It’s Time To Fight

Text:

2Chronicles 20:12-13:

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

………………….

2Chronicles 20:14-15:

Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

And he 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.

………………….

2Chronicles 20:30:

So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

 

Theme:

It’s Time To Fight

 

Introduction:

• The Books of Chronicles have an interesting origin. They were originally one book documenting what were believed to be omissions from the Books of Kings.  Ezra is believed to be the author of both books.
• The Books of Chronicles can be divided into primary sections:
  • The first nine chapters of Book I contain little more than a list of genealogies in the line of Israel down to the time of David.
  • The remainder of the first book contains a history of the reign of David.
  • The first nine chapters of Book II contain the history of the reign of Solomon.
  • The remaining chapters of the second book contain the history of the separate kingdom of Judah to the time of the return from Babylonian Exile.
• The provided text finds us in the reign of Jehoshaphat, the son and successor of Asa, king of Judah. It is said that Jehoshophat had this testimony, that “he sought the Lord with all his heart” (2Chronicles 22:9). The kingdom of Judah was never more prosperous than under his reign.
• The text specifically extracts a scene from the last notable act of Jehoshophat as king.
  • The Moabites formed a great and powerful confederacy encamped around Engedi with the surrounding nations, and came against Jehoshaphat.
  • The king and his people were filled with alarm, and went to God in prayer.
  • Amid the silence that followed, the voice of Jahaziel the Levite was heard announcing that on the morrow all this great host would be overthrown.
  • The God confused the spirits of the Moabites causing them to quarrel among themselves, and slay one another, leaving to the people of Judah only to gather the rich spoils of the slain.
• This text depicts a very common yet tenuous situation for the believer – spiritual and/or physical battles
  • The world quickly reconciles understanding on the issue of war and fighting.
    • The US Government continually invests in weapons of war for our country and abroad while preaching peace on US shores.
    • Countries throughout the world continue to invest in the arms race to, in so many words, try to see who has the biggest guns with the most bullets.
    • Islamic cries under the doctrine of “Jihad” or “holy war” fill the world’s third world sectors dropping blood upon the land of our creator.
  • The bible offers many principles concerning war and fighting also.
    • Matthew 5:38, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:”
      • Also found in Leviticus 24:20, Exodus 21:24, & Deuteronomy 19:21
    • Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
    • Psalms 27:3, “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
  • However, the text gives critical direction as to how the believer is to handle spiritual and/or physical battles
    • IT’S TIME TO FIGHT!

Body:

• “for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us”
  • Jehoshophat knew that he was POWERLESS
    • We can do nothing without God
      • John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
      • Even Jesus said in John 5:30, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
    • When IT’S TIME TO FIGHT, we must know that we are POWERLESS!
  • “neither know we what to do”
    • Jehoshophat knew that HE DID NOT KNOW what to do
      • First, he admitted that he did not know what to do.
        • Psalms 94:11, “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.”
          • You might as well tell the truthJ
        • Romans 10:2, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
      • Second, he denied what he did know.
        • Mark 8:34 (& Luke 9:23), “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
      • When IT’S TIME TO FIGHT, we must know that we DON’T KNOW!
    • “but our eyes are upon thee”
      • Jehoshophat LOOKED TO GOD FOR HELP
        • He did not look to others
          • Friends, loved ones, or people with status and notoriety in this world
        • He did not look to things
          • Money can’t buy happiness!!!
        • He looked only to God
          • Psalms 121:1-2, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
        • When IT’S TIME TO FIGHT, we must know that we MUST LOOK TO GOD FOR HELP!
      • “And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children”
        • Jehoshophat and all of Judah STOOD TOGETHER before God
          • The king and his family STOOD TOGETHER
          • The loved one and the enemy STOOD TOGETHER
          • The rich and the poor STOOD TOGETHER
          • The senior citizen and the child STOOD TOGETHER
          • The saint and the sinner STOOD TOGETHER

è Romans 2:9-10, “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:”

• When IT’S TIME TO FIGHT, we must know that we MUST STAND TOGETHER!

• “for the battle is not yours, but God’s”
  • Jahaziel reminded Jehoshophat that GOD WILL FIGHT THE BATTLE
    • The old hymn, “Be Still”, tells us

Be still God will fight your battle.  Be still God will fight your battle.

Be still God will fight your battle.  God will fight your battle if you just be still.

• Yolonda Adams also sings the popular contemporary Gospel song, “The Battle Is Not Yours”
• We need to LET GO AND LET GOD because WE ALREADY HAVE THE VICTORY
  • 1Chronicles 29:11, “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.”
  • 1Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
    • So, we need to get out of the way and enjoy VICTORY IN JESUS!
  • When IT’S TIME TO FIGHT, we must know that GOD WILL FIGHT OUR BATTLE!

 

Conclusion:

• “for his God gave him rest”
  • We know that we have allowed God to fight our battle when we have REST
    • No submission to God…No Peace à We wonder why things don’t go right in our lives!
      • Proverbs 29:9, “If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.”
      • Without God as the pilot, we will have no rest!
    • But, God promises a rest to those who submit themselves to His Word, Will, and Way!
      • Hebrews 4:9, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
        • When we live right…there is a REST
        • When we love right…there is a REST
        • When we fight right…there is a REST
        • When we stand right…there is a REST
        • When we suffer right…there is a REST
        • When we die right…there is a REST!!!