Looking Unto Jesus – Part 12 | Sunday Service | October 25, 2020

Good Morning people of God! We welcome you all back to the house of our living God. As you all know, we have been going through this pandemic situation and most of us have been in need, yet God is the same, He watches us and keeps us.

Illustration: There are many geysers in US national park, however one of them is the most popular. In evey 65 minutes, it shoots a hot spring and is considered to be very dependable, and thats why it is named as “Old Faithful”.

Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?

We will continue with our ongoing series, “Looking unto Jesus”, Part 12. And in this series, today we will focus on “Counting on God – Our confidence in crisis.“

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

2 Chronicles 19 (complete chapter)

After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi).

2 Chronicles 20:1-2

Job got Bad news, Moses did as well, So did David when his son died.

Illustration: I received a bad news two months nack when my son contracted dengue and we were moving from hospital to hospital.

Bad news breaks us especially when we realise the word “Positive” is the negative word.

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord …

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth.

Jehoshaphat made a mistake that he allied with a wicked king.

As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; God drew them away from him.

Let us have a right fear, a fear whic draws us close to God.

In any battles, we must seek God first. Jehoshaphat first seeked God.

I sought the Lord , and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Jehovah seeked the God individually first.

We must seek support to people to pray for is as we pray for them, we cannot fight this battle alone.

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord ; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord .

We must mobilize prayer with family, farecell, bible groups, friends etc. The least we can do is pray.

How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had given them up?

Jehoshaphat lead the example by seeming God but also the people, who followed their leader.

And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord ; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord .

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

Illustration: Three pastors were discussing best position for praying. One said the with open arms the other suggested with head bowed down and then prayed. Then there was third, who also happened to be a televom cable technician, he said, “The best prayer I ever did was hanging upside down from a pole. That was the most desperate prayer.”

For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end.

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord , before the new court, and said, “O Lord , God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Things we learn here from Jehoshaphat’s prayer are…

1: Battle is the Lords

(2 Chronicles  20:15; Exodus 14:14)

2: March against the enemy, face your enemy

(2 Chronicles 20:16; 2 Chronocles 20:17b)

3: Take your position, stand firm

(2 Chronicles 20:17a)

4: Witness the deliverance of God.

(2 Chronicles 20:17)

1: Praise precedes (2 chronicles 20:21; Psalm 149)

2: Enemy recedes (2 Chronicles 20:22)

3: Plunder/Abundance/Restoration (2 Chronicles 20:25)

4: Fear of God  amongst the enemies.

5: Peace or God with Judah (2 Chronicles 20:29-30; Psalm 23)

Are you under the attack of the enemy? If you are, are you really praying deaperately? And who are you counting on? People or connections? Or your eyes are fixed upon Jesus?

To conclude, a beautiful song…“Faithful One” by Brian Doerkson…

We hope you are encouraged with today’s service. We look forward to see you again next Sunday. God Bless!