Sermon Tone Analysis

Stand Still

7/10/22

Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-17

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,,came to fight against Jehoshaphat.

2 People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-Tamar” (that is, En-Gedi).

3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord.

Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah, 4 who gathered to seek the Lord.

They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him.

JEHOSHAPHAT’S PRAYER

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s temple before the new courtyard.

6 He said:

Lord, God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations?

Power and might are in your hand, and no one can stand against you.

7 Are you not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?

8 They have lived in the land and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name and have said, 9 “If disaster comes on us—sword or judgment, pestilence or famine—we will stand before this temple and before you, for your name is in this temple.

We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver.”

10 Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir.

You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.

11 Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you gave us as an inheritance.

12 Our God, will you not judge them?

For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us.

We do not know what to do, but we look to you.,

GOD’S ANSWER

13 All Judah was standing before the Lord with their dependents, wives, and children.

14 In the middle of the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel (son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants), 15 and he said, “Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat.

This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

16 Tomorrow, go down against them.

You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.

17 You do not have to fight this battle.

Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem.

Do not be afraid or discouraged.

Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.’ ”[1]

Sometimes you have to learn to Stand Still!

One misconception about being a Christian is that walking with God is easy!

And some teach and preach that with the right amount of faith and the right prayer, and enough seed sown in the right soil, you will be granted shelter and immunity from the difficult days of life.

· But I would imagine that there are those this morning who can testify that every day with Jesus is not hallelujah, and thank you, Jesus

And I understand why this could be a problem because one would believe that:

· The longer you have been with God

· The more you pray

· The more consecutive Sundays you come to church

· The more ministries you join and the more offering you give that somehow your life should have some smooth sailing

· One thing I have learned is that the longer you are with God, you will sense and see God calling you to assignments and ways of living that are neither comfortable nor convenient that God has a way of growing you through painful predicaments.

One of the most trying times for a Christian is when we go through growing pains.

James 1:2-4 says:

· 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing[2]

James understood that every now and then, the way God grows you and grooms you is to release you into situations and scenarios that don’t always feel good

I want you to know that when you are in a struggle in life, you are also in God’s classroom-- God’s trying to teach you something

· If you’re struggling financially, it’s because you are in God’s stewardship class

· You’re struggling with offense and heartache---- you are in the class of forgiveness and not living in yesterday

· You’re struggling with sickness because God wants to show you that He is Jehovah Raphe--- I am the healer of all your disease

· I don’t know what class you’re in today

· I don’t know what lesson you’re learning or what test you are taking

· But I come by to tell you that one of the most challenging classes we will have to sit in with our walk with God is a class called Stand Still.

If you haven’t gotten there yet, in spite of everything you want to do, the Word of the Lord to you is to Stand Still

· That’s the class that Job was in when Elihu told him to Stand Still

· That’s the class that Joshua was in as they crossed over the Jordan River—-and God said, Stand Still

· That’s the class that Moses was in as they stood on the banks of the Red Sea with no way in front of him and Pharos army on his heels, and the word of the Lord was Stand Still and See the Salvation of the Lord

If you have never been in that class where you had to Stand Still, I want you to see someone who was.

· His name is Jehoshaphat; he was the king of Israel in the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles, where a battle is about to begin, and Israel has to go to war.

Now, this isn’t anything new for Israel because they have been in battles before, but there is something peculiar about this battle.

The Bible says that Jehoshaphat finds out that the Moabites had hooked up with the Ammonites and the Meunites, who were an Arabian tribe living in Edom

Don’t miss this: This isn’t just one enemy

· The Moabites had hooked up with the Ammonites who were hanging out with the Meunites, and they were all coming against Jehoshaphat.

· The Bible says he was fearful; they had been in battles before but nothing like this; they had never seen an enemy of this multitude before.

Jehoshaphat is scared.

The Bible says in vs3: 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord.

Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah, 4 who gathered to seek the Lord.

They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him.

[3]

Let me pause and preach a freebie right here: That when you don’t know what to do if you know how to bow and call on the name of the Lord, that’s a mighty good strategy for any battle!

· I wish I had a prayer warrior this morning; who knows that there were moments when you had more questions than answers.

But as long as you trusted in the Lord and called on the Lord, we serve a God who hears and answers prayers.

Jehoshaphat prays, and God answers his prayer.

· 14 In the middle of the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel (son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants), 15 and he said, “Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat.

This is what the Lordsays: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s[4]

And not only is that good news for Jehoshaphat, but that is great news for you also; we serve a God who is able to step on every battlefield you are on and handle the enemies who are coming against you!

· There’s a God who handles your enemies!

· There’s a God who fights your battles!

· There’s a God who makes ways for you!

· There’s a God who makes certain that you just sit back and enjoy the show and let God do what God does!

HE IS A BATTLE-FIGHTING GOD!

· That’s a good place to say Amen --- He will fight your battles!

(That’s the good news)

Here’s the bad news --- you have to Stand Still, if you want God to handle it, you have to Stand Still!

Can I tell you what this Hebrew phrase mean: Stop moving!

· Don’t do anything

· Don’t respond

· Don’t put your hand on it

· Don’t try to fight it yourself --- Just Stand Still

And here is the kicker of the text: Here they are --- their enemies have encircled them, and God wants them to stand still, that’s a hard pill to swallow because

· When people are acting a fool --- you want me to stand still?

Maybe you are holier than me, but it is hard to stand still when people are launching false statements about you!

· It’s hard to stand still when people are lying on you

· It’s hard to stand still when enemies are plotting against you

· It’s hard to stand still when people are dealing in the dirt against you

· It’s hard to stand still when you got crazy coworkers

· People that you would want to slap just on general principles

You are holy – and hopefully by Sunday’s you are, but when you got enemies --- sometimes you just want to fight back!

· I know I am not alone this morning don’t let the title pastor fool you I know some words that are not in the Bible to!

· And yet the command of God is if you want me to fight this you have to Stand Still!