28 July 2014 by Rev Dr Jai Kumar –
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Fear produces anxiety and chaos in our confidences of God. Fear hinders us from becoming the kind of person God wants us to be.
Fear steals peace and contentment. When we’re always afraid, our lives are centred on a negative mindset. Fear creates uncertainty and doubt. But God promises us an abundant life (John 10:10). Fear is a deceptive weapon satan uses to conquer the children of God. Always be reminded God will always show you the future to encourage you but satan will always remind you of your past to discourage you.
PREREQUISITE TO APPROACHING GOD
King Jehoshaphat in the midst of his fears turned to seek the Lord. If you read the rest of Chapter 19 of 2 Chro. you will discover all the radical changes King Jehoshaphat introduced in his nation was because he wanted goodness to rule over wickedness. Did you notice King Jehoshaphat prepared his nation with such changes that was pleasing to God? He restituted the things he did which was wrong in the past so that God would hear his call of prayer.
WHY PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED
You know what? A lot times God don’t hear our prayers not because He can’t hear us! The problem is we have not positioned ourselves in the right place for Him to hear us. We have not set the ground right for Him to hear. We have not made the necessary changes for Him to hear. We sweep things under the carpet and think its o.k. And expect God to hear our prayers.
But King Jehoshaphat did not compromise; he made the necessary changes and that pleased God to hear his prayers despite his past mistakes. In the end, God was willing to hear his prayers.
But you know what? We remain where we are, in the sense that we are not willing to make radical changes in our life that would be pleasing to God. That’s the problem you see, many of our prayers are not effective because we are dwelling in a mindset of our own making, our own thinking.
King Jehoshaphat gets this thing right and then he prays. Verse 5; Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, so he is in Gods house in a crisis. He says Oh Lord; he introduces his prayer with one of the greatest truths that you need to remember particularly when you are in a crisis. He says God! Is it not true that Heaven rules!?
I want you to remember one thing in your life; that is, no matter what is happening on this earth, no matter how confusing the situation and circumstances may seem to appear to you. But please remember! Heaven rules every other kingdom! In other words, Earth never has the final say.
Please understand! Your crisis is not the final word. The devil will make you to believe that it is the final chapter of your life! He will make you feel it’s the final word! He will make you believe it’s the end of it for you! You think it’s the end because you are trapped and stuck in a situation of fear that you don’t know how to think anymore. You are afraid! You are overwhelmed!
But you see King Jehoshaphat did not allow his fears to overcome him although he was in a hopeless and fearful situation. You know what? Although your circumstances may be different now, but your God is the same God. God is an UNCHANGING God.
My understanding of King Jehoshaphat’s prayer clearly establishes the fact that he had a relationship with God. He knows his God. He can commune with his God: notice that he is not treating his God religiously. Religious people will treat their God as unapproachable. Religious people have to perform before God. God is distanced from them.
King Jehoshaphat however knew the past history of his God. He had experienced how God rescued his people and His faithfulness in past history. He says despite my problem which is there! Despite the fact that I am powerless and I don’t know what do. But I am changing my focus right now, look at the last verse “my eyes are fixed on you”.
Here is something you need to understand; watch this, as long as the enemy can keep your eyes focused on the enemy, you are going to be looking at the wrong direction. But, King Jehoshaphat was different; he shifted his focus, he said I am no longer going to look down on my crisis (I know the reality that is they are coming after me). I know I am fearful and worried but I am going to shift my focus and look to God now!!
I’m going to look to the hills from whence cometh my help! My help cometh from The Lord the Maker of Heaven and Earth (Psalm 121:1). I will lift up my eyes unto you. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER
Why does God call us to pray? He calls us to pray so that we can be a channel to draw down Heaven for the benefit of our crisis on earth.
Listen! Prayer is drawing down from Heaven to Earth what has already been offered in Heaven. What has already been decreed in Heaven.
We are Kingdom people of God. We are Kingdom enforcers; we are Kingdom channels and instruments of God to bring the influence of Heaven to rule this earth in the midst of our crisis. “I am going to bring down Heaven to Earth to deal with this crisis that is confronting me right now.”
Now, all Judah is standing before The Lord, infants, wives and children and they are in a fast. Jehoshaphat prays.
Listen. When you are in a crisis and you don’t know what to do. You are literally losing your mind because the devil inflicts such fear to immobilize you. Forget about reading the word of God as usual. You don’t need the “logos word” at this moment. You really need a Rhema word from God. You need a Rhema word to become alive so that it can be applied into your crisis situation.
A word that is specific. A word that is alive which will suddenly jump out of the Bible while you are reading it.
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO GOD
Here in the case of Jehoshaphat, God does it prophetically by using a prophet on behalf of him.
The Spirit of prophecy fell upon a Levite, Jahaziel the prophet, in the midst of the Assembly in verse 14; “Thus says The Lord, do not be afraid or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
You need not fight in this battle but position yourself. Stand still and see the salvation of The Lord will come through for you.
Early next morning they rose and moved forward. There is a time to pray, there is a time to wait and there is also a time to move forward.
Look at verse 20,21..
They sang and praised The Lord.
The Bible says the enemy was defeated. Judah didn’t lift a finger to fight.
The enemy started killing each other. Dead bodies all over.
What else did they found? Precious jewels more than what they could carry.
You know what? It took 3 days to gathers all the precious jewels because there was so much of it left on the dead bodies of the enemy.
Conclusion:
How did God move His hand on behalf of King Jehoshaphat?
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12; NASB)
A Christian with unshakable faith is marked as Enemy No:one in hell and the reason for that is this: by faith there is a power released to subdue kingdoms, by faith righteousness is born, promises of God are obtained, the mouths of lions are shut, satanic fire is quenched, and there is escape from the sword. Out of weakness the faithful are made strong and become brave in the battle, turning the devil’s army to flight.
Note: Rev Dr Jai Kumar is an ordained & licensed minister of Covenant Ministries International N.J. USA. He is also the representative of Faith International Bible School for Malaysia & Singapore. He is the founder and senior pastor of Full Gospel Outreach Ministry KL, a member of ECCM, Spiritual Adviser & overseer of Capstone Ministries/Capstone Community Church -C3 ( Bangalore );Co-founder and adviser of Kingdom Christian Fellowship, Subang Jaya, he is also the author of a book entitled, ‘God’s Time Clock.’
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