From Crisis To Conquest

When attending Bible School in Edinburgh, Scotland, I was constantly confronted by a statement that hung on the dining room wall. It went something like this;

"When God is going to do something wonderful, He chooses a difficulty. When He is going to do something very wonderful, He chooses an impossibility!"

This statement could be written over this remarkable account of God's intervention in the midst of a National Crisis.

Notice the following truths that emerge from this story:

OUTLINE:

1. THE ACCUTNESS OF THE PROBLEM 20:2

The situation was serious, severe, extreme and critical!

A. A Huge Army - A confederacy of Heathen Nations had immalgimated for the sole purpose of doing battle with Judah.

B. A Hidden Army - Hazazon - Tamar, meaning the wood of the palm trees, that is in Engedi. This is the meaning of the word and it is highly lukely that this huge army were camoflauged beneath this heavely forested area.

C. A Hostile Army - 20:11

"They come to cast us out of thy posession which thou hast given us to inherit"

Apply these truths to our National & Personal circumstances

We are truly living in the midst of a great spititual crisis. The only answer to this crisis is the Divine intervention of God, and the Reviving of His Church.

This sentiment is expressed by pastor Rony Floyd, as he addressed the 1996 Southern Baptist Convention. This is what he said;

"The Churches of this denomination need a mighty God sent, Holy Ghost Revival"

I have to agree with Dr. Sammy Tippit, as he spoke on the differnce between the people in Romania and the people in N. America.

He said,"The people of Romania are a needy people and they know it; The people in the west are equally as needy, we just don't know it".

2. THE AWARENESS OF THE PEOPLE 20:3

A. Aware of the Armies Activity 20:3 "There cometh a great multitude against thee..."

B. Aware of their Absolute Inadequacy 20:12 "For we have no might against this great company.....neither know we what to do"

Adam Clarke commenting on the plight of the King said,"He found that he could not possibly stand against such a numerous army and therefore could not expect to be delivered except by the strong arm of God."

C. Aware of the Almighty's Capability 20:12 "...but our eyes are upon thee."

Someone has said,"When we have nothing left but God, then we become aware that God is enough!"

3. THE ACCURACEY OF THE PRAYER 20:3

What was the solution for such a serious situation? They handled it prayerfully!

E.M Bounds speaking on the power of prayer says,"Prayer is a wonderful power placed by Almighty God in the hands of His saints, which may be used to accomplish great purposes and to achieve unusual results."

One Commentator put's it well,"Conscious of his total inability to repel this host of invaders Jehosaphat felt his only refuge was the horns of the alter....He resolved to employ the aid of His God...." (Jamieson, Fauset & Brown)

Dr. David Jeremiah states in his book, 'PRAYER - The Great Adventure', "Prayer is our declaration of dependance"

The Rally Cry of the 1904 Welsh Revival was, "Bend the Church save the world."

The Almighy speaks through the Prophet Jeremiah (33:3)"Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not."

NOTICE THE ACCURACEY OF JEHOSAPHAT'S PRAYER - IT WAS FOCUSES, IT WAS SPESCIFIC:

A. Focused on HEAVEN 20:6

The Swiss Reformer John Calvin states, "There is power in God to lay prostrate the whole world, and tread it under His feet, whenever it may please Him"

Again David Jeremiah states,"Everything changes when God is in the picture."

Well did John the Revelator decalre in Rev 19:6, "The Lord God OMNIPOTENT reigneth" (OMNI- GK, meaning ALL and POTENT, GK, meaning POWER - This is one of His incommunicatable Attributes, He alone is ALL-POWERFUL!He knows no limitations to His power)

The Scottish Reformer, John Knox, of whom Mary Queen of Scotts said, that she feared only one thing, and that was the prayers of John Knox, "A man with God on his side is always in the majority"

And again Vance Havner declares,"When a man makes alliance with the Almighty, giants look like grasshoppers."

B. It was focused on HISTORY 20:7-9

As he reviewed the exploits of God in the past, it furnished Jehosaphat with a confidence to ttrust God for the present hour of crisis!(It is important to read books on revival!!)

C. It was focused on the HEATHEN 20:10-11

He did not pray in generalities, he spescifically prayed that God would deal with their enemy.

4. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PROPHET 20:14-15,17

Notice - God always has His man in place. He may be a Moses, prepared and ready to lead God's people out of bondage; He may be a Joseph, prepared and ready to sustain God's people; H emay be a Luther prepared and ready to bring light in the midst of gross darkness; He may be a Wesley, prepared by God, to save Britain from inevitable revolution - God always has His man, prepared and ready to deliver His message!