Jesus is used to drawing crowds of people. Wherever he went there were people that pressed their way through the crowd just to see him. Just like the woman with the issue of blood she didn’t want to see or touch anybody else but Jesus, because she knew that if she could just talk with Jesus and if she couldn’t talk to him. She knew that if she could just touch the hem of his garment that she would be healed.
And once she got healed there was a reason behind her praise because she had been dealing with a sickness for twelve long years. She had been to doctor after doctor and they couldn’t heal her. Every physician was declaring that there was no hope, and that’s just let me know saints, that when the doctors says no GOD can say yes.
Yes Jesus is used to drawing large crowds of people, but now that attendance is down in Churches across the country. It’s not because Jesus has changed because if you don’t know anything about God one of his attributes is that he is immutable, which means, that he does not change. He is the same GOD yesterday, today and evermore. From everlasting to everlasting God remains the same. It’s not God that has changed but its man, that has changed. The reason why large crowds are not being drawn back into the Church is because man has watered down the power of God. Man has gone on to establish their own righteousness, and have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. Man has established his own law, that you can go here and you can go there, you can do this and you can do that, you can act anyway that you desire and think that God will be pleased with it. People are comfortable with their sins. Men are making Church unattractive because they are willing to tolerate sin in order to have a big crowd. They are putting up with the burger king mentality that you can have it your way.
One of the other problems that we have is that we are worshipping a God that we have no relationship with. Paul said in Act 17:23 that I walked by and saw your inscription on the altar to an unknown God and that you have been worshipping him without knowing who he is. People have built relationships with Churches, with the Pastor and other members of the church, but they don’t have a relationship with God.
John said in the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God, and then the word was made flesh. And I’m here to tell you this morning that you will have a story behind your praise if the word would become flesh in your life. if you have been through any rough times, any tuff situation, or any hardship. And if the Lord has come into your life and saved you, delivered you, and bless you, and if the Word would become a living part of your life, then there would be a reason behind your praise.
I don’t know about you but there is a story behind my praise.
Somebody listening to me who know that you were should’ve been dead and gone, but the Lord kept you. There ought to be a story.
Somebody who should have died on the operating table but God seen fit for you to live on a while longer, let me declare to you that, that’s a reason for you to praise.
The doctors gave up on you, and they said that you would never going to walk again and here you are dancing for the Lord.
They said that you were never going to talk again and here you are singing praises unto the Lord.
They said that you were never going to be nothing but a vegetable and look at you now; you are a living testimony and you are living a blessed life.
May I tell you that something that we take for granted like, two eyes to see with, they may not be the best pair of eyes but I have them? I have two ears to hear, they might need some assistance by way of a hearing device but they are my ears. I have two legs to walk on, every now and then I might have to use a stick to help guide me, but yet I have a reasonable portion of life health and strength. I am here to tell you that there ought to be a reason behind my praise.
We have so much to thank God for because he has bought me not from a might long way, but he has brought me all of the way. He has done great things in my life and I got a reason to praise him.
Can I get someone to agree with me that for he woke you up this morning. He didn’t have to do it, but he did.
When we look in the book of 2nd Chronicles 20 and 1 it says, “It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites”, they came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
The people came to Jehoshaphat with a bad report that armies were coming up against him. The devil will use what I like to call spiritual terrorism in order to get you to be afraid to do what God has created you to do, and what God has purposed for you in your life.
I am here to tell you today that you need to stop believing in that bad reports, and start believing the report of the Lord. stop believing every lie that the devil tells you.
They came to Jehoshaphat with a bad report about how bad things look. They told him that there are come some invaders, some attackers, some intruders, and some assailants to raid your territory. And the bible said that he got fearful and scared. May I suggest to you this morning not to be afraid when the devil shows up. I wish I could’ve been there I would have said to Jehoshaphat, Joe don’t be scared, just let the Lord lead you. Now I like what Jehoshaphat did, the first thing he did was he called a fast throughout the land.
And I’m here to tell you this morning that when we are going through and things look bad, maybe just maybe we ought to call a fast. When it seems like we have gotten too far in the wind we ought to call a fast. When we have ran out of options I believe that maybe just maybe we ought to call a fast. Look at what happen when he called on the prayer answering God.
In verse 15 The report of the Lord came in. Jahaziel said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go ye down against them.
And I heard that once they have received the report from the Lord then Jehoshaphat began to talk a little different he said in verse 20. Listen to me Judah and people of Jerusalem, Have Faith in the Lord your GOD and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophet and you will be successful. The problem today is that we don’t have faith in God, and we sure don’t have faith in the prophet. We don’t have faith in the Preacher or the
Pastor.
That’s why some of us have not received your breakthrough. That’s why some of us have not received your miracle. You didn’t believe when the Pastor told you that if you just put you faith and trust in GOD that he will make it alright.
The New International Version says that if you have faith in the prophet then you will be successful. You shall be successful, but you can’t have faith in the prophet if you don’t have faith in God.
Jehoshaphat got a new walk and a new talk, and if you look back at verse 3 it says that he was afraid but look at him in verse 20 he says have faith in the Lord your GOD. New G you’ve got to have a new walk and you’ve got to have a new talk and know that God is on your side.
Jehoshaphat got so excited about what God was doing in his life that in Verse 21 says that he appointed the singers to sing to the Lord and praise him for the splendor of his holiness.
They said Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever. And in verse 22 it says that as they began to sing praises the Lord, then the Lord set ambushes against their enemies. The bible declares that there was a vast army but where that vast army once stood they could only see dead bodies, lying on the ground and no one escaped the hand of the Lord.
Look how GOD works in verse 25 the writer declares that they found and abundance of riches and precious jewels. It was more than they could carry away. It was more than enough. So much so that it took them three days to carry it away.
So, instead of believing in the report of others New G believe in the report of the Lord. Believe in his prophets.
It’s time to stop playing church. It’s time to give it all you got.
Just because of who he is, and what he has done for me I’m going to keep on praising him. Just because of how He keeps on blessing me over and over, over and over, over and over, and how the Lord keeps on making a way out of no way, I’m going to keep on blessing his name.
I need to tell you this morning that
There is a reason I shout glory
There is a reason I shout hallelujah
There is a reason I say thank you Jesus
I have a reason why I say that if I had ten thousands tongues I could him thank him enough for, and it’s because all that he has done for me.
He has bought me through this, and he has bought me through that.
I have a reason to praise him because he is worthy of all the praise.
There is a reason why I sing, I sing because I am happy and I sing because I am free. And I know that my story is not your story, your story is not my story but we all have a story to tell. You should have a story to tell the world. Tell the world how God has kept you and that why you praise him.
When people are dying all around, but the Lord has kept you and you are still here.
When there are people still locked up in jail God has set you free.
When there are people living out on the street God has kept a roof over your head.
Is there anybody that has a story to tell.
You ought to tell your story about how you were down and God lifted you up.
Tell your story about how God delivered you.
Tell your story how God heard your despairing cry and then he answered you.
I’ve got one story to tell on behalf of every Christian that is in the room and that is one Friday evening God allowed his son Jesus to die for a sinner like you and me. He was dying from the six to the ninth hour and then he dropped his head in the locks of his shoulder and said it’s finished, but then I heard that early that Sunday morning he got up with all power in his hands.
Who is he spies, he is my savior, my rock in a weary land and my shelter in the time of a storm.
My Jehovah Jeir my provider and that’s my story and I know that it’s your story because if you confess the Lord he will always show up on time in your life.
