When You Don't Know What to Do
When You Don't Know What To Do
TEXT: 2 Chronicles 20:12
Introduction: We all like to think we have it all together. If we’re honest with ourselves, there are times when we just don’t know what to do. Some decisions are just easy to make! Here, in Judah, a problem arose & forced a course of action. Read verses 1 & 2
I. Seek God First 2 Chronicles 20:3-4
A. Crisis Arises In Judah (it always will).
1. Jehoshaphat is just doing God’s will.
2. Suddenly a “vast army” attacks him. He’s “Alarmed.”
3. So What Should He Do?
B. He “Resolved to Inquire of the Lord” (v.3).
1. That’s news in those days. That’s news today!
2. Who do you inquire of in times of crisis?
a) Banker
b) Employer
c) Counselor
d) Lawyer
e) Pastor
f) Media
C. Jehoshaphat decided to “seek first the Kingdom of God.”
II. Make Worship, Not War 2 Chronicles 20:5-7
A. We want to hurry out and fix it. Go to WAR!
1. The logical thing is to rally the troops.
2. God doesn’t operate on man’s logic!
B. What we need to do is head to the altar and worship FIRST!
1. Judah literally means, “May God be praised!”
2. You see, that was the original purpose this nation was established for was to PRAISE GOD!
3. Remember what He has done (v.7).
4. “Hey wait a minute You’re the One who gave this land”
C. The nations who rose up against them were not of God. They lived for war.
1. They tried to sucker Judah into playing their game.
2. But the people of God were not established for that!
3. Likewise Satan wants to pull you into the worldly struggles.
4. But you are a holy nation, peculiar people, belonging to God.
5. You’re not made for those wars of carnality.
6. YOU WERE MADE FOR PRAISE!!!
D. Why not use this logic next time Satan tries his scare tactics.
1. “God, you gave me this family
2. “God, you gave me this job/ this church.”
E. They didn’t focus on the circumstances. 2 Chronicles 20:12
F. Satan wants to keep your eyes on the problem.
1. This magnifies the circumstance, not God.
2. Opposite of worship.
3. He’ll tell you lies that you’re not gonna’ make it.
It’s time you get your eyes off the winds and the waves of circumstance and fix them on the Master of the Winds!
G. Just tell him, “I don’t know what to do, BUT MY EYES ARE ON JESUS NOT YOU!!!”
H. Enter your spiritual battles with head bowed and hands raised in worship!
III. When We Foster This Attitude, God Can Speak To Us.
A. When Judah Worshiped, God Moved!
1. THEY WARMED UP THE PRAISE TEAM!
2. You want to put God in motion drop your sword & sing!
3. When God moves, He makes quick work of the enemy. 2 Chronicles 20:22
4. Notice, He did all this without the help of Judah! D.
B. When God speaks to a worshiper, you’ll like it! 2 Chronicles 20:15
C. God never meant for you to war with Satan.
1. That’s the plan of Satan from the beginning.
2. He hates God’s children & lives to make war with them
D. Often we jump into the game & leave God on the sideline.
E. God is saying, “It’s not your battle to begin with!”
F. Next time you’re in dire straits, just lift up0 your hands in praise & WAIT ON GOD TO MOVE!!!
IV. When You Come To God, He’ll Reveal His Will
A. It was never meant to be a mystery.
B. God gave them specific orders. 2 Chronicles 20:16
1. Who among us wouldn’t do what God said.
2. We just have to find out what he is saying!
C. We’ll hear His voice when we come to Him first in total faith!
1. Stop running away from Satan.
2. Stop fight with your circumstances.
D. God’s will is never for you to fight with carnal weapons. (“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal…”) 2 Chronicles 20:17
V. Victory Comes When We Stand In Faith 2 Chronicles 20:17b
A. Stand firm in your positions (What position?).
1. Prostrate in worship before God.
2. In confidence in God’s word.
B. Do what God has revealed to you.
1. Do What You Know is RIGHT!
2. I’m tired of people wanting “a word”!
3. We don’t do what He said in THE WORD!
C. If you do this, “THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU!”
D. That’s what He wants to do!
1. Don’t even look at the army coming up the road. Turn your eyes on ME!
2. Don’t run out to fight ---Just seek ME!
3. Hear & obey my voice & I will be with you!
Conclusion:
There’s an episode of Andy Griffith where Barney is jealous of a new deputy and decides to quit his job and sell vacuum cleaners door to door. His life is just going down the tubes when the new deputy arrests him on a bogus charge. Just before the last commercial break, Barney bursts out of the cell and takes back on his uniform and decides to return to his rightful place as Mayberry’s only deputy.
Sadly, in life all our problems can’t be decided in a 30 minute episode.
There are other decisions on the minds of people in this congregation that are not so simple.
You may be just like Jehoshaphat & Judah today: “We have no power to face this vast army”
Just do what they did: “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon you!”
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”
