TOPIC : VICTORY WITHOUT A FIGHT
MEMORISE: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Psalm 50:15
READ: 2 Chronicles 20:3-15
[3]And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
[4]And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD
[5]And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
[6]And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
[7]Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
[8]And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
[9]If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
[10]And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;
[11]Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
[12]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.
[13]And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
[14]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;
[15]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.
MESSAGE
In today’s Bible reading, Jehoshaphat was faced with a great battle. Some enemies ganged up against Jehoshaphat and his kingdom.
Some kings, in his stead, would have arranged soldiers and weapons of war; some would also form alliances with other kingdoms in order to outnumber the enemies, but Jehoshaphat did none of that.
He turned to God; he declared a fast throughout the land and gathered the people to seek God’s help. God answered his prayers, and he had victory.
There are quite a few lessons to glean from this remarkable king. First, when in trouble, turn to God in prayer and when you pray, listen to Him.
Don’t just whine or cry; present your case and wait to hear instructions from Him.
The second is, follow instructions from God to the letter, even when it sounds foolish. It looked foolish to arrange singers with instruments rather than soldiers.
I can imagine how the kings who came to fight against Jehoshaphat would have laughed him to scorn on seeing the singers, but let me ask you, who laughed last?
My dear child, God’s ways are not your ways; learn to trust Him.
OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 25 MARCH 2024 REFLECTION
Who is the first person you go to when in trouble?
HYMN 15 – CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMES NOW ARE WE
1 Conquerors and overcomes now are we,
Thro’ the precious blood of Christ we’ve victory
If the Lord be for us, we can never fail,
Nothing ‘gainst His mighty pow’r can e’er prevail.
CHORUS
Conquerors are we, through the blood of Jesus,
God will give us victory, through the blood of Jesus
Thro’ the Lamb for sinners slain,
Yet who lives and reigns again,
More than conquerors are we,
More than conquerors are we.
- In the name of Israel’s God we’ll onward press,
Overcoming sin and all unrighteousness;
Not to us, but unto Him the praise shall be,
For Salvation and for blood bought victory.
3 Unto him that overcometh shall be given,
Here to eat of hidden manna sent from heav’n,
Over yonder he the victors palm shall bear,
And a robe of white, and golden crown shall wear.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 4:1-49 Luke 6:39-7:10
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE