What Do You Do in Times of Trouble? 2 Chronicles 20

 

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When times of trouble arise, what actions do you take? To whom do you turn? What is your initial refuge when life's storms surge around you? Your first reaction to trouble reveals the condition of your heart. What does your trouble reveal about your heart?

In 2 Chronicles 20, we find a historical account where God's people Judah, led by the godly King Jehoshaphat, receive terrible news that their enemies are only about 20 miles away from Jerusalem. What did Jehoshaphat do?  To whom did he turn to? Chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles teaches us that trouble gives God's people an opportunity to walk by faith.  Here are some observations from the chapter:

· Trouble gives an opportunity to seek the Lord for help (vs. 1-4).
· Trouble gives an opportunity to go to the Lord in prayer (vs. 5-13).
· Trouble gives an opportunity to obey the Word of God (vs. 14-17).
· Trouble gives an opportunity to worship the Lord our God (vs. 18-21).
· Trouble gives an opportunity to rejoice in the Lord’s salvation (vs. 22-27).
· Trouble gives an opportunity to enjoy true peace from the Lord (vs. 28-30).

With the Lord, God's people can experience true victory. While God grants victory to His people in various ways, in this chapter, He bestowed victory upon King Jehoshaphat, and the people of Judah, by vanquishing their enemies.

One of the key verses from this chapter is verse 12 where King Jehoshaphat says:

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. 2 Chronicles 20:12

The king didn't know what to do. Trouble was quickly coming upon them.  All Jehoshaphat knew was to look to the Lord for help. That is what you and I need to do when trouble comes.  First, we need to look for the Lord to help! 

God provided the answer to Jehoshaphat's prayer through the preaching of His Word in verses 14 and following:

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. 2 Chronicles 20:14-15

God knew what to do. He told his people not to be afraid. He told them that He was going to fight for them. He told his people to trust and obey His Word. Jehoshaphat said this on the day of God's victory:

And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Chronicles 20:20-21

The people worshipped the Lord as they obeyed the Word of God.  They went out to battle like the Lord instructed. God delivered His people with a mighty victory:

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 2 Chronicles 20:22-25

What do we learn from this chapter?  We learn that trouble gives an opportunity for God's people to walk by faith and trust the Lord for victory.

Think of this--if Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah didn't seek the Lord, they would have been defeated! If they didn't listen and obey the Word of God--they would have been defeated! If they decided they were going to do it their way--they would have been defeated!  There was only one path to victory--that path came through the Lord, and the Lord brought the victory!

Maybe today you are experiencing some trouble today.  Maybe it is huge, maybe it is not so huge--whatever the trouble is--have you gone to the Lord for help? You don't have to have a plan first--Jehoshaphat didn't! First set your heart to seek the Lord. Ask Him humbly for help.  Next study the Word of God and listen to what God has said in His Word (God's Word is the Bible). Let the Word of God work on your heart by reading the verse, if need be, over and over again. Then act in faith upon what God teaches you from His Word. Finally, trust the Lord for His victory! 

Maybe He will bring a verse of Scripture you should act upon. Maybe He will answer your prayer through fulfilment of one of His many promises of deliverance. Maybe He wants you to get right with Him by confessing and forsaking some sin that has gripped your life. Maybe He wants you to worship with fellow believers who love the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Word, and His Gospel. Act in accordance with what God has instructed in His written Word, the Bible.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 -- If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:2-5

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:6-10

 
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, know that in Him you have the victory! If you are not Born Again through faith in Jesus Christ, turn from your sin right now and believe in the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Only in Jesus Christ is there salvation from the judgment of sin. If you die without Christ, you will face an eternity in hell. Place your faith today in the Lord Jesus for salvation!  Know victory in Jesus! 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

The day of trouble will come. It will one day come upon all of us in one form or another because we live in a sin cursed world full of sinners.  What are you going to do in that day?  To whom will you turn to? Learn the lessons of 2 Chronicles 20. Realize that the trouble you are experiencing today is an opportunity to ask the Lord for help to bring you through the trouble. 

Join us at our next service and worship with us our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!