WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

2 Chronicles 20:12 (KJV) 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.

JEHOSHAPHAT IS FACED WITH A SITUATION AND HE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

HE DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE…

…SO HE CRIES OUT TO THE LORD IN VERSE 12…

HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF HERE?

· MAYBE SPIRITUALLY

· MAYBE WITH A DECISION

· MAYBE WITH A CHILD OR COMPANION

· MAYBE FINANCIALLY

· I HAVE HEARD MANY SAY IN THE LAST YEAR I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO…

· I HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN A PLACE OR SITUATION WHERE I JUST DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO…

BUT RIGHT HERE IN 2CHRONICLES 20 I BELIEVE GOD SHOWS US WHAT TO DO WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

BACKGROUND:

CHAPTER 19 JEHOSHAPHAT IN VERSE 1 WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOUSE IN JERUSALEM.

2 Chronicles 19:1 (KJV) 1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

IN CHAPTER 18 HE JOINED WITH AHAB TO FIGHT THE SYRIANS AT RAMOTHGILEAD AND AHAB WAS KILLED BUT JEHOSHAPHAT ESCAPED.

AND IN VERSE 4:

2 Chronicles 19:4 (KJV) 4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.

I BELIEVE THIS IS COMMENDABLE OF JEHOSHAPHAT...THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SCATTERED AND THEY HAVE BEEN HERE AND THERE AND HE IS SEEKING TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE LORD.

2 Chronicles 19:5-6 (KJV) 5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, 6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who iswith you in the judgment.

YOU CAN GO HOME AND READ THE ENTIRE CHAPTER 19 BUT JEHOSHAPHAT IS TRYING TO SET THINGS IN ORDER.

SO TONIGHT I WANT TO USE JEHOSAPHAT AS A TYPE OF THE PASTOR AND JERUSALEM AND JUDAH AS A TYPE OF THE CHURCH.

AND JEHOSHAPHAT HAS SET THINGS IN ORDER BUT IN CHAPTER 20…

2 Chronicles 20:1 (KJV) 1 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.

JUST AS SOON AS HE SET THINGS IN ORDER THERE WAS AN ENEMY THAT ROSE UP AGAINST HIM…

…THAT IS THE WAY IT IS IN THE CHURCH WHEN THE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND THE MAN OF GOD SETS THINGS IN ORDER…PRINCIPLES, CONVICTIONS, AND STANDARDS. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE AN ENEMY ARISE.

2 Chronicles 20:2-4 (KJV) 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 Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

…HERE IS THE PROBLEM THAT IS SEVERE…

THERE IS AN ENEMY COMING THE MOABITES AND THE AMMONITES PEOPLE THAT DON’T KNOW GOD IS RISING UP TO TRY AND DESTROY JERUSALEM OR A TYPE OF THE CHURCH.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

HE KNEW WHERE TO GO IN HIS TIME OF TROUBLE..

· HE PROCLAIMED A FAST THROUGHOUT ALL JUDAH

· HE IS THE KING, HE IS THE LEADER.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

…HERE IS THE PRAYER OF THE SERVANT OF GOD…

2 Chronicles 20:6 (KJV) 6 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?

2 Chronicles 20:7 (KJV) 7 Artnot 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?

YOU CAN ALWAYS FALL BACK ON THE WORD OF GOD.

NOW LOOK AT VERSE 12…

2 Chronicles 20:12 (KJV) 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.

· HE HAS CALLED ON GOD

· HE HAS MET GOD’S CONDITIONS

· THE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TOWARD HEAVEN AND JEHOSHAPHAT SAYS O OUR GOD…

…BUT OUR EYES ARE UPON THEE…

HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN HELP US..

SAVE THE SINNER, WORK OUR LIVES OUT.

CAN YOU SEE MEN AND WOMEN OUT THERE, CHILDREN AND SOLDIERS AND THEIR EYES ARE ON THE LORD...

2 Chronicles 20:13 (KJV) 13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

JEHOSHAPHAT JUST GOT THROUGH SAYING WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO BUT OUR EYES ARE UPON YOU.

I. LOOK TO YOUR PERSONAL POTENTATE

POTENTATE MEANS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS…

1 Timothy 6:15 (KJV) 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO GET YOUR EYES ON YOUR POTENTATE…HE IS INTERESTED IN OUR AFFIRS.

CAN YOU SEE THE PEOPLE GETTING THEIR LITTLE ONES SAYING CHILDREN GET YOUR EYES ON THE LORD.

2 Chronicles 20:14 (KJV) 14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

WHEN THEY GOT THERE EYES ON THEIR POTENTATE..

2 Chronicles 20:15 (KJV) 15 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.

WHEN WE GET OUR EYES ON HIM HE HAS A WORD FOR US…

THE ENEMY WAS FAR GREATER THAN THEY WERE BUT GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL. THEY WERE FACING INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS…THEY COULDN’T HANDLE THIS.

BUT GOD SAID THIS BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT IT IS MINE.

II. LISTEN TO THE PROCLAMATION OF THE PREACHER

WHEN WE HEAR THE PREACHER PREACH UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY GHOST WE OUGHT TO LISTEN TO WHAT IS SAID THAT IS WHERE WE FIND DIRECTION FOR OUR LIVES

I BELIEVE THERE IS REJOICING OVER HAVING A WORD FROM THE LORD.

2 Chronicles 20:16 (KJV) 16 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.

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS SPEAKING THROUGH THIS YOUNG MAN.

JEHOSHAPHAT DIDN’T KNOW THEIR MILITARY STRATEGY WAS BUT THE HOLY GHOST DID.

GOD CAN GIVE US INSIGHT ON WHAT GOING ON AROUND US.

III. LIFT UP PERSONAL PRAISE:

2 Chronicles 20:17 (KJV) 17 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.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS LIKE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR…

O WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO HIS CHURCH AGAIN…

WHEN GOD HELPS HIS CHURCH…

· WE CAN’T LEAN ON THE ARM OF FLESH…IT WILL FAIL US.

· BUT GOD WILL NEVER FAIL US.

· MOM AND DAD WE HAVE TO LEAN ON HIS POWER.

· PRAY, TRUST AND LEAN ON GOD’S POWER.

2 Chronicles 20:18-19 (KJV) 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

THE ENEMY IS STILL THERE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BUT THEY HAD JUST HEARD FROM GOD.

AND WHEN THEY HEARD FROM HEAVEN THEY BOWED THEIR FACE TO THE GROUND.

WHEN YOU HEAR FROM HEAVEN IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO PRAISE THE LORD.

THERE HAS NOT BEEN A DEAN AMMONITE OR A DEAD MOABITE.

JUST A WORD FROM THE LORD.

IV. LEAN ON GOD’S PROTECTIVE POWER

2 Chronicles 20:20 (KJV) 20 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.

IN VERSE 3 HE WAS FILLED WITH FEAR BUT NOW HE HAS HEARD FROM HEAVEN AND IS FULL OF FAITH.

HE HAD A 2 POINT MESSAGE…

Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established

believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

2 Chronicles 20:21 (KJV) 21 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 endurethfor ever.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE THE MOABITES AND THE AMMONITES THOUGHT WHEN THEY SEEN THE SINGERS COMING?

AND THE SONG WAS PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER…

2 Chronicles 20:22 (KJV) 22 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.

AMBUSHMENTS HAS THE IDEA THAT GOD SO CONFUSED THEM THAT THEY TURNED ON EACH OTHER.

GOD WAS SETTING AMBUSHMENTS WAY BEFORE THERE WAS A NAVY SEAL…OR A GREEN BERET.

GOD CAN SET AMBUSHMENTS AND CONFUSE THE ENEMY SO THEY TURN ON EACH OTHER.

THE ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH ARE TURNING ON EACH OTHER…

WHETHER THEY ARE A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN THYE CANNOT GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER.

BUT IF THE CHURCH CAN COME TOGETHER AND

· LOOK TO THEIR PERONAL POTENTATE

· LISTEN TO THE PROCLAMATION OF THE PREACHER

· AND LEAN ON THE PROTECTIVE POWER OF GOD.

· WE CAN WATCH GOD WORK

· WE CAN HEAR FROM HEAVEN

· WE CAN SING IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR ENEMY

THEIR FAITH WAS STRENGTHENED

THEIR FOES WERE SLAIN VS. 23

THEIR FINANCES WERE SECURED VS. 25

THEIR FUTURE EAS SETTLED. VS 30

2 Chronicles 20:23-25 (KJV) 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.

THEY WERE SO CONFUSED THEY TURNED ON EACH OTHER…DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE SINGERS.

FOES WAS SLAIN: 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.

FINANCE WAS SECURED…I AM GOING TO BLESS YOU FOR TRUSTING ME… 25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

2 Chronicles 20:26-30 (KJV) 26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. (VALLEY OF BLESSING) 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of thosecountries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

FUTURE WAS SETTLED… 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO…

1. LOOK TO YOUR POTENTATE

2. LISTEN TO THE PROCLAMATION OF THE PREACHER

3. LIFT UP PERSONAL PRAISE

4. LEAN ON HIS PRTOECTIVE POWER

5. AND WATCH GOD WORK….