Misc. - "Battle Tested" 2 Chronicles 20
Notes
Transcript
“Battle Tested”
“Battle Tested”
Tonight’s message will be from 2 Chronicles, the Old Testament book.
Something that is “Battle Tested” refers to something that is shown to be reliable and effective when involved in war.
One of our students and I were texting this week, and he was sharing with me his knowledge and interest in WW2.
They Germans had over 450 different types of planes during WW2.
Many weapons were produced but by the end of the war, many of them were not proven to be that effective.
Tonight’s message is geared to encourage Christians to be reminded that there is a “Battle Tested” plan to help you win your war!
Tonight we are going to be reading from 2 Chronicles 20:1-22
This passage, I was telling someone earlier, might be my favorite Old Testament story.
Tonight I want you to see 3 things with me from this story:
1. Recognize the Threat
1. Recognize the Threat
Jehoshaphat is considered one of Judah’s greatest kings. He did not always make the best decisions, but he did set his own heart toward God and lead others to seek God as well.
Just because he was a good king, does not mean that the threat of the enemy simply goes away. Look down in verses 1-2
2 Chronicles 20:1–2 KJV 19001 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.
there are some important aspects to consider at this point:
a) The Warning
a) The Warning
Sometimes the Enemy’s greatest attacks come after times of repentance or a time when you are prepared to seek after God.
Sometimes the Enemy’s greatest attacks come after times of repentance or a time when you are prepared to seek after God.
b) The Enemy
b) The Enemy
In this story, the enemies were the Ammonites, Moabites, and other small armies (The Meunites).
They declared war on Judah.
It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.
This is a great multitude, impossible to fight on their own.
The truth is, we have enemies that have declared war on us:
Internal Enemies - The Flesh
External Enemies - The World
Fall Enemies - Satan and his fallen angels
How do we respond when we have an Enemy that is bigger than us?
2. Strategize the Battle
2. Strategize the Battle
Often times our first response to a warning like this determines the outcome.
Often times our first response to a warning like this determines the outcome.
When we believe we are strong enough to fight the Enemy on our own, we are opening ourselves up to defeat.
When we believe we are strong enough to fight the Enemy on our own, we are opening ourselves up to defeat.
Notice how Jehoshaphat responds:
a) Prayer
a) Prayer
And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
In his prayer he recognized:
1. God’s Power verse 6 - You rule!
2. God’s Provision verse 7 - You’ve driven out the Enemy
3. God’s Presence verse 9 - we’re in Your presence
4. God’s Promise verse 11 - you gave this to us
5. God’s Purpose 2 Chronicles 20:12 - our eyes are on You.
b) Community
b) Community
what’s so cool about this heart is that Jehoshaphat led the people of Judah into fasting and prayer too.
Gather yourself around people that will genuinely pray for and with you.
Maybe tonight you aren’t in a battle, but your best friend is. Here in a second, you should pray with and for them.
c) Preaching
c) Preaching
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.
Wow. Watch what the Lord is about to do!
THe best preaching is the Truth that we:
God is going to give you victory
2. The enemy is already defeated
Our Enemy (Satan) is:
Spoiled (Colossians 2:15)
Overruled (Ephesians 1:20-22)
Mastered (Philippians 2:9-11)
Powerless (Hebrews 2:29)
Work Destroyed (1 John 3:8)
Awesome… if we’ve already won. I don’t have to do anything then. Or maybe you’re thinking “I don’t feel like I’m winning.”
d) Obedience
d) Obedience
Judah did not NEED to fight in this battle, but that did not mean there was nothing for them to do.
Judah did not NEED to fight in this battle, but that did not mean there was nothing for them to do.
Judah had to take a step of faith. God could have defeated them in many ways, but he wanted Judah to participate in faith this way.What did Judah plan to do?
e) Worship
e) Worship
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Worshippers on the front line.
Worshippers on the front line.
I wish I could sing well. I really do, I love to sing, and in my opinion, I have a mean falseto.
Some may be wondering, “Hayden are you trying to drop a hint to Jeremy about singing a solo?” - To that I would say, hint.
Just imagine that I was the worship leader here. We had an army outside of our church across the street.
Pastor Chad said, Hayden I want you and Jermey and the praise band to be on the front lines.
“Okay, do you have a hand grenade?? Anything?”
“No I want you to sing!”
3. Rejoice in the Victory
3. Rejoice in the Victory
2 Chronicles 20:22–24 KJV 190022 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
when Judah arrived the enemy had defeated themselves.
What if it doesnt go well?
What if it doesnt go well?
Maybe it’s not that God is going to change your circumstances… maybe it’s that God wants to change you.
Maybe it’s not that God is going to change your circumstances… maybe it’s that God wants to change you.
Remember how I said that Jehoshaphat prayed for God’s purpose?
Remember how I said that Jehoshaphat prayed for God’s purpose?
2 Chronicles 20:12
2 Chronicles 20:12
12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
Even if things wouldn’t have panned out the way that Jehoshaphat wanted, God worked in their hearts to allow their eyes to be fixed on Him.
Maybe it’s not that God is going to change your circumstances, maybe it’s that God wants to change you.
