Jehoshaphat's prayer meeting (Quality: Average)

[0:00] I ask your attention to that chapter we read, 2nd of Chronicles, chapter 20, verse 17.

[0:12] 2nd of Chronicles, chapter 20, verse 17. You shall not need to fight in this battle. 3rd of Chronicles, chapter 20, verse 17.

[0:51] 3rd of Chronicles, chapter 20, verse 17.

[1:21] But nevertheless, it has much to instruct and encourage us. The gathering together of Jehoshaphat and all the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem were what we might term a prayer meeting.

[1:45] But it was a prayer meeting with a difference. Or it was a prayer meeting with circumstances which they could not do anything about.

[2:02] It was far, far greater than they could need altar or influence. It was a prayer meeting when they came to the end of all their own strength or ability or help.

[2:19] For they came to a place like this. Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. Now there is some encouragement here because, first of all, Jehoshaphat could remind the God of Israel, the God of Judah, that he was God of Israel, that he was a mighty God of Israel, that he was a mighty God, an omnipotent God.

[2:54] There was nothing that happened in the world and in the nations of the world of those days that he was not aware of. Neither was he short of power and might, that none of his enemies could withstand him.

[3:10] That is the general view and a right view it is of what God is in his omnipotence. But then he came to this, art not thou our God?

[3:25] Now that makes a difference. That makes a difference. That he is a covenant-keeping God. That he has a special concern and will have mercy upon his own people, both in their spiritual and in their providential pathways.

[3:47] Art not thou our God? He could describe before the gathering of that congregation what the Lord had done for them. This great God who ruled in the heavens.

[4:01] 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.

[4:13] And now that description comes a little closer and he brings a little comfort to you. Art not thou our God? The witness in Jehoshaphat and in others was that he had done great things for them in the past.

[4:30] And we could spend our time, I suppose, in gathering together what he had done. That is not my wish tonight. But he reminds the Lord of the dedication of the temple when Solomon, at that dedication, prayed before the God of Israel and spoke those sweet words as the Spirit taught him.

[5:00] And that whatever came upon them, when evil cometh upon us, and the description of those evils are written there. And cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

[5:15] And then he lays the case. What it is that brought them to the prayer, gathering to prayer. These three great enemies, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seah.

[5:31] Impossible case, impossible to overcome themselves. They laid it before the Lord. They came to the place of no helping self.

[5:43] And they laid the matter before the Lord. What I've often said, and it's... I believe sometimes there's something very wonderful, you know.

[5:54] They didn't watch the clock. They didn't say, well, we're there an hour and a quarter. At the end of the prayer of Jehoshaphat, all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives and their children.

[6:09] None of them was exempt. They didn't stay at home with the little ones because it was a prayer meeting. They brought them out. Nobody stayed at home because of this or that.

[6:22] The matter was too great. They attended the house of God and they met around the throne of grace. They had a mercy seat, you know.

[6:33] They had a promise concerning that mercy seat. There will I meet with thee and commune with thee from above the mercy seat. There wasn't one that was left out.

[6:45] Their little ones, their wives and their children. Then, of course, we have this working of the Spirit.

[6:57] This man, Jehoshaphat, a Levite. Upon Jehoshaphat came the Spirit of the Lord and brought the answer.

[7:09] The answer, I sometimes wondered, and I don't want to put in the Bible what's not there, but as they stood there, it would seem to me they didn't want to go home until they got the answer.

[7:20] It was not that leaving of the sanctuary and going to their homes. They waited for the answer. And there was divine instruction in that answer.

[7:31] It was as thus saith the Lord through Jehoshaphat. He was the Lord's mouthpiece. And he was the Lord's messenger. It was the message from the Lord to Jehoshaphat and all the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

[7:50] The answer was they were to do nothing. The Lord would do it all. Speaks of it so simply, tomorrow go down, go ye down against them.

[8:02] Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid, nor be dismayed by reason of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. But the verse 17's been with me all this week.

[8:18] There's one thing you know that I suppose we have more than ministers that come and go. We have a knowledge of the pathways of the people of whom we are a pastor over.

[8:35] Sometimes that's trying because a temptation would come such as, Well, you know what they want, so therefore you preach what they want.

[8:48] Well, that's not in this case. I can say before the Lord, The Lord gave me this word, either Sunday night or Monday. And I have had in times past to prove this word, He shall not need to fight in this battle.

[9:06] One of the most remarkable things, I suppose, is that it needs much grace not to do something. We read Psalm 46 this morning, as I suppose we read it quite often because it's so suitable.

[9:26] Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth.

[9:37] And over to Exodus 14, you can look at the book of Ruth, all silent narratives, there's a standing still and there is a sitting still. There is a waiting on the Lord, there is a waiting for the Lord.

[9:52] Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you.

[10:07] Now, the Church of Christ has, like Jehoshaphat, three great enemies. The world, the flesh, and the devil. Sometimes it is as if they are all combined to overthrow the people of God.

[10:25] Bring them to naught. How many of us truly before the Lord have been brought to this place? It's coming to nothing.

[10:38] It all will be overthrown. We shall be brought to confusion. We shall be seen what we truly are. My friends, this is the pathway of those who walk in the fear of God.

[10:55] No exaggeration. Have you never come to nothing? In your own mind, have you never come to the end of your own hope and help and strength and ability?

[11:07] Have you always felt a little, as it were, a residue of comfort? Have you never come to that place and spot situation and circumstance and circumstance when you're brought to stand still because you don't know what to do?

[11:25] Well, I can't apply words and I don't want to try. We may speak one to another in the pathways of life and in the various trials which we come into and we might try and encourage people with words from the Lord.

[11:41] but it's the application of the word and it is the power and the authority of the speaker. This speaker is the Lord who dwellest in glory.

[11:54] This is the word from our God. That's where the power comes from. That's where the authority is. That's where the suitability of this word is this night. It comes from God.

[12:07] It is to be spoken into the soul and it will be the strength and help of the people of God whatever their pathway is. You shall not need to fight in this battle.

[12:21] Set yourselves, stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you. When you're brought to pray and I mean as the Holy Spirit encourages you to do so, may he also encourage you to watch with your prayers.

[12:41] You know that word in the Colossians, continuing prayer, watching unto the same. This is what these good people were doing in the temple of God.

[12:52] They were listening to Jehoshaphat pleading for the Lord's appearance and for the Lord's overruling hand and for the Lord's deliverance. And they stood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives and their children.

[13:09] And I say it again, I hope I'm not exaggerating or trying to alter the word of God that they've waited for an answer. And if you've got a matter which is strong and indeed all important to you as your own soul most surely will be, you will watch for those answers.

[13:32] The matter of your salvation is beyond man. The matter of the comfort of your soul in peace with God and an interest in the Saviour's blood is beyond all men.

[13:46] It's beyond your help. It's beyond anything that you can do. but if you find this trinity of evil coming against you sure you will if you fear the Lord you'll know this that you can't do anything about it.

[14:03] But my friends this is where the word and may the Lord sweetly come and apply it this night. Wonderful mercy my friends when when we find that the rest that is to be taken is in the Lord.

[14:20] You know we had that word I don't know if it was here or wherever it was I think it was here in the fourth chapter of the Hebrews when the text that particular occasion was this there remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God.

[14:39] Now for those who know this trinity of evil this great enemy this opposition to the grace of God and to the comfort and work of the Holy Spirit my friends the rest the waiting the standing still the sitting still the being still is only when you and I can leave it in the Lord's hand lay it before him be brought in submission to the mind and will of God you know you'll come back to what we have to learn not for thy sake O house of Israel will I do these things but for my holy name's sake you shall not need to fight in this battle a spiritual pathway is a battle and it always will be if you fear the Lord if Christ is in your heart or is in your desires my friends there will be a battle you don't think Satan will let you go easy you don't think he'll wash his hands upon you whilst you breathe whilst you walk through this veil of tears he will distress and trouble and he'll raise up enemies of doubts and fears temptations that shall come upon you to overthrow that grain of faith to remove the comfort of the hope that you have in the person of Christ and to bring you down to nothing you shall not need to fight in this battle somebody

[16:14] I was in a if I may put it in a trouble which was not a very great trouble as it stood really somebody said to me and I realised their confidence more than I felt it they said you know if you could only believe there's not a power in hell can overthrow your path I thought that was a strong statement to make but you know Paul wrote to the Romans and he said if God be for us who can be against us but then the matter what is the matter the Lord knows the matter the calls the calls that is too hard for thee bring it unto me and I will hear it the Lord knows these causes and these matters and these pathways these things which distress these things that suck the spiritual strength from the soul that brings darkness and distress upon the spirit you shall not need to fight in this battle if God is on your side as he was on Jehoshaphat's side thus saith the

[17:27] Lord unto you be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude that the battle is not yours but God's what wonderful mercy there is in this how he proved what he prayed art not thou our God and this was their God demonstrating that he was their God cast he said on me thy care it is enough that I am nigh I will all thy burdens bear I will all thy needs supply you shall not need to fight in this battle set yourselves stand you still what grace is needed what grace is needed no we've got an old nature that even in the trials we start scheming our ways out of it well we're going to do this we're going to do that well we can manage this path because it's not that difficult if we look to this person or we look at that one this is where we shall gain some help it's a hard path you know when you learn what the poet wrote when he said no help in self

[18:34] I find though I sought it well the native treasure of my mind is sin and death and hell but this standing still this waiting on the Lord and waiting for him this looking up this waiting and prayer is really an exercise of faith is it not or it should surely be so stand ye still and then look for it you matters I'm sure you have this is where a pastor knows I suppose more than an itinerant minister some of the pathways of those he preaches to but surely there are some that they don't know and where a word like this if he only is pleased to so apply it into that path and upon the spirit of the one in the pathway then there is this this work too you know they carried the burden to the

[19:38] Lord and the Lord gave Jayazel the way of escape the message the message from the Lord and he told them what they were to do see something my friends which grace and faith must indeed be granted that there might be obedience to the ways of God and to the word of God and to the will of God God no we cast upon do you ever ask for instruction we cast the pathway we commit our soul our circumstances those who feel and I'm sure all of us do what it is to be a sinner in the sight of a holy God my friends there is divine instruction given the answer comes in the instruction what the Lord desires to do for his people is in his hand and he will do it and none can overthrow it and none can bring it to halt either but there is divine instruction here then in the answer you shall not need to fight in this battle set yourselves stand ye still and see the salvation of the

[20:56] Lord with you of Judah and Jerusalem there's not been times I can go back to times and surely you can I know you can when you took your trouble into the Lord's house you took your sins and your iniquities into God's house that is the feeling state of your soul it may be that you like me have thought and thought that it would be far beyond anything but the Lord knows the pathway and the desires and the exercises of the people of God and it pleases him through his blessed spirit to send a word in season send a word in season you know those good people in the book of judges Minoah and his wife what a gracious couple they were one was stronger in faith than the other they were blessed both of them with a visit from the

[22:00] Lord a visit from the Lord and then poor Minoah thought about that visit and he said we have seen the Lord we have seen God face to face and we shall surely die but his dear wife who had indeed much more evidence of strong faith than he did said would the Lord have showed us these things if he meant to kill it those truths which they had seen these well my friends the word

[23:09] I would hope and pray the Lord may apply the truth of this it doesn't bring on apathy it's got nothing to do with lukewarmness it's got nothing to do with folding our hands and saying we can't do anything about it this is the grace of faith in the exercise the burden remains till the Lord appears and the burden will be removed when the Lord delivers you from it.

[23:39] You know, my friends, in the opposition that the people of God feel within their soul against their hope and comfort of salvation and such is the evil within and such is the evil one that will try and overthrow any comfort of hope.

[24:00] Pour not on thyself too long. That came to me on Monday. Oh, it was sweet to my spirit. Pour not on thyself too long. Lest it sink thee lower.

[24:12] Look to Jesus, kind and strong. Pity, joy, and with power. There's the instruction in the word. The Lord grants you and I faith to believe his promises.

[24:24] But the Lord grants you grace and faith to see the salvation of the Lord. Watch his hand. And trace him in the pathway. And blessed be God when he reveals himself as the God-man, as the Christ of God.

[24:41] You know, sinners who come pouring out their heart because of their iniquity and sin, because of their conscience in distress over their inward sins. Oh, how they have had to come to the Lord and fall in submission to his will, whatever it is.

[24:58] And then the Lord takes up their case and points out salvation. Shows them the way of escape in the person and in the work of the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

[25:10] You shall not need to fight in this battle. There is no need to fight because he will fight for you. But there is no need to fight in it because you couldn't. It's far too great.

[25:22] You can't lift a finger to comfort your spirit in your soul, let alone in your circumstances. If you know what the prodigal felt as he began to be in want, he was unable to lift a finger to his own comfort or help, but he knew where it was to be found.

[25:41] And the instruction in his own soul was as this instruction was. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

[25:54] That's where it will come from. The Lord show you Calvary and there you'll see salvation. You sometimes cry with the psalmist, oh, visit me with thy salvation.

[26:06] When he visits his people with salvation, he shows the person of Christ on the cross at Calvary. Stand ye still and see the salvation. That's the deliverance of the Lord.

[26:18] It's in the person of Christ. It's what he's done. And that blessed work was for the deliverances of people from this trinity of evil.

[26:28] And that salvation remains, my friends, and the beauty of it and the mercy of it and the comfort of it will be yours forever and forever in this time state and for the glories of heaven.

[26:46] Oh, you may say, well, I don't know. I believe I've known the comfort of salvation. Now I don't feel it. It doesn't mean to say it's gone away, my friends. The Lord renew it.

[26:57] The Lord grant the token of his love in your soul. And then fear not, nor be dismayed. It's full of fear as they gathered. Full of fear when that person, whoever it was, came and told, Jehoshaphat, there cometh a great multitude against thee.

[27:18] And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord. It was the only place he could go to with such a multitude. But the promise was and the instruction was the Lord will take it up.

[27:34] The Lord will deal with it. The Lord will work out deliverance. The Lord will indeed on your behalf upon everyone who fears the Lord in your soul or in your circumstance.

[27:47] And that accompany in the word, fear not, nor be dismayed. Amen. Amen. Shall we close with hymn 882?

[28:03] Prayer was appointed to convey the blessings God designs to give long as they live should Christians pray, for only while they pray they live.

[28:40] Depend on him, thou canst not fail. Make all thy wants and wishes known. Fear not, his merits must prevail.

[28:52] Ask what thou wilt, it shall be done. Hymn 882. Hymn 882. his gak amuse Now they will have a good cual I am the David who lives and Amuse and Hell I am the Blessed God has cherished to give theipped auch thoseawn his offering I'll see you next time.

[29:58] I'll see you next time. Thank you.

[30:58] Thank you.

[31:28] Thank you.

[31:58] Thank you.

[32:28] Thank you for thy precious word. Lord, as we think about that word again, though us commanded the day of deliverance, Lord, it's not some time.

[32:42] It's a set time. Without its right or cause to be written in the Psalms, for the set time has come. Lord, let's say through Jezeel it was tomorrow.

[32:57] Lord, that there might be those here that shall stand still and see the salvation of the Lord tomorrow. Lord, in their own souls, to the joy and rejoicing of the soul.

[33:13] Lord, to see there the comfort of that salvation is that it is a finished work and all iniquity is put away to thy dear people.

[33:27] And Lord, may it please thee to grant it. Do thank thee, Lord, for thy word. Thank thee for the experience to those that have gone before.

[33:37] Lord, Lord, those who have put their trust in Israel's God, has proved, Lord, that they could say in confidence and faith, art thou, art thou not our God.

[33:52] Lord, that's everything. We may miss many things, Lord, but ever be a God to us. Ever be that God of grace and mercy, that faithful God, that unchangeable God, that able God.

[34:10] Lord, because we believe art able to do far more than we can ask or think. But now pardon all that has been amiss. Take us each to our homes in peace and remain with us.

[34:25] May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit remain with us both now and forever.

[34:39] Amen.