Speaker: Mike Hinger
2 Chronicles 20
We, as Christians, have to find out what God wants FIRST. That is our priority. We can't make plans and schedules before consulting with God. When the Israelites went into battle without consulting God FIRST, they suffered immense losses, and so will we when we enter into a spiritual battle without consulting God first.
It doesn't matter if what we are doing is a good thing if it's not God's thing. I have found myself getting caught in this trap before, thinking that just because I'm doing something 'good', I am doing what God wants me to do. God always ask us to do good things, but He wont ask us to do every good thing. What I mean by that is--there's an old woman crossing the road. Three blocks, a bus stop, and four sets of lights away. Does God necessarily want me to jump out of my car, hop on a bus, and yell at the woman as loudly as I can to wait until I get there to cross the road? No. But will He have some kind of good plan for me as soon as I get to where-ever it was that I was going. Chances are good that yes, He will. Don't get distracted by a bunch of "good things" and miss out on the "God things".
We'll go through seasons in our life, good ones, and bad ones (summer and winter, respectively). We can't just run to the Lord when we're terrified.
2 Chronicles 20:6-9
"O Lord God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you?..." [NKJV]
Jehoshaphat declared this for himself, and for the enemy, not for God. God already knows who He is, and what kind of power He has. We are the ones that need to remind ourselves, and sometimes, we have to tell the enemy.
What matters is not what others say. That is not the final word. God's Word is the final word.
vs. 7
Are you not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham your friend forever? [NKJV]
We need to remember what He has done for us. We freely received, we need to freely give away. He wants to use us in the same way He has blessed us.
vs. 9
If disaster comes upon us...and we cry out to you in our affliction...you will hear and save. [NKJV]
When doubt comes into our lives it makes our God smaller. The problem becomes bigger than our God. Remember God can do anything. No problem is every bigger than God. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Seek His righteousness. Remember:
Proverbs 3:4-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
[NIV]
and:
Phillipians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [NIV]
We can thank Him before we get an answer.
Be anxious about NOTHING. That is "no thing".
2 Chronicles 20:11
See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. [NKJV]
God does things differently than we do. That is why we must trust. It'll work out.
vs. 12
O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. [NKJV]
It's okay to admit our weakness. We know we can run to God when we have a problem. The Spirit of the Lord came upon a man. God will rescue you, you wont have to lift a hand.
God delivered them. God says to us that this is applicable. We don't know what to do but we can cry out and believe God to answer.
Side note: Always press into God, He has always got more.
