Nov20’05

YOUR STAND IN THE LAND Part 2

2 Chronicles 20:5-13, 17

Introduction

The Ammonites, Moabites and Meunites came to make war against Jehoshaphat and the people of God. God instructed the King to lead his people to the pass at Ziz (“tseets”). This place was located between the Dead Sea and the town of Engedi- which was located in the Judean wilderness.

Now get a load of this: The ground all around the Dead Sea is dried and burned. And it results in being very hard ground. The town of Engedi is also known as the “Rock of the Goat.” The enemy was mounting an attack between Engedi and the Dead Sea. So in a very real sense you could say that they were between a rock and hard place.

Have you ever been there? Have you had your Ammonites and Moabites come after you lately? Do feel as though life has gotten little uglier than you would like?

Let’s face the reality that life can be difficult. But let’s also realize that God has called us to stand the ground that He has given to us.

What do you do in the time of desperate need? If you and I are going to stand the ground that God has given to us then we need to examine our personal life. King Jehoshaphat’s prayer suggests a few realities about our Christian experience in times of trouble.

1. We must be in right relation with God.

I hear people so often call on God for answers to desperate prayers and yet they have not inkling of what it is to KNOW God personally. After 9/11 our whole nation became a nation of praying people. But we were really no different than the sailors of Jonah’ ship who were afraid and “each cried to his own god.” They then hollered at Jonah to wake up and “call on your God.” We were desperate for any kind of prayer to anybody’s God. (Interesting how a few years seem to separate us from desperate measures!)

But did any truly consider their relationship with the true God?

a. Recognize God as YOUR God. (6-7)

The king begins the prayer with these words, “O Lord, God of our fathers…” He makes an immediate connection of the people to their gloried past. The patriarchs of yesterday- such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the Judges, Samuel, David and others whose lives depended upon God- were their calling card for today. He goes on to say in verse, “O our God…” Don’t lose touch with the “our” of this passage. “Our” is very important. Not only is God the God of their forefathers but God is their God.

If you want to pray with earnestness in prayer then it begins by recognizing who God is and how He relates to you.

Further in that verse we see that they- in a round about way- refer to God as their friend.

b. Refer to God as friend. (7)

Have you ever heard the expression, “It’s not what you know but who you know”? How true it probably is in the company you worked for. I saw in the places I worked time and again- union or no union. It pays to have friends in high places. In fact, networking is vital to success in any career.

Who you know is as important as what you know. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Abraham was God’s friend. Abraham didn’t know much but he knew Someone. And the people of Judah believed that if Abraham was God’s friend then this must count as something for them.

What Jehoshaphat prayed was classic Old Testament. This was as close as they dared to call themselves “God’s friend.” But they dared to name Abraham as God’s friend. By so doing they were declaring to God, “Hey, if you are Abraham’s friend and we are descended from Abraham, then you must help us.”

Can we dare to call God “friend”? Sure we can- if we are in a right relationship with Him. To say that God is our friend is not an over-reach. However, it should not be taken lightly. To say God is our “friend” calls for us to represent Christ not in some diplomatic way but in a very real and personal way

c. Represent Christ. (Matthew 12:30)

Jesus made very clear that there is no neutral ground in following Him. Either you are or you aren’t. It’s like the science teacher we had in high school. When it came to right or wrong answers on a test he clarified it by asking if a woman was pregnant or not- either she is or isn’t; no in between. Therefore the answer to a test question was either right or wrong. With Jesus, this is the same thing. Either you represent Christ or you don’t. There is no silly neutral ground with Him.

d. Re-connect with God. (Isaiah 45:22)

To get right to the bottom line, let me very simply say this: You cannot look for the delivering grace if you have not been reconciled to God. Isaiah 45:22- “Look to me and be saved.”

This frightens me about our nation and the godless slide we seem to be taking. As a country I don’t see us looking to God for salvation. We want God to be good to us and for us but without any requirement on our part. Furthermore, what saddens me is the number of Christians I meet who know Jesus only by name but their lifestyle is anything but Christian.

Salvation does not simply happen in a vacuum. Salvation comes with something. Salvation requires much more than raising our hand and now “I’m on my way to heaven.” Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t mean to de-mean these kinds of decisions for Christ. But my Bible reads that when people come to Christ there is a transformation that happens.

Jehoshaphat’s prayer takes on a new dimension when we realize its full ramifications for us as believers. What does it call for us to have?

2. We must have a consciousness of holiness.

I find it interesting that in verse 21 the king appointed people “to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army…"

Remember that a few weeks ago I pointed out to you that the Old Testament is the object lesson for us. When we look to the Old Testament sacrifices, ceremonies and history we see the reality of the Christian faith at work in our own lives.

The people of Israel and Judah lived in the Promised Land. They dwelled there because this was the land that God had given to them. What was the process?

Their years of slavery represented to us our life of sin. God sent Moses and delivered them out of Egypt.

They progressed in the wilderness learning right from wrong and what it was to have faith in God. This is much like our experience when we first come to Christ. We are learning new terminology and a new lifestyle. Things are transitioning for us because our life is changing.

But then God led them into the Promised Land. This is the land of rest and flowing with milk and honey. This is the place where God calls us as Christians. This is our Romans 8 life of walking after the Spirit. This is our Sabbath-rest according to Hebrews 4. This is not merely the life of receiving Christ as Savior but this is the life of entire sanctification.

So I have two questions for you this morning:

a. Do you dwell in the land God has given to you?

The Apostle Paul clarifies to us in Ephesians 6 that we must stand our ground against the enemy. This is the ground of holy living. We are not talking about taking more ground- we’re talking about standing on the ground that God has given to us.

Do you dwell in the land and are standing on the land that God has given to you?

Have you allowed the Holy Spirit to have full entrance into your entire being? Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit? Have you consecrated your life to God’s service and use? Are you experiencing that second rest- that Sabbath rest found only in Christ Jesus?

This is the full call to live a life of holy living. This is what your heart should cry for. When you sing “Holiness Unto the Lord” can you truly sing it with all of your heart? Do you want to know more of God and more of His love in your life?

Or are you still wandering the wilderness between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea? Are you fluctuating between crossing Jordan by faith or staying where it’s comfortable and cozy?

Too many Christians stay over there because it’s easier. Too many Christians don’t dare to take God’s word by faith. They prefer to make sure their fire insurance is all paid up so that they have nothing to fear. But realize this: It is a fearful thing to be in the hands of the living God!

God wants nothing more than to bring you over into the land that He has for you. Desperation in circumstances is one way that God causes us to consider our life next to His. If there is calamity in your life perhaps its because God is treating you like His child and is attempting to bring you into the right relationship place with Him.

b. Do you have a clear conscience?

Is there a sense of knowing right and wrong in your life? Are you willing to change those attitudes and actions for the glory of Christ?

There are a lot of things out there that vie for our attention. The entertainment industry is created to get our attention even for legitimate things. I could go on and on but the real fact is our heart purity.

Too many Christians put themselves in the public eye when they commit sin. Are you a worker who represents Christ or are there things you do that bring shame to Christ and His Church? Are you a neighbor who represents Christ or are their un-neighborly things you do that bring shame to Christ and His church? Are you a family member who treats other family members with respect and dignity- regardless of how they treat you?

I like what Joyce Myers said the other morning: We shouldn’t need a reason to be nice to people. But too often our grouchiness in the morning or our anger attitude unglues others we see at the store, the bank or other places we go.

God desires to hear our prayer. But how far is our prayer going if we do not know Him personally through Christ? How far is our prayer going if we allow sin and even distractions keep us from living in the land that He has given to us?

I believe that God’s call is clear this morning. God is calling for this Church to be holy. God is calling this Church of people to be holy. God is calling you to be holy.

Do you know God in personal and real way?

King Jehoshaphat led the people of God to a place call Ziz (“tseets”). From that mountaintop they were able to see God win the day by confusing the enemies. He won because His people were obedient and reinforced their faith by praising God with singing.

Ambushes were set (presumably by angels) and the enemies destroyed each other.

At this point, what is it that God is desiring for your life? Do you dwell in the land that God has given to you? Is there an enemy that is on the attack against you right now?

3. We must have an attitude of dependence.

Their eyes were upon God for deliverance. Psalm 27:1-3 gives us some insight to what they were dealing with.

a. Light of redemption instead of the dark of condemnation.

The Bible speaks constantly of light and salvation together. If we are people of dependence then it begins with salvation and anchors us deep in the faith. Remember, Christian, there is now no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. We are children of light and have nothing to do with darkness.

This is God’s complete calling for each one us here today.

b. Strength of God’s hand instead of the limits of my own hands.

How many look elsewhere for the answers to life’s problems? Time and again even as Christians we are tempted to trust our self and our own knowledge rather than God. Time and again we are tempted to trust our own works rather than living by faith.

The call of God for us is to be totally dependent upon Him for our supply, strength and sustenance.

c. Confidence in God’s promises instead of fear of the enemies.

There are enemies of the Christian faith out there ready to pounce on you and your short-comings. Let the world’s leaders commit adultery and see how quick they defend. But let a conservative Christian fail and see the buzzards come.

But even without the failings of Christian leaders, the enemy is seeking whom he may devour. In fact, Peter sketches a neat parable for us by saying that the devil prowls as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. This is when Christians need to be united.

4. We must be united in our prayer.

It is important and vital that Christians are united in prayer. Peter tells us this because he understood the actions of lions. A lion roars in order to intimidate. By roaring he is trying to strike fear in the hyenas and other animals that might come and take the animal from him.

Hyenas are an incredible animal. They are not really classified as part of the dog family or the cat family. Their upper body strength is incredible and they hunt in packs. In fact, their favorite kind of hunting is stealing prey from other animals such as lions, leopards and cheetahs. And most often they win the battle for the carcass.

The reality for the Christian is that we must be united in praying with each other and for each other. We must stand together as a group. So when the devil roars we do not need to be afraid. When the devil roars we do not need to run and hide.

How can we be united in prayer?

a. Prayer is not simply up to the leaders.

The answer to the problem that Jehoshaphat faced was prayer and fasting. But I also believe that within the context of that answer of prayer was the involvement of others.

Sometimes it is easy to assume that the prayers of leaders are important- which they are. However, I don’t believe that we can under-estimate the value and power of the prayers of ordinary individuals. Each of you are vital in the area of prayer for our church ministry. This unity that we see was important to the victory that came later.

b. Prayer is the role of every Christian.

Maybe you don’t see yourself as a pray-er. Maybe you feel as though your don’t know how to pray. But you see, that is how the devil attempts to discourage God’s people.

Don’t be discouraged in well doing. Pray as God leads you. Pray, pray, pray! And then believe what you are praying.

It is said that Charles Spurgeon believed that prayer is the tiny muscle that moves God. Then each of us needs to see the importance of being a tiny muscle of prayer that moves God.