Sermon # 47 - The Holy Hand Of God Series

The promise of God as given to us at the onset of this year was from Act 11:21 “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.” (KJV)

As we meditated and studied on the various aspects of the Hand of God, we realized that God’s hand protects us, His hand favors those who fear Him, but resists those who oppose Him.

Our God is a Holy God

We read in 1 Samuel 6:20, So the men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who can stand before the LORD, this holy God? Where can we send him to get him away from us?" (GNB)

The above mentioned verse portrays vividly the truth that our Lord is such a holy God that nothing unholy or defiled can stand before His presence.

As the God whom we worship is a holy God, when we His children choose to lead a holy life, no man can come up against us. Joshua is a great example of one to whom God gave this assurance for we read in Joshua 1:5, No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. (NLT) When the holy God resided with Joshua, there was no way any mortal man could rise against him, and prevail over him.

The unique character of God as depicted in the Bible that sets Him apart from all other so called gods, is His attribute of holiness. Let us study this passage from 2 Chronicles 20.

The enemies ally against Jehoshaphat

We read in 2 Chronicles 20:1, Later the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. (GW)

The Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites form an accomplice, to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat is one who feared God, and when surrounded by enemies he turned to the Lord in prayer. Jehoshaphat knew that he could not overcome these enemies with his own strategy and physical strength, and therefore sought the counsel of the Lord to win over the battle.

Have you noticed how when plotting against a righteous person, the wicked people will come together just to destroy the good man? The reason for this is because sadly, people often choose to make their enemy’s enemy their friend, just to accomplish their evil plan.

They won the battle with praise

We read in 2 Chronicles 20:21, After he had advised the people, he appointed people to sing to the LORD and praise him for the beauty of his holiness. As they went in front of the troops, they sang, "Thank the LORD because his mercy endures forever!" (GW)

Generally when faced with war, it is understood that physical weapons of warfare are used. However, contrarily, Jehoshaphat appointed people who could sing and praise the Lord for the beauty of His holiness. This group of worshippers took the lead, and went ahead of the troops.

As they praised and extolled the holiness of God, we read in 2 Chronicles 20:22, As they started to sing praises, the LORD set ambushes against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir who had come into Judah. They were defeated. (GW)

As they began to sing praises to the Lord, the Lord began to do His wondrous work. The Lord set ambushes against Jehoshaphat’s enemies, and all of them were thrown into confusion, and turned against each other. All that the Israelites did was sing praises to the Lord, and as they did so the enemy camp was totally disoriented, and ultimately defeated.

We understand from this passage that praises to God can accomplish for us what no earthly weapon can do. Praise can attain for us what money can’t.

We may be regular to church and worship God every Sunday, but it is possible that we may forget that the God whom we worship is a most holy God. For those who are complacent because we are in a period of grace, let us be reminded that our God is unchanging God, and a holy God.

For those who are fervently praying and awaiting answers for many long years, here’s a wonderful secret that they should begin to praise the Lord instead for their adverse situations. As we begin to praise the Lord daily for his majesty, His holiness, His glory and seek only His honor, we will begin to experience miraculous answers to our prayers. The ones who rise against us will be confounded with turmoil, and the Lord will grant us victory. Also, as we magnify and extol the holiness of God, we too will be transformed and our lives will begin to reflect His holiness.

When the Israelites forgot God’s holiness