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God wants us to succeed in our endeavors! The same promise he made to Joshua
in the Old Testament can be claimed by each believer in Jesus Christ:
Josh 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you
shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all
that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you
will have good success.
In the 20th Chapter of 2nd Chronicles, the children of
Israel were confronted with a potentially overwhelming enemy.
2 Chr 20:1-2
1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon,
and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.
2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming
against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar"
(which is En Gedi).
The king and those with him took steps in seeking God, hearing God, doing
God’s will and then receiving God’s victory. We too can have this same success
and victory!
First, the king called a fast. Fasting a scriptural principle from
both the old and new Testament. Esther led others in a fast when they were in
serious trouble. Among the many other examples is the Apostle Paul who said he
was in fastings often. Jesus in the sermon on the mount said:
Matt 6:17-18
17 "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is
in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
I understand fasting to be a form of spiritual intercession or prayer. Often
people may not know all the truths about praying the Word of God and speaking
God’s Word, but they can fast. We can lay aside eating or some other activity
for a period of time while we spend time with God in prayer and in His Word.
While fasting may be in order for days and weeks, situations can turn around
often in a short time.
Second, the king prayed. While he spoke of the problem, the king also
spoke of God being greater than the circumstances.
2 Chr 20:6-12
6 and said: "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?
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?
8 "And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your
name, saying,
9 'If disaster comes upon us-- sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine-- we
will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this
temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.'
10 "And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir-- whom You
would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they
turned from them and did not destroy them--
11 "here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your
possession which You have given us to inherit.
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."
Each of us as Christians can come boldy before our Heavenly Father with our
requests! We can claim God’s promises of mercy, protection and provision. A
favorite place in the Bible that lists the benefits we have is Psalm 103:
Ps 103:2-5
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness
and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle's.
We can each claim the five benefits that are listed.
Third, the king listened while God spoke through a prophet. We too can
hear from God in our specific situation. Each Christian can know the leading of
the Holy Spirit. Each Christian can know God’s peace in going the right way, and
conversely feel the check of the Holy Spirit when we need to stop and listen.
Each Christian can spend time in prayer until they have clarity of direction.
Ps 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will
guide you with My eye.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God.
God gave the king a plan of action. We can believe for God’s leading in our
lives!
2 Chr 20:14-17
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah,
the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons
of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.
15 And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be
afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not
yours, but God's.
16 'Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent
of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of
Jeruel.
17 'You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand
still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and
Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the
LORD is with you."
Fourth, the king believed God’s plan and implemented it. We need to be
doers of the Word of God. We need to obey the Word of God we do now. If we
aren’t God in the small areas, how can we expect further instructions? Lets
check up on ourselves!
Fifth, the king and his people worshipped and praised God. They did it
in advance of physically seeing the enemy defeated. They praised God before they
went out to battle and as they went out to battle!
2 Chr 20:18-21
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the
LORD.
19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children
of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and
high.
20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of
Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and
you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be
established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who
should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they
went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, for His mercy
endures forever."
The end result was the supernatural deliverance of the Israelites from their
enemy.
2 Chr 20:22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes
against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah;
and they were defeated.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we can walk in victory each day of our lives!
1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
I Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the
victory that has overcome the world-- our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the
Son of God?
We can overcome problems big and small as we abide in our Lord Jesus Christ!
Rev 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
He travels within the United States and Europe and is available for speaking engagements.
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