Text---2 Chronicles 20:1-21
New movie out about WW II, "Saving Private Ryan". A long, hard
war that brought many
casualties on all sides of the conflict.
Another battle in the Bible in which the army of God, the Israelites,
did not have to even lift a
sword and the enemy was soundly defeated. We find the account
of this in 2 Chronicles 20:1-21
and it centers around the king with one of the coolest names in the
Bible---Jehoshaphat.
When facing the enemy---whoever it might be---I think we would do well
to follow old
Jehoshaphat's example.
I. KNOW WHO THE ENEMY IS (v. 2)
Ignorance is not bliss. In my battle with leukemia
it was important for me to know just
who the enemy was so I started early on by searching
the internet.
A. The enemy is us
James 1:14---Let no man say
when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God
cannot be tempted with evil,
neither tempteth he any man:
That enemy will destroy you quicker than any external enemy.
Romans 8:6---For to be carnally minded is death
Galatians 6:7-8---Be not
deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he
that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Romans 7:18ff
B. The world and all that is in it
1 John 5:19---[And] we know
that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in
wickedness.
1 John 2:16---For all that
[is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust
of the eyes, and the pride
of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
C. Satan---1 Peter 5:8---Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour:
Ephesians 6:12---For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in
high [places].
Genesis 3:1ff
II. TAKE YOUR PROBLEM TO THE LORD (20:6)
Prayer should always be a first priority and not
a last resort. It is our first line of defense.
"All we can do now is pray."
Jehoshaphat models the prayer we would do well to pray in the face of the enemy.
A. Bring into mind who God really is (v. 6)
B. Recount what God has done (vv. 7-9)
C. Ask Him to do it again (vv. 10-12)
III. ADMIT OUR OWN INADEQUACY (v. 12)
IV. STAND IN FAITH (v. 17)
Become available for God. Giving God a push,
helping God is like trying to help a 747 off
the runway.
Just stand in faith and let God take care of the rest
VI. THANK GOD AND PRAISE HIM IN ADVANCE FOR THE VICTORY (vv. 18, 19, 21)
1 Corinthians 15:57---But thanks [be] to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.