Where To Turn In Your Darkest Moment Series

Revival: Stronger Than Ever

Where to Turn in Your Darkest Moment

Scripture:2 Chronicles 17-20

When I was about six years old, my parents bought me a new bicycle that had decorations on it that made it look like a racing bike. It was the best thing ever and I rolled that all over the place. I had a rule that I could only ride my bike to the end of the street as we lived in a cul-de-sac so there was hardly any traffic.

However right on the other side of 63rd St which was my limit , there was a dirt bike trail that a bunch of kids from that neighborhood had made. It had Hills it had moguls it had a big jump on it. they further improve that jump by putting it at the bottom of a Hill and then jumping over a small pit. I could watch them jump that pit from the end of the street , but since it was on the other side of 63rd I wasn't allowed over there.

One day, my male testosterone got the better of me and I crossed the forbidden line. I rolled over to join the other kids in writing this dirt bike trail. I pedaled to the top of the Hill for the first time and look down at that jump. outside of a couple of curbs I had never jumped with a dirt bike before and didn't know how to do it. all I knew is I wanted to experience jumping my bike so down the Hill I went faster and faster I pedaled and hit that jump and soared through the air.

it felt amazing until I landed. You see no one had ever taught me you have to pull back on the handlebars a little bit when you jump otherwise your front wheel goes down and you fly over your handlebars upon landing which I did. My head hit a rock , busted wide open and there was blood everywhere.

This was long before bicycle helmets were a thing.

I started to try and walk my bike home while holding my and over the cut on my forehead, and couldn’t really see well because I was bleeding everywhere. All I know is I wanted to get home, hide the bike, and get a bandaid before my mom saw what happened.

However, one of the kids yelled for their parents who gave me a ride home with my bike and my mom was absolutely furious because I had to go to the emergency Department and get stitches.

Needless to say that was the end of my riding that bike for the rest of the summer.

That was not at all an ideal situation.

Today I want to introduce you to a man who found himself in situations that were not ideal.

He’s the son of Asa. His name is Jehoshaphat and he was the 6th king in the line of David.

Ezra who wrote Chronicles, introduces him to us this way:

2 Chronicles 17:3-6

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commands… So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance. His mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways…

NEED

If you’ve ever been in a tight spot,

if you’ve ever been in a place where you didn’t know what to do,

if you’ve ever felt like you’re facing an enemy who is bigger than you and could destroy you and all you hold dear,

Jehoshaphat will be your hero. Because Jehoshaphat faced all of that and humbly confessed, “I don’t know what to do.” In front of God and everybody.

And yet, he did exactly the right thing, eight times in a row.

But First, Prayer

Let me show you his story. It’s in 2 Chronicles 20.

Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king. And he reigned over Judah, for 25 years.

Jehoshaphat’s story spans two wars and a bad marriage. I’ll tell you about the bad marriage next week. It almost wrecked the kingdom, and almost scuttled God’s plans to send a Messiah through the line of David. – Don’t miss next week!

The story begins with… 2 Chronicles 20:1-2;

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to fight against Jehoshaphat. People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).

I put a map in your bulletin to show you what he was facing