How to rely on God

Intro 1

give an honor to the angel of this house

2 Chronicles 13:18b (KJV 1900)

18b and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.

Intro 2

I don’t know if we really know how to rely on God

we know we are supposed to rely on God

we say that we do rely on God

but do you really rely on God

However you answer that questions, 2 Chronicles 13 provides a good example for us

Background

Israel, a country that was once whole is divided into two. The North (stilled called Israel) vs. South (called Judah)

sometimes they fought each other, sometimes they fought together, here they are enemies

King Jeroboam rules the North, (Israel) has 800,000 soldiers

King Abijah (a descendant of King David) rules the South, (Judah) has 400,000 soldiers

as the two armies prepare to battle, The king of Judah, Abijah is shouting a speech to Jeroboam and the soldiers of Israel. Abijah was not a godly king, like his great-grandfather David, but he was on point on that day

Sometimes dire circumstances cause us to rely on God

The gist of the speech is that Israel better realize that God is on Judah’s side and not Israel’s side. It’s a marvellous speech. He gives reasons

He is a descendant of David, so Judah is led by a king with a covenant with God

While Jeroboam is just a former servant, so Israel is led by a rebel

Judah has real priest, descendants from the 1st priest Aaron, just like God ordained it

Israel has fake priests, who became priest by buying their way in

Judah serves the real God

Israel serves two golden calves, false gods

Judah follows God’s instructions for worship

Israel has abandoned God altogether

and he concludes with

2 Chronicles 13:12 KJV 1900

12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

and if you all try to fight us, you are fighting against the God of our ancestors

in other words, Abijah was saying, you all are fighting against the God that brought our people out of Egypt

brought through the wilderness

brought us to the promised land

raised up David from a shepherd boy

that God is leading us, he is our captain, and his priest will sound the alarm against you, therefore, you have no chance for success! . . . you weapons will not prosper against us!

2 Chronicles 13:14–15 KJV 1900

14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

When Judah looked back, behold the battle was before and behind

The men of Judah were in a war, and when they looked around, the men of Judah realized that they were being attacked on both sides, they were surrounded

and the word behold indicates that there were surprised at this turn of events

Let’s look and see how we got here, (same 13 chapter, verses 1-13)

It’s a great speech, especially from an ungodly man, but it is a true speech

I can imagine the soldiers of Judah, encouraging him with words of affirmation

bet I they were having church

you all serve false gods, we serve the real God - “yeah”

you have fake priest, we have real priest - yeah

God is our captain - “yeah”

you will not succeed - “yeah”

and while they are having church, King Jeroboam of Israel secretly sends part of his army behind the army of Judah, so that they could surround the men of Judah and ambush them

Lesson 1 - You need more than good church, to fight the devil

And that’s not to say that we don’t need good church, because we definitely need good church

we need a place and time where we can hear the truth, have our faith can be strengthened, where we can be encouraged, where we can find hope

but sometimes we get so caught up in having good church . . . the preacher is preaching so good, the choir is singing so well, the fellowship is full of love . . . that we think that’s all there is to it: go to church, have a good time, and then everything will be alright

but you need more than good church, to fight the devil

the devil is not going to just lay down, because the preacher preached,

the devil is not going to give up, because the praise team sang

the devil is not going to throw in the towel, because you shouted all over the room

we must remember that while we are having church on Sunday, the enemy is preparing to ambush us on Monday (or Sunday night)

in this case, Abijah was right, God was on their side . . . but just because the enemy can’t win, doesn’t mean that the enemy won’t fight

and so after Abijah’s inspiring sermon, after good church, the men of Judah are shocked to find that not only are they outnumbered, but they are surrounded

ever have a battle on multiple fronts?

but then the Bible says

they cried unto the Lord

natural response to being shocked, outnumbered and surrounded = cries of panic, despair

spiritual response = cry unto the Lord

this was planned???!!!!

two crying options?

let the prayer match the despair

called out loudly, intense prayer

call out for help or in sorrow in an intense, hard situation

imagine a group of men calling out loudly to the Lord

God we are surrounded, we need you

God we won’t make it, if you don’t help us

God we are doomed, unless you step in

we need you right now

we’re depending on You

Hosanna, save us!

Lesson 2: Pray after church

we must learn to pray after church

too many things happen between Sundays, not to have a strong prayer life

serious prayer life

consistent prayer life

where you are talking to God, and God is talking to you

The word says that God’s house should be called a house of prayer

but your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, so your body should be a house of prayer

So have good church, but after the pastor goes back to be with his family, and the other members return to their homes . . . you better learn to have a little talk with Jesus

tell him all about your trouble

he will hear your faintest cry

and answer by and by!

we must learn to keep praying, even after the benediction

then the priests blew trumpet

the religious leaders sounded a call to fight

they blew the trumpets, so that the men would know “it’s on!”

though we are outnumbered

though we are shocked at being surrounded

we’re not retreating, we are not backing down, we are not running away, it’s time to fight

as a pastor, church leader, sometimes, all I can say, is “fight”

don’t have an easy answer, simple solution, one step fix

I must simply encourage you to fight

Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God

the men respond to the call to fight with a shout, a battle cry

too often we expect the priest to blow the trumpet and fight, but they understood that they had to strap it up and get out there

and when they responded in faith, God moved and gave them the victory

v18 goes on to say that they didn’t have to worry about Israel at that time becuase they relied upon the Lord God

Two lessons

Don’t cry without fighting

don’t fight without crying