(The most recent time I gave this message was on November 6, 2016 at Christ Community Church in Miami Florida. You can view the PowerPoint slides of the message on Microsoft OneDrive HERE.
I also gave this message at Gospel Life Church in Sunrise FL on June 11, 2017. You can view it on YouTube HERE. The PowerPoint slides of this message are available on Microsoft OneDrive HERE)
As the
title of the message suggests, we live in challenging days. Challenges of a
personal nature: health issues, unemployment, financial uncertainty, perhaps
marriage difficulties and so forth. Issues facing our nation: political unrest,
the threat of global and domestic terrorism, corruption in government and Wall
Street, a health care crisis, unprecedented government deficits, a volatile economy,
and home foreclosures.
I want to
look with you at the provisions God has given us for challenging times, by
looking at King Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah as they faced a crisis in
their day, a challenge that was humanly speaking insurmountable. Reading 2
Chronicles 20:1-13 (NIV)
"After this, the Moabites and
Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Some
people came and told Jehoshaphat, 'A vast army is coming against you from Edom,
from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar' (that is,
En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire
of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to
seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek
him. 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the
assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the
new courtyard 6 and
said: 'Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven?
You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your
hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the
inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the
descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They
have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 "If calamity comes upon us, whether
the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence
before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our
distress, and you will hear us and save us." 10 But now here are men from Ammon, Moab
and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they
came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming
to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we
have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what
to do, but our eyes are on you.' 13 All
the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there
before the Lord."
Notice how King Jehoshaphat responded
when faced with this massive army from Edom to the south headed his way. How we
respond to life's challenges is critical. What we do when faced with adversity will
determine whether we experience the presence, power and provision of God or
limit ourselves to our own human
resources and ingenuity.
King Jehoshaphat responded in
three ways to the crisis faced by his nation We can respond in the same three
ways when facing a challenge. The first and immediate response of King
Jehoshaphat was to call a prayer meeting. He called his people to prayer and
fasting.
Fasting means to deny oneself something
that is a legitimate part of your life for the purpose of seeking God. Fasting
from food or drink is common. When I fast this is what motivates me: "I
need God more than I need food." Why did Jehoshaphat call a fast?
Note two
reasons: Fasting communicates urgency of desire. In other words, it's like saying to God, “I’m really serious
about this.” Verse three says Jehoshaphat was “alarmed” and “afraid.” In his
book God’s Chosen Fast, Arthur Wallis
writes,
"When
a man is willing to set aside the legitimate appetites of the body to
concentrate on the work of praying, he is demonstrating that he means business,
that he is seeking with all his heart, and will not let God go unless he
answers."
You see
fasting is a picture of one who is diligently, earnestly and sincerely seeking
God. The second thing we learn about fasting
is that
fasting communicates dependence on God. Verse 20 in the New Living Translation,
"O our God, won't you stop them?
We are
powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know
what to do, but we are looking to you for help." In other words, King
Jehoshaphat was saying to God, “We are helpless!” "You’re the only one who
can help!” Jehoshaphat's father faced a similar crisis as recorded in chapter
fourteen. When facing a similar threat, a vast army of Cushites, King Asa
called upon the Lord, chapter 14, verse eleven, "...Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against
the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have
come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals
prevail against you.”
After the
Lord "struck down the Cushites," the prophet Azariah brought this
word from the Lord, 2 Chronicles 15:2, “The Lord is with you when you are with
him. If you seek him, he will be found by you”
May I
suggest to you that is the theological basis for fasting. Pastor K. Neil Foster
writes, “Fasting is the quickest way to get yourself into the position where
God can give you what He wanted to give you all along." Principle number
one, fasting is an invitation for God's intervention. Fasting provides an
opportunity for God to demonstrate His supernatural power. In other words do what only God
can do. Through fasting God will bring His resources into our circumstances.
Through
fasting God intervenes in our crisis. Through fasting God invades our lives
with His presence. And in all of this God is glorified because He gets all the
credit. Of all the spiritual disciplines, fasting is probably the most neglected
and perhaps the most misunderstood, but it is the most powerful, rewarding, and
fulfilling means of grace.
Notice
Jehoshaphat's second response in the face of the crisis facing his nation. He
responded in faith. Let’s define faith.
We come to Christ through faith Ephesians 5:8,
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith." Then as believers
we walk by faith. The Christian life is a life of faith. My favorite definition
of faith is Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please
God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
I believe
this verse describes Jehoshaphat's faith. Jehoshaphat fasted. In other words, he
was earnestly seeking God. He evidently believed that God existed, and that God
would reward, or answer his prayer. Our faith is only as good as the object in
which we place our faith. May I suggest to you that Jehoshaphat's prayer was a faith
building prayer. We learn two things
about faith from Jehoshaphat's prayer.
First,
God is the object of our faith. You say, well tell us something new! That’s
obvious! But I ask you, what kind of God is the object is the object of your
faith? Faith depends on its object. If God is the object of your faith, the
question is, what do you understand about God? How would you define the God who
is the object of your faith? What kind of God is the object of your faith? How
well informed are you about this God? How well do you know this God? I think it
would be accurate to put it this way, our
view of God, who is the object of our faith, will to a large degree define
out faith.
Perhaps
you have driven over the Intercostal on the 17th Street Causeway Bridge
in Fort Lauderdale. Most of us never give a second thought when we drive over that
bridge. But each time you drive over that bridge, you are placing your faith in
the bridge to get you safely over the Intercostal. That is because we have
complete faith in the structural integrity of the bridge. We are
placing our faith in the architect, engineers, and construction crew who
designed and built the bridge.
We gain
insight into Jehoshaphat's faith by looking at his view of God. If faith
depends on its object, what did Jehoshaphat think about God? What was his view
of God? What did he believe about God? In the face of this crisis how did he
define God? We find the answer in his prayer, verses six through twelve. He
asks three questions. And in answering them he defined the God, who was the
object of his faith. You see, these three questions in Jehoshaphat's prayer are
faith-building questions. Let's look
at how Jehoshaphat defines God.
Are you
not...? is the first question, ”O
Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over
all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in you hand, and no one
can withstand you." (verse 6). Here he is focusing on Who God Is. In
asking this question Jehoshaphat is proclaiming truth about God. Notice that he
focuses on the transcendence of God - the “otherness” of God, “are you not the
God who is in heaven?” God is unique and distinct from his creation. Nothing in
creation is comparable to Him. The transcendence of God speaks of everything
about God that separates Him from his creation.
Then he
focuses on the sovereignty of God, “you
rule over the nations.” God is in absolute control of his creation. He determines
the end from the beginning. Thirdly, He focuses
on the power of God, "no one can withstand you.” In
Jehoshaphat view God has no rivals. He rules supreme. Remember, “faith depends
on its object,” Hebrews 6:11, ”And without faith it is impossible to please
God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists...'
The
second question is Did you not...? "O our God, did you not drive out
the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give
it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?” (verse 7) Here the focus
is on what God did. Not only is Jehoshaphat
remembering the faithfulness of God in giving them victory over their enemies
(verse 7a) He was addressing God as the
God of covenant. (verse 7b) This was the God who had intervened in history,
chosen a people as his very own and obligated himself to those people in a
covenant relationship.
As
Jehoshaphat called out to God in this time of crisis, he was not only mindful of
who God was, he was mindful of what God had done. He is not only calling to
mind what he knew about God, he was focusing on the intervention of God on
behalf of His people in the past.
But there
is more. He was focusing on the covenant relationship that Israel had with God.
He refers to God as the “friend” of Abraham, verse 7. This speaks of God's
revelation of himself to man. It speaks loud and clear of God' intention to
live in fellowship with Abraham and his seed, through a divinely conceived and
initiated covenant.
As he led
his people in prayer at the Temple Jehoshaphat refers to the Temple as the
dwelling place of God among his people, verse 9. This
speaks of the presence of God in the midst of his people. He already noted the
transcendence of God. Now he speaks of the immanence of God, the nearness of
God. This speaks of the right of these chosen people to stand in the presence
of God, that transcendent, sovereign and powerful God because of that covenant
relationship.
Perhaps
Jehoshaphat was reminded of the temple dedication by his great, great, great
grandfather Solomon as recorded in chapter seven when the visible glory of God
filled the Temple and God himself said, "Now my eyes are open and my ears attentive
to the prayers offered in this place.”
(7:15) If you are in Christ today, this is your privilege as well to
know the immanence of God, the presence of God especially in your time of need.
Church
are you getting the picture? Faith depends on its object! God has disclosed to
us who He is. He has revealed himself to us in His creation. He has revealed
himself to us through revelation, the written word, and through His Son Jesus
Christ the living Word. So He stands before us today as the object of our
faith, offering to have a dynamic personal relationship with us through faith in
His Son. We have access to the very presence of God through our covenant
relationship with Jesus Christ.
But there
is a third question, Will you not...? verse twelve, ”O our God, will you not
judge them (their enemies)? For we have no power to face this vast army that is
attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”
The focus
of the third question “Will you not?” is on what we can expect. King Jehoshaphat
is saying; based on who you are, the transcendent, sovereign and powerful God; based
on what you have done, you brought us into a covenant relationship with yourself
and drove out the enemy from this land and gave it to Abraham's descendants. On
that basis we call upon you; we ask for your help; we cry out for your intervention;
and we expect a response! Hebrews 11:6
describes Jehoshaphat's faith. "And without faith it is impossible to
please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and
that he rewards those who earnestly
seek him.”
You see,
there is the expectation on Jehoshaphat's part that God would respond. The three
questions Jehoshaphat asks in his prayer, are faith building questions. They
were faith building because they reveal truth about the God who was the object
of Jehoshaphat's faith.
I'm going
to suggest to you that, principle number two, your faith will be defined by
your knowledge and experience of God. And the two are related. Your knowledge
of God will either limit or enhance your experience of God. How are you
defining God this morning? How does your knowledge of him and your experience
of him contribute to that definition? In other words, how well do you know God?
But there
is another side of faith. Faith is acting or stepping out in obedience to God's
Word. Faith is trusting in God’s promises
and
trusting the God of promise. Faith is an action word. Notice God's first response
to Jehoshaphat's impassioned prayer. He
sent a word to the king and his people through the prophet Jahaziel. Jahaziel
was a Levite, a descendent of Asaph. A singer, if you will. His prophetic word brought instructions and a
promise; a promise from God that required a response
of faith.
Reading 2
Chronicles 20:14-17 (NIV),
"Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son
of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite
and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. 15 He said: 'Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in
Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or
discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against
them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at
the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your
positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and
Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them
tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
Jahaziel
gave the marching orders. He told them exactly what to do, the instructions and
told them exactly what God would do, the promise. You see, God's provision
always accompany God's instructions. When we step out in obedience to God, we
always step into the provision of God. When we choose to walk in the will of
God we will find ourselves walking in the presence of God. Notice the emphasis
on God's provision, verse fifteen, “For the battle is not yours but God's,” and
verse seventeen, “You will not have to fight this battle see the deliverance
the Lord will give you. Go out and face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with
you." It's all about what God
would do.
Principle
number three, obedience to God always brings us into the presence and provision
of God. When we choose to walk in the will of God, we will find ourselves
walking in the provision and the presence of God.
Notice
how Jehoshaphat and his people responded. 2 Chronicles 20:18-20 (NIV), "Jehoshaphat
bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and
Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood
up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20 Early in the morning they left
for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Listen
to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you
will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.'”
I think
verse twenty contains the key to this test of Jehoshaphat's faith. Notice
Jehoshaphat's final instruction to his people. You will find it toward the end
of verse twenty. Two clauses, “have faith in the Lord you God and you will be
upheld.” (NIV) or "believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be
established” (ESV). There is a command and a promise here. There are two
clauses here with two different verbs. First the command, “have faith” or
"believe.” Then the promise, “you will be upheld” or “established”. One
clause contains a command and the other contains a promise. And the two verbs
come from the same root word. Listen to G. Campbell Morgan's comment,
“The
exhortation in our text...has, in the original, a beauty and emphasis that are
incapable of being preserved in translation. There is a play of words which
cannot be reproduced in another language, though the sentiment of it may be
explained...and although we can only imitate the original clumsily in our
language, we might translate in some way as this: 'Hold fast by the Lord your
God, and you will be held fast,' or 'stay yourselves on Him and you will be
stable.'”
What is
Jehoshaphat saying here? Remember in his prayer he painted a picture of the
magnificence of God, His transcendence, His sovereignty, and His power, the
binding of Himself to Israel in a covenant relationship. He has defined God,
who is the object of their faith for his people, and now he is exhorting his
people to respond in faith to this God. Here is the key. The way in which they
are to respond to God in faith, is closely related to the way God has promised
to respond to their faith.
Again,
G. Campbell Morgan. He further describes the imagery that takes place. "Put
out your hand and clasp Him, and He puts out His hand and steadies you. But all
the steadfastness and strength come from the mighty Hand that is outstretched,
not from the tremulous one that grasps it.”
I
declare to you this morning, there is a promise from God for every crisis you
face; there is a promise from God for every dilemma that is before you; there
is a promise from God for every challenge, and adversity and trial and set of
difficult circumstances that comes your way. But more important is the fact when
we act in obedience, when we take God at His Word; when we embrace His
promises; and reach out to God, it is His hand that reaches out and takes hold
of our hand; It is the transcendent, sovereign, powerful hand of God that
reaches out and grabs hold of our weak and trembling hand. That is the
theological truth described here. Are you living in that truth?
What
are the obstacles to walking in this kind of faith? Faith in God cannot be
separated from our knowledge of God. And intimacy with God is inseparable from
intimacy with His Word. Notice the last words of verse twenty, “have faith in
his prophets and you will be successful”. God had responded to the fasting and
prayer of Jehoshaphat and his people with a specific word through the prophet
Jahaziel. Jehoshaphat embraced that word.
God has
not left us without a word. The Bible is His word to us, a final and complete
revelation. For many of us our view of God is impoverished because our knowledge
of His Word is impoverished. We lack intimacy with God because we do not
consistently fellowship with Him in His Word. When we fail to give ourselves to
God's Word three things happen.
First, we
don't understand the nature and character
of God. Therefore our fellowship with Him is compromised. Secondly, we
don’t know the will of God. Therefore we often live outside of the purposes and
plan of God. Thirdly, we don’t know the promises of God. Therefore we miss the
blessings and provisions of God.
Peter said it is through the promises of God that we participate
in the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NV), "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life
through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through
these he has given us his very great and precious promises," Now listen, "so
that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
First,
we can respond to adversity with prayer and fasting. Second, we can respond to
adversity in obedient faith. Third, we can respond to adversity, and, this is
going to surprise some of you, we can respond with praise. Notice Jehoshaphat's
response to the word of the Lord spoken by Jahaziel, verse eighteen, an act of
worship, praise! That was Jehoshaphat's third response. Notice 2 Chronicles
20:21-23, "After consulting
the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for
the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: 'Give
thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.' 22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against
the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were
defeated. 23 The Ammonites
and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them.
After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one
another."
Notice
verse 21, Jehoshaphat sent singers ahead of the army. The choir preceded the
infantry. And, verse twenty-two, as they praised the Lord revealed his power. As
they praised the Lord, he defeated their enemies. I’ve often said that praise
is the threshold into the presence of God.
Why is
praise so critical in the face of our crisis or adversity? Principle number
four, in praise we surrender to God's sovereignty in our lives. As we face
challenges and adversity one of God’s provisions is to respond in praise. You
see in our praise we acknowledge that the transcendent, sovereign and powerful
God is in control of our lives and our circumstances. You see, praise is rooted
in our submission, obedience and surrender to God. It is at this point that it
dove tails with faith. You cannot exercise biblical faith with out obedience to
the will of God. And you cannot exercise biblical praise without surrender to
the sovereignty of God in your life and circumstances.
Are you
facing adversity today? Is there a trial or challenge that is overwhelming you?
What has been your response? King Jehoshaphat and his people faced
insurmountable odds, a vast and powerful enemy. In humility they sought the
Lord with prayer and fasting. They expressed to God the urgency of their
desire. They expressed their dependence on God. They responded in obedient
faith. And they praised God. God will
reveal Himself strong on our behalf if we respond to our in this way.
I close
with this illustration. I use Psalms in my personal worship and prayer. A
number of years ago I memorized the first eight verses of Psalm 63. I was
undergoing great challenges. As I read these verses one day, I found they
expressed my heart and my desperate need of God in those difficult times. Here
is the background of these verses. God anointed David to be King many years
before he actually replaced King Saul. And for years after being anointed as
the next king, David lived as a hunted man, the life of a fugitive often out in
the wilderness being tracked down by King Saul and his army. During those years of hardship David had
several opportunities to kill King Saul. His faith in God's promise that he
would one day be king was tested over and over. Again and again he faced the
question whether to trust and obey God or take things into his own hands.
It is
believed that while being hunted by King Saul he wrote Psalm 63. As you listen,
notice the praise that springs from his heart in this face of his adversity. Notice
the words that express his insatiable hunger for God in the face of the life
threatening challenges he faced. Notice the words that express his intimate
fellowship with God in the face of his trials. Listen carefully to the
metaphors and the word pictures that he used to describe his faith and trust in
the Lord in these difficult circumstances. May I suggest to you as I close, that
his words embody how we are to respond to God in the face of every challenge
and adversity.
Psalm
63:1-8 (NIV) "Oh God, you are
my God, Earnestly I seek you; My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in
a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld you power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my
lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I
will lift up my hands."
Do you
think David fasted? He continues,
"My
soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; With singing lips my lips
my mouth will praise you; On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the
watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing under the shadow of your
wings."
Remember
verse twenty, God's outstretched hand? "My soul clings to you; your right
hand upholds me."
© James
P McGarvey All Rights Reserved
