Resilient Worship Through the Dark of Night

Our sermon this morning is entitled “Resilient Worship Through the Dark of Night.” We all go through seasons in our lives. We may all come from different places, with different back grounds, maybe different cultures, and certainly different circumstances but there is one thing that is sadly universal to the human experience- (pause) that is pain. We may encounter it to different degrees of intensity but each and every one of us has experienced pain.

I am talking about that season of life when it is dark all around you. Two weeks ago, Kristin and I attended the ABCVNH Annual Gathering and one of the speakers shared about his family’s season of suffering. It began with a terrible diagnosis. A tumor the size of a melon engulfed his little girl’s kidney. Perhaps you know what it is like to sit and watch as someone you love endures devastating illness. I know that our family does. There just are no words to describe how difficult the long hospital hours are, the waiting on tests results and doctor’s assessments. This father did what so many of us do, he tried to negotiate with God, “If you will just take this away than I will do anything you ask.”…. “Heal her, God, and make me sick instead.” The thing is, this father was also a pastor who was working with his wife to plant a church. So he added that to the negotiation table, “God, haven’t I served you well? We are doing what you asked of us. So please heal our daughter.” They waited in expectation but the night grew darker instead. Their other, younger daughter also got sick. Scans showed a tumor in her brain. So after church planting meetings this father would walk into the hospital with a daughter holding each one of his hands as he guided the first to one oncology department and then the other to another.

(long pause)

It is hard to put into words what it feels like to be in the middle of that kind of hardship. John Wesley tried when he said,

“It seems that all these torments of body and soul are without intermission. Be their suffering ever so extreme, be their pain ever so intense, there is no possibility of their fainting away- no, not for one moment ... They are all eye, all ear, all sense. Every instant of their duration it may be said of their whole frame that they are 'Trembling alive all o'er, and smart and agonize at every pore.' And of this duration there seems to be no end”

As poetic as that sounds, I still feel as though words fail. I know that there are people in our church who are struggling through a dark season right now. So perhaps I don’t have to describe it for you because maybe you already know how it feels. Friends, I want you to know this morning that there is a way to navigate through the darkness.

Therefore my first point this morning is borrowed from Louie Giglio who urges us to:

1. “Let worship be a weapon in your midnight hour.”

If you have your Bibles with you this morning or a Bible app on your phone then turn to

2 Chronicles 20. In this passage we learn about a time in Israel’s history where they too faced a time of turmoil and suffering. Israel’s king at the time, Jehoshaphat learns in verse 2 that the Moabites are coming to invade their land. The people are undoubtedly afraid… Ah, but that is not all, the Moabites are joined by the Ammonites who are also set on waging war against them. The people are assuredly frightened. But wait, there’s more… the Meunites also join the Moabites. The people are terrified. Not 1, not 2, but 3 armies have amassed together to form one vast army set on destroying Israel and her people.

Ever feel like that. Have you ever been hit by something devastating only to have the hits keep coming? You get bad news from the doctor only to have your car break down and then hear that a close family friend died. Or a relationship falls apart on the same week you lose your job. Some-times it feels like all the bad things in life just pile up like snow on a mountain waiting for you to walk by so they can come crashing down to bury you under their load. The thing is, the enemy of our soul does indeed use hardship against us. He likes to use suffering as a weapon against our faith. Thus, circumstances can be like armies gathering around you all intent on causing you fear and pain.

Take a look at the adjective in 2 Chronicles 20 verse 3 that is used to describe how Jehoshaphat feels when he hears the news about the gathered armies. It says that he was alarmed. The original Hebrew word “yare” implies an overwhelming fear, a fear that escalates, a fear that causes trembling, it is an awesome kind of fear. Yes, indeed, upon hearing that a vast army is on the way intent on slaughtering his people, burning his lands, rapping mothers and daughters, and enslaving the rest. Yes Jehoshaphat is truly alarmed.

So how does he respond? One would think that he would gather his generals, discuss battle tactics, and prepare for a possible siege.

That is how I often respond to perceived threats- I try to plan my way out- come up with some course of action that will see me through-

But, no, that is not how Jehoshaphat responds.

Church, we can learn a lot about how to navigate through the dark seasons in our lives by following Jehoshaphat’s example.

So my second point this morning is this:

2. When faced with hardship and pain remind yourself of what God has already done for you.

After hearing about the vast army amassed against his people, the first thing Jehoshaphat does is inquire of the Lord. Faced with a very real and physical threat- he chooses to face it with spiritual truths. He has everyone fast and pray and gathers the people into the temple of the Lord. Once there, Jehoshaphat cries out to God.

He praises God for what He has already done for His people starting in

2 Chronicles 20:6–7 NIV

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. 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?

(NIV),

“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. 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?”

The questions in that prayer are not questions, but reminders for the people. When we are faced with pain and loss we need to remind ourselves of all that God has already done for us.

Has God not loved you with an everlasting love? Has He not sent His son to die for you? Has He not forgiven you and redeemed you? Has He not already promised you an eternity with Him in heaven? Yes He has and for these things He is worthy of our praise- even if He does nothing else for us- even if we face incredible loss here on Earth- He is still worthy of our praise. He is worthy of praise for what He has already done for us. (long pause)

Next Jehoshaphat teaches us:

3. Instead of looking at the problem keep your eyes on God.

Take a look at what Jehoshaphat confesses in verse 12 (NIV),

2 Chronicles 20:12 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV

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.”

“’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.’”

Friends, you may not know what to do. You may feel completely powerless. But put your eyes on your creator who loves you.

Then it says, starting in verse 13,

2 Chronicles 20:13-18 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 20:13–18 NIV

All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord. 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. 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. 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. 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.’ ” Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.

“All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

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.

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. 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. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

What a word of hope. I have some Jahaziel envy. I wish I could be the one to bring that kind of prophetic word. When the darkness is closing in, when you feel as though you just can’t carry on any more, friends, know that you are not alone. God goes before you and He will fight on your behalf. He will give you the strength to not give up. He will hold you and be with you through the long dark hours of night.

Notice how the people respond in verse 18 (NIV),

2 Chronicles 20:18 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 20:18 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.

“ Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.”

Friends, there is a powerful truth here. Listen to what pastor Louie Giglio has to say about this passage,

“The posture in the midnight hour- the first posture about hearing about God’s delivering power is to bow down and in Jehoshaphat’s case- to put your face on the ground.

Now for me that begs the question, when was the last time any of our faces were one the ground? Because that posture says, ‘I don’t have any options here. But instead of fixing my eye on the adversary, the circumstance, the situation, the difficulty, the pain, the brokenness, the death, the loss- I am going to put my face down where I can’t see any of that in the natural- I can only see God in my heart. I can believe again that there is a God in heaven that is bigger than everything I am in the middle of.’ That is what God is calling you to do… He is calling you to surrender.” (end quote)

Our first instinct is often to try our own quick fixes; our own seven step plans. Instead, go before the Lord, surrender like Jehoshaphat, and put your hope in the Lord your God who is so much bigger than the problem.

Look at what happens next in verse 19.

2 Chronicles 20:19 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 20:19 NIV

Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

“Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.”

They remembered what God had done, they kept their eyes on God and not the problem, they put their face to the ground in surrender to Him, and when hope came they worshiped the Lord.

They didn’t wait until the danger had passed to worship. Some might say, “um hello, there are three massive armies coming, there is no time for a praise service or a worship party.” No, Jehoshaphat made time because He knew that worship is a weapon. So, in the middle of their dark hour they worshipped. And look what happened, starting in verse 20,

2 Chronicles 20:20-24 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 20:20–24 NIV

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.” 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.” 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. 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. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

“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.’ 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.”

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. 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.

When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.”

Praise be to God!

(Pause)

Now, I am not promising you this morning that everything in your situation will work itself out the way you want. Earlier I stated that pain is a universal human experience. We all experience pain and hardships and suffering- Christian or not- pain is a apart of living. The difference is how we as followers of Christ choose to respond to that pain.

That is our next point this morning:

4. In your pain, do not push God away, instead draw God even closer through worship.

Earlier I shared about our fellow pastor who faced a very difficult and dark season when both his daughters became deathly ill. Through that dark season he learned something that you just can not learn at any other time and that is the power of resilient worship. He and his wife chose to worship God even as their eldest daughter struggled and then lost her battle with cancer. Then, even in the midst of their pain and grief they chose to worship. And they continued to worship God as their younger daughter’s brain tumor was miraculously healed. God gave and God took away. In both circumstances they chose to worship God.

Instead of allowing the circumstances to cause them to lose their faith- their resilient worship throughout helped their faith to became stronger. Because their faith was not based on earthly circumstances but on their never changing creator God whose gift of salvation gives them hope. Hope of spending an eternity in heaven with their beautiful little girl and hope that their pain and suffering was not pointless. During their many hours in the hospital they shared God’s love with others who were suffering and God used their witness for His glory.

Church, as followers of Christ we can allow pain to steal from us the joy of living, we can let it kill our peace, we can become bitter, or we can even lose our faith. Focusing on the problem, mulling it over and over and over and over and over in our minds pushes God away from us.

Instead, we can draw God in and allow Him to be with us in our pain. We can let His love, and His goodness protect the most important parts of us as we face the suffering. We can let Him fight back the darkness on our behalf- just as He went before the people of Israel and fought for them.

When we worship God we invite Him to draw closer to us. Remember Psalm 22:3 (NIV),

Psalm 22:3 NIV

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

“Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;

you are the one Israel praises.”

The Hebrew word enthroned that David uses here means to “inhabit, to remain, to settle.” When we worship in spite of what we are facing, when we offer up a true sacrifice of praise than that draws God in like a magnet.

When we offer up a sacrifice of praise, God comes and sits with us and wraps us in His loving arms. As we glorify Him with our worship in spite of our circumstances He draws close and whispers hope into our soul.

Let me close today by sharing the meaningful lyrics to the worship song, Raise a Hallelujah:

“I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar Up from the ashes, hope will arise Death is defeated, the King is alive!

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me!

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar Up from the ashes, hope will arise Death is defeated, the King is alive!”