2 CHRONICLES 20
SANCTIFIED PROBLEM SOLVING
In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan.
He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.
Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new
missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson's astonishment, the engine roared to life.
For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work. - Ernest B. Beevers http://www.bible.org/illus.php?topic_id=82
Obviously there is more than one way to solve a problem.
Sometimes we come up with a solution to a problem, but it is not the best solution. In the Christian Life, as we face problems, and we will, there will be lots of possible solutions.
We want to use the best solutions, which ultimately come from God. We don't want to use just any solution to problems, we want to do sanctified problem solving.
Tonight our study concerns one of the Kings of Judah. After the death of Solomon Israel became divided. The northern kingdom was called "Israel", or Sama ria. The Southern kingdom was called Judah. Some of the kings of Judah were good. Others were wicked.
Tonight we are looking at an event in the life of King Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa, another good king. Jehoshaphat was confronted with a problem that was very serious, and yet he took the sanctified or the holy route to solving his problem.
PROBLEM - Vss.1-4
Vss. 1-2 - There are three groups which are joining together to attack Judah. Ammon and Moab were descendants of Lot. According to Bible Knowledge Commentary, the third group was the Meunites, an Arabian Tribe living in Edom.
There will be times in your life when your problems will mount. They will appear to be larger than anything you can handle. We are often tempted to look to others or our own creativity to get us of jams.
Vss. 3 - Jehoshaphat was afraid. That's natural.
Right away, he set himself to seek the Lord.
He didn't panic, but realized that he needed the
Lord.
Psalm 56:3 - What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 56:11 - In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Proverbs 29:25 - The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Jehoshaphat was on the right track. The fast indicated how important seeking the Lord was at this point. It was an urgent situation, and demanded urgent measures.
Vs. 4 - This was evidently a good-sized gathering.
Notice there was only one purpose for the gathering.
I wonder how powerful our church meetings would
be if we gathered for just one reason.
People come to church to socialize.
They come to be seen.
They come to please someone else.
They come to evaluate.
They come to learn and worship.
But the most important reason is to come to seek the Lord!
These folks were imitating King David.
Psalm 27:1-6 - The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
These people sought the Lord because they realized the urgency of the hour. They were under attack!
We should have the same urgency. We are under attack!
Christians are under attack in America from government and the media.
Christians are under the attack of Satan who wants us to sin.
Christians are under attack of Satan who wants to keep us from getting the Gospel out.
PROBLEM
PRAYER - Vss. 5-13
A reflection of our trust is prayer. Prayer and faith go together
Psalms 37:5 - Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].
Jehosaphat expresses his faith in this prayer to God.
The prayer has some important elements in it.
1. He ascribes to God glory and power. He recognizes God's superiority, and the fact that He is almighty. Vss. 5-6
2. He claims God's promises Vss. 7-9. Not all the promises in the Bible are for us. For instance some are exclusively for Israel. The promises that are for us, we can claim by faith.
Genesis 17:7-8 - And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
The promise in Vs. 9 is probably referring to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. It can be found in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 6
3. He identifies the problem. Vss.10-11
Something we should do with God. Be specific about what's bugging us.
Comment on verses. Because of their relationship to Israel, God would not let Israel invade them when they left Egypt.
4. He admits his need and, so doing, is asking for help.
Vs. 12
Why is God pleased when we admit that we need help?
5. They wait for an answer. Vs. 13
Psalm 130:5-6 - I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. [6] My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
When you come to God in prayer:
1. Ascribe glory to God.
2. Claim God's promises.
3. Identify The problem
4. Admit the need
5. Wait For An Answer
Josh MacDowell can attest to how God can hear a prayer such as this one, and solve the problem.
While Josh McDowell was attending seminary in California,
his father went Home to be with the Lord. His mother had died years earlier, but Josh was not sure of her salvation. He became depressed, thinking that she might be lost. Was she a Christian or not?
The thought obsessed him. "Lord," he prayed, "somehow give me the answer so I can get back to normal. I've just got to know." It seemed like an impossible request.
Two days later, Josh drove out to the ocean. He walked
to the end of a pier to be alone. There sat an old woman in a
lawnchair, fishing. "Where's your home originally?" she asked. "Michigan -- Union City," Josh replied. "Nobody's heard of it. Tell people it's a suburb of --" "Battle Creak," interrupted he woman. "I had a cousin from there. Did you know the MacDowell family?"
Stunned, Josh responded, "Yes, I'm Josh
MacDowell!" "I can't believe it," said the woman. "I'm a cousin to your mother." "Do you remember anything at all about my mother's spiritual life?" asked Josh.
"Why sure -- your mom and I were just girls -- teenagers -- when a tent revival came to town. It was the fourth night -- we both went forward to accept Christ."
"Praise God!" shouted Josh, startling the surrounding fishermen. Our Daily Bread, September 18 http://www.bible.org/illus.php?topic_id=1141
PROBLEM
PRAYER
PROMISE Vss. 14-17
Read and comment.
Sometimes God will give us specific promises for us to claim.
It might be a promise of His protection.
It might be a promise of His peace.
It might be a promise that he will answer our prayers.
It might be a promise of His guidance.
When troubles come, go to God's book and see what promises He has for you.
PRAISE (WHICH REFLECTS TRUST) Vss. 18-21
Read and Comment
POWER (GOD'S) Vss. 22-25
Read and Comment
God will show His power in our behalf.
In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu.
The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000
homes. Nee had a contact there, an old schoolmate of his who was headmaster of the village school, but he refused to house the group when he discovered they had come to preach the Gospel.
Finally, they found lodging with a Chinese herbalist, who became their first convert.
Preaching seemed quite fruitless on the island, and Nee discovered it was because of the dedication of the people there to an idol they called Ta-wang. They were convinced of his power because on the day of his festival and parade each year the weather was always near perfect.
"When is the procession this year?" young Wu asked a
group that had gathered to hear them preach. "It is fixed for January 11th at 8 in the morning," was the reply.
"Then," said the new convert, "I promise you that it will
certainly rain on the 11th."
At that there was an outburst of cries from the crowd:
"That is enough! We don't want to hear any more preaching.
If there is rain on the 11th, then your God is God!"
Watchman Nee had been elsewhere in the village when this
confrontation had taken place.
Upon being informed about it, he saw that the situation was serious and called the group to prayer.
On the morning of the 11th, there was not a cloud in the
sky, but during grace for breakfast, sprinkles began to fall and these were followed by heavy rain. Worshipers of the idol Ta-wang were so upset that they placed it in a sedan chair and carried it outdoors, hoping this would stop the rain. Then the rain increased. After only a short distance, the carriers of the idol stumbled and fell, dropping the idol and fracturing its jaw and left arm.
A number of young people turned to Christ as a result of the rain coming in answer to prayer, but the elders of the village made divination and said that the wrong day had been chosen. The proper day of the procession, they said, should have been the 14th.
When Nee and his friends heard this, they again went to prayer, asking for rain on the 14th and for clear days for preaching until then. That afternoon the sky cleared and on the good days that followed there were thirty converts.
Of the crucial test day, Nee says: The 14th broke, another perfect day, and we had good meetings. As the evening approached we met again at the appointed hour.
We quietly brought the matter to the Lord's remembrance. Not a minute late, His answer came with torrential rain and floods as before.
The power of the idol over the islanders was broken; the enemy was defeated. Believing prayer had brought a great victory. Conversions followed. And the impact upon the servants of God who had witnessed His power would continue to enrich their Christian service from that time on. http://www.bible.org/illus.php?topic_id=1141
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
PROBLEM
PRAYER
PROMISE
PRAISE
POWER