TITLE: A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
SCRIPTURE: II CHRONICLES 20:24-30
Oftentimes when we greet one another and ask - ‘how are you’ the response we receive is ‘I’m Blessed.’ Very often we think having a blessed week means that things went well with us, no one got sick in the family - bills were paid on time - no conflict with anyone and so forth. We tend to think of blessing only when things are ok with us. Some think if you experience trials or hardship in life, then God is not blessing you.
I wonder if a person truly understands what it means when they respond, “I’m blessed.” There are two types of blessings: worldly blessings and spiritual blessings.
• Worldly blessings -- are the material riches we enjoy every day; these blessings are temporary
• Spiritual blessings -- are unseen and eternal, given to us in the heavenly realm. We receive spiritual blessing through Jesus Christ; through his blood, we are redeemed, forgiven, and receive the riches of his grace according to EPHESIANS 1:3–14
What if I told you this morning that at times it is through trials that you get to experience the biggest blessings?
• We pray for blessings
• We pray for peace
• We pray for comfort for family
• We pray for protection while we sleep
• We pray for healing
• We pray for prosperity
• We pray for God’s mighty hand to ease our suffering
What if your blessings actually come through Rain Drops.
• What if your blessings actually come through the Clouds
• What if your blessings actually come through the Tears
• What if your blessings actually come through your Sleepless Nights
What if trials of this life are actually your blessings in disguise.
• What if the trials of this life are God’s blessings in disguise!
• What if his blessing you is past the trial or conflict you are experiencing right now
When you go through the Scriptures you would read about God promising blessings to his people; however, such blessings would require people to do something. For example, for Abraham to be blessed with many descendants. He needed to obey God and leave for the place God told him about. His blessing requires trust and obedience. God promised to give the land of Canaan to his people; but they needed to go take possession by force, fighting against very powerful nations. Israel’s blessings would only come after passing through the conflict with the Jebusites, Canaanites, and other nations.
• All too often we ask God to bless us and then we take our seat and wait on the blessing
• Our blessings are ordinarily connected to do something, being active for the Lord and that comes with its own set of challenges
PSALM 27:14 “WAIT ON THE LORD: BE OF GOOD COURAGE, AND HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART: WAIT, I SAY, ON THE LORD.” This is a scripture of Action. This does not tell us to sit down and sit still until God blesses us. It is a call to do something.
• You wait on God like a server or “waiter” at a fine restaurant
• You humble yourself by putting on your server’s apron
• You ask Him if there is anything you can do for Him
• You attend to Him and obey His every instruction
• Pouring yourself out to Him in obedience, worship, time in the Word, and prayer
• That’s the kind of Waiting we are do – it’s active
In our text, JEHOSHAPHAT IS KING OF THE TWO-TRIBE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. He lives at the same time as KING A'HAB and JEZEBEL of the northern 10-tribe kingdom. But Jehosh'aphat is a good king, and his father A'SA was a fine king too. So for many years the people of the Southern two-tribe kingdom enjoyed a good life. But now something happens to make the people afraid. That’s how the devil works, once he sees you comfortable and enjoying life, he will come in and attempt to disrupt your whole life. I PETER 5:8 “BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKETH ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.”
Messengers report to Jehosh'aphat - ‘A large army from the countries of Mo'ab - Am'mon - Mount Se'ir are coming to attack them.’ Many Israelites gather at Jerusalem to seek Jehovah’s help. They go to the temple, and there Jehosh'aphat prays -- ‘O JEHOVAH OUR GOD, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. WE ARE HELPLESS AGAINST THIS LARGE ARMY. WE LOOK TO YOU FOR HELP.’
Let me tell you as a Pastor, this is a strange prayer. On Wednesday evenings when I pray, I always try to encourage through my prayer and show signs of strength. Jehoshaphat in his prayer, admitted his worst fears in the presence of the entire nation and prayed in front of everyone about how weak he was.
• He wasn’t concerned about inspiring confidence in his leadership
• His only concern was inspiring faith in God’s ability to deliver his people
From a human perspective what Jehoshaphat did was political suicide.
• From God’s perspective, however, it’s the kind of prayer that God honors
• The moment Jehoshaphat concluded the prayer God spoke
• While “the game was on” for Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah it was “game over” for the enemy
Jehoshaphat king of Judah; three nations came against him and he didn’t know what to do. He inquired of the LORD and God told him not to be afraid or discouraged that he would fight for him. God told him to march against these nations and he and his fighting men went out obeying the voice of God.
• When the men of Judah came to the place, they saw God’s deliverance
• Their enemies were dead
• God provided deliverance for his people just as he said he would
• But God did more than that
• God rewarded his people
Can I pause and ‘Footnote’ here and tell you that God’s Word is true. HEBREWS 11:6
“BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM: FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.” Faith isn’t something to be used to get us out of scrapes and difficulties, but our business is to have the same words as the men in the fiery furnace. The king said, “You think it over.” But they said, “If it be so that God will deliver, alright. If not, we won’t take deliverance any other way.”
• We need to have faith — not something to get us out of pain, but as JOB said, “THOUGH HE SLAY ME YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM”
• ESTHER was willing to die, that others might live. “IF I PERISH, LET ME PERISH”
• Some may say, “What is the use being a Christian? You have troubles, too”
• Yes, but the sinner has no one to go to
Jehoshaphat and his men didn’t have to fight the battle; but they collected the plunder. They reaped the benefits.
• Great amount of goods, clothing and articles of value - precious things
• It took them three days to gather so much plunder - spoil
• God rewarded their faithfulness
• I’m talking about ‘A Blessing in Disguise’
I want to make sure you don’t miss this. Judah’s blessing was waiting in the valley, but they had to go get it.
• It was past the conflict with the Ammonites
• It was past the conflict with the Moabites
• It was past the conflict with the Meunites
They trusted God and went to where God directed them to go and there, God blessed them with all kinds of goods.
• On the fourth day Jehoshaphat and his men assembled in the Valley of Beracah
• Did I fail to tell you that Beracah means – Blessing
• They assembled in the Valley of Blessing
• They praised the LORD there – in the Valley of Blessing
Judah praised God before the battle. God was moved and He set an ambush upon their enemies. The songwriter said it this way - “don’t wait for the battle to be over, shout now , you know in the end your gonna win!”
• So, stop Crying
• So, stop Pacing the Floor
• Go Wash your Face – In the end your gonna win!
• Behind the scenes, God fought for them and all they witnessed was the outcome
• Thereafter, for three days they gathered the spoils (the wealth of the wicked) for themselves
• God gave them double for their troubles
• And on the 4th day they assembled in the valley to celebrate
Jehoshaphat praised God when the enemies where approaching; here He and the people of Judah praised God because of his provisions. They knew who was responsible for their victory and the collection of provision. They praised God from whom all blessings flow.
• If you know you are Blessed – you ought to Praise Him
• If you know it is God who is Blessing you – you ought to Praise Him
• Praise God From Who All Blessings Flow
They returned home with joy for God had made them rejoice over their enemies.
• Jehoshaphat’s biggest blessing was past the conflict with the Moabites - Ammonites – Meunites
• Jehoshaphat showed trust in the LORD and he told the people “BELIEVE IN THE LORD AND YOU WILL BE UPHELD, BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS AND YOU WILL SUCCEED”
• Yes my brothers and sisters – A Blessing in Disguise
God’s blessing for you may be past the difficulties you are experiencing and in order for you to experience his blessing you must keep on trusting him in the midst of the trials.
• You must keep your eyes on him regardless of what is going on in your life
• That issue you have or struggle you may be experiencing is an opportunity to God to bless you
• But you must keep believing in Him
The Apostle Paul said in ROMANS 8:28 “AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSES.” I know this is going to sound strange to you but, God can even use your enemies to bless you.
• He did it for Judah
• He did it for Jehoshaphat
• He did it for David
• He did it for Elijah
• He did it for Joseph
• He did it for Moses
• He did it for Paul
• He did it for Jesus
• He will do it for you
David understood God’s blessings in PSALM 23:5 that why he was able to proclaim – “HE PREPARED A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES.”
• God can have your enemies serve you a meal
• God can have your enemies buying you clothes
• God can have your enemies gas up your car
• God can have your enemies mow your lawn
Listen my brothers and sisters, you’re going to have times throughout your life that you don’t know what to do - where there is great uncertainty you will have an unmet need or problem that is beyond any earthly capability for you to meet or solve, the devil will attack you with all the ferocity of the world and threaten to rip you to shreds and you very well might descend into darkness and at that moment it’s not going to matter what you know or don’t know, what you can do or not do. It’s going to matter whom you turn to, and who and what you put your trust in. As you wait for the night to pass and the storm to ebb whose timeline and sufficiency and faithfulness will you rely upon, yours or His?
• Jehoshaphat put His and all the people’s trust in God
• God took them not to a mountaintop of seeing, nor a hall of knowledge, but to a valley of praise brought to fruition and encouragement from the very mouth of God
• God will turn your trials into A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
God’s blessing may not be free from trials, but it will be waiting at the end of those trials if you keep on trusting his word. Whatever trials or difficulties you are going through right now keep your eyes on Jesus; He already sees the spoil waiting for you if you don’t lose heart. Be encouraged and allow God to use you during those seasons.
• Rejoice in knowing that although you may not understand why, He will use it
• There is a hidden blessing
• Even if you don’t see it or feel it; trust Him
--When you look back, do you see how God was working through you?
--Did you find the BLESSING IN DISGUISE in the thick of the mess?
--Jehoshaphat went to war and God took him to a yard sale where the owners were all deceased
--Go through your storm
--Go through your battle
--Go through your dark night
--Because at the end you will find it was all – A Blessing in Disguise
