the levits of the children of the kohahtites and the choldren of the korahites stood up to praise jehovah the god of israel wiht an exceeding loud voice)
JEHOHSAPHAT AND THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORINING TO UP TO THE BATTLE GROUND AS GOD HAD INTRUCTED THEM AND AS THEY WENT UP JEHOSHAPHAT ENDCOURAGE THEM TO BELIEVE WHAT GOD HAD SAID AND IT SHALL BE DONE.
vs20 and they rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of tekoa and they went forth jehoshaphat stood and said hear me o judah and ye inhabitiants of jerusalem; believe in jehovah your God so shall ye be established believe his prophets so shall ye prosper.
JEHOSHSAPHAT THEN GAVE SOME MORE INSTRUCTIONS: HE APPOINTED SINGER WO KNEW HOW TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP GOD.
vs21-and when he had taken counsel with the people he appointed them that they should sing unto jehovah and give praise in holy array as they went before the army say ’give thanks unto jehovah for his lovingkindness endureth for ever
WHEN THE SINGERS BEGAN TO SING AND PRAISE GOD THE LORD SET AMBUSHMENTS AGAINST THE ENEMY AND THEY WHERE DESTROYED FOR IT SOMETHING ABOUT PRAISE!
BELOVED WHATEVER YOU GO THROUGH, WHATEVER COMES UP AGAINST YOU:
REMEMBER THAT THE BATTLE IS GOD’S!
WHEN FOLK TALK ABOUT YOU AND ASY ALL KINDS OF EVIL THING ABOUT YOU:
REMEMBER THAT THE BATTLE IS GOD’S!
WHEN MEDICAL SCIENCE SAYS WE HAVE GONE AS FAR AS WE CAN GO:
REMEMBER THAT THE BATTLE IS GOD’S!
WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR CHILDREN RUNNING WILD AND JUST WON’T ACT RIGHT:
REMEMBER THAT THE BATTLE IS GOD’S!
TELL THE STORY
THE SONG WRITER PUT LIKE THIS THERE NO PAIN THAT JESUS CAN’T FEEL, NO HURT HE CANNOT HEAL ALL THINGS WORK ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL NO MATTER WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH REMEMBER GOD IS USING YOU FOR THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS ITS THE LORDS
THERE IS NO SADDNESS JESUS CAN’T FEEL AND THERE IS NO SORROW THAT HE CANNOT HEAL FOR ALL THINGS WORK ACCORDING TO THE MASTERS HOLY WILL NO MATTE WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH REMEMBER GOD IS ONLY USING YOU FOR THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS ITS THE LORDS
THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD’S
