WHEN FEAR STRIKES - PRAY FIRST

Jehoshaphat was king of Judah from approximately 873 to 848 B.C.  His father, Asa, had been a good king who made some bad decisions toward the end of his life.

All-in-all, Jehoshaphat was a good king. According to II Chronicles 17:3-5 ™,

God was on Jehoshaphat’s side because he stuck to the ways of his father Asa’s early years. He didn’t fool around with the popular Baal religion—he was a seeker and follower of the God of his father and was obedient to him; he wasn’t like Israel. And God secured the kingdom under his rule, gave him a firm grip on it. And everyone in Judah showed their appreciation by bringing gifts. Jehoshaphat ended up very rich and much honored. He was single-minded in following God; 

Unfortunately, like his father, Jehoshaphat made some poor choices along the way and disappointed God.  For a season, he aligned himself with the evil king of Israel, Ahab.  God sent a prophet to reprimand Jehoshaphat and from that point on, he determined to remain faithful to God!

TO BE FAIR – Isn’t this true for all of us?

Some time later the Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: “A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. There’s no time to waste—they’re already [near].”

Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed. He went to God for help and ordered a nationwide fast. The country of Judah united in seeking God’s help—they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to God.

Then Jehoshaphat took a position before the assembled people of Judah and Jerusalem at The Temple of God in front of the new courtyard and said, “O God, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven above and ruler of all kingdoms below? You hold all power and might in your fist—no one stands a chance against you! And didn’t you make the natives of this land leave as you brought your people Israel in, turning it over permanently to your people Israel, the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived here and built a holy house of worship to honor you, saying, ‘When the worst happens—whether war or flood or disease or famine—and we take our place before this Temple (we know you are personally present in this place!) and pray out our pain and trouble, we know that you will listen and give victory.’  [II Chronicles 20:1-9  ™]

Let’s observe Jehoshaphat’s response to this impending threat:

1.   He prayed!

2.   He called his people to prayer and fasting!

3.   He went to the Temple and led the nation in public prayer! 

NOTICE:

He didn’t panic!

He didn’t call for his military leaders!

He didn’t begin to fortify the city!

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I need this reminder as much as anyone else!

When bad news arrives, we must train ourselves to turn to God FIRST!

HE IS OUR SOVEREIGN GOD!

ü He is all powerful!

ü He is everywhere present!

ü He is all-knowing!

Who better to guide and advise us in the midst of trials and difficult times? 

But how quickly we worry and fret as though we did not serve the Lord and Master of the universe! 

We need more than a string tied around our finger! 

We need to be diligent in training ourselves daily – even hourly – to turn to the Lord and trust Him to see us through whatever the world [or our spiritual enemy] throws at us! 

When Jehoshaphat prayed before his people, he included this reminder: 

‘When the worst happens – whether war or flood or disease or famine – and we take our place before this Temple (we know You are personally present in this place!) and pray out our pain and trouble, we know that You will listen and give victory.’  [20:9 ™] 

Jehoshaphat applied two principles: 

     I.        PRAY!

   II.        AGREEMENT PRAYER! 

We need to train ourselves to do the same! 

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Now I know that some of you want to know how this situation turned out. 😊

First, in response to all of the prayer, God sent a prophet to speak to Jehoshaphat:

He said, “Attention everyone—all of you from out of town, all you from Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat—God’s word: Don’t be afraid; don’t pay any mind to this vandal horde. This is God’s war, not yours. Tomorrow you’ll go after them; …You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch God’s saving work for you take shape. Don’t be afraid, don’t waver. March out boldly tomorrow—God is with you.”  [20:15-17 ™]

 Second,

Then Jehoshaphat knelt down, bowing with his face to the ground. All Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping God. The Levites (both Kohathites and Korahites) stood to their feet to praise God, the God of Israel; they praised at the top of their lungs!  [20:18 ™]

THIS IS IMPORTANT! They rejoiced and thanked God BEFORE they saw the arrival of God’s promised deliverance!

Third,

The next morning, Jehoshaphat prayed over his people and deliberated with them about how to go into battle.  Corporately, they decided to put a choir out in front of their forces to sing and give praise to God as they marched into battle!

Think about it! Would you have volunteered to be on the worship team for this special event? 

As this praise gathering marched ahead of the troops shouting and praising God,

 God set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir as they were attacking Judah, and they all ended up dead.  [20:22 ™]

GOD IS GOOD FOR HIS WORD! HE DELIVERS!

HE DELIVERED JEHOSHAPHAT AND HIS PEOPLE!

AND HE’LL DELIVER YOU – IF YOU PRIORITIZE PRAYER AND YOUR TRUST IN HIM! 

BEING ASKED TO PRAY

Does this happen much in your life?

If it does, I hope you realize what a compliment it is!

When someone asks you to pray for them, it sends a powerful and complimentary message!

First, it implies that they trust you!

This is HUGE! Is anything more valuable and meaningful than trust?

They are entrusting you with a personal concern believing that you will treat the information privately and not gossip about it with others.

They’ve chosen to entrust you with personal information that is a source of great concern to them. It likely includes information that is highly private and confidential. They’re probably facing some kind of crisis in their life and feel its intensity so strongly that they have decided to call on a few special people to intercede for them with GOD!!!!

Second, it implies that they believe you have a relationship with God!

What greater compliment could they give you?

In the midst of this crisis, they have chosen to include you in a private prayer circle where each person included is assaulting God on their behalf!  It could be life-threatening for them or someone very close to them. It could be a need that has the potential to crush them. It could be a tragedy that is impacting their life and causing them inscrutable fear and pain.

Whatever the case, they have turned to YOU!  They believe – from observing your life – that you have influence with GOD!!!!!

Third, it implies that they believe that GOD can make a difference!

Why ask if they don’t believe God can and will intervene?

For some, turning to God is a last resort. It’s kind of like: “Well, I’ve tried everything else, so I guess I’ll pray.”

Others have learned early on to make GOD our first recourse! Our most frequent prayer begins with the words: “Oh God!” Perhaps we were taught this by our parents? Perhaps we learned it by passing through many trials? Maybe we learned it from a believing spouse? Or a friend? Or a pastor?

But whether we ask as a last resort or as a first impulse – we believe that these are not wasted words! We believe that when we pray – there is a divine reality who hears and responds to our prayers!

We only know that we must tap into His reserves of grace and mercy!

Of course, we hope GOD will relieve our friend or family member of pain and set things right.

If not, however, we trust that they …may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need [Hebrews 4:16 NASB].

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But the reality is that no one wants to pass through desperate times alone! We need encouragers to walk this path with us! We desire to know that we’re not alone in this trial. We highly prize companionship! We need a community of faith!

Consequently, we turn to those who we believe will travel this road with us. We’ve come to trust them deeply and know that they have our best interests at heart! They will NOT let us down!

SOME TIPS TO CONSIDER IF YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO PRAY

• At the moment they ask - stop and immediately pray with them!  Don't care about where you are or what others may think. Simply ask your friend: "May I pray with you right now?"
• Send them a card soon so that they know you are serious about remembering their need before our gracious Father!
• Text or call them periodically so that they know that you haven't forgotten them and are still praying.
• Do whatever you have to do to remember to pray for this need! Notes on your mirror or dashboard. A reminder to pray on your phone. Be creative...
• Don't stop until you know your friend [or family member] has found a settled peace!

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Isn’t this the kind of friend or family member that you want to be?

Today is another blessing from God! Another opportunity to deepen your commitment to Him! A chance to renew your promise to read a little from the Bible every day. To spend a few quiet moments talking to Your Heavenly Father. Deepening the relationship that does more for you than any other!

If you’re not a person that others turn to for prayer – YOU CAN BE!

What are you going to do about it?

WHO DO I TURN TO FOR PRAYER?

It’s a good question. We all periodically go through challenging times when our patience is tested, our faith is questioned or life just throws us a bluster of pain or disappointments!

First  -  PRAY!

At times like this, we know that we need help and we would prefer Divine Help!

For the Jesus-follower, crises and complications should drive us to prayer.

Annie Johnson Flint gave us a wonderful hymn back in 1930, that states clearly the reason for followers to pursue God in prayer:

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
when our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
when we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Therefore, believers should pray when they face obstacles or opposition. Doing so helps us to clear our hearts of clutter and remind ourselves of the proper order of things. For us, turning to God for answers or help is not our LAST RESORT, but our FIRST!

But there’s more to it than just the motivation or ability to remember to pray.

Second  -  Pray in Agreement With Others!

We must fully realize something that frequently seems to slip the minds of believers. Jesus clearly taught us that there is added influence when we pray together! I’ve always referred to it as ‘agreement prayer’. We learn about this from the Master in Matthew 18:19-20.

Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them.  [NCV]

This is VITAL news for married couples! When it comes to the trials of raising a family and navigating the constant changes in our culture, we must capitalize on the benefits of praying together as a couple!  Twenty-eight years ago, when Debbie and I walked through our most desperate days, we learned to pray! We spent hours at the side of our bed or at the couch in our living room - on our knees before God!  Little did we know that it would be seven years before we would see the answer to our prayers, but we stayed faithful, and God honored our agreement prayers!

Therefore, praying with a few other believers strengthens our prayers! Somehow – mysteriously – it brings us into the very real presence of Christ! Jesus clearly recommends it to us as a more effective way of praying!

Third  -  There are Those Who Have Made a Deep Commitment to Prayer!

I can best introduce this idea to you through a story:

My first full-time appointment was to the Jeannette Free Methodist Church [actually relocated in Harrison City, PA]. The congregation was greatly reduced in size due to a split while building the new structure.

 

Immediately we met Goldie Nesbit. She was 78 years old and had been a faithful attender for many years. She was still an attractive woman who dressed immaculately and exuded a grace that drew you to her.

 

Debbie and I had a little 6-month year-old in our home [Travis] and we had no experience. Our parents each lived two hours away, and so Goldie became our ‘go-to’ person. When we called and told her that he had a fever, she told us to wrap him in a cool towel and kept calling to see how he was doing.

 

We turned to her repeatedly for advice and prayer. She was an old fashioned prayer warrior! She lived downtown with her cousin, Alice. I stopped one afternoon to visit them and Alice informed me that Goldie was in her prayer closet from Noon to 2:00 PM and that I should stop back later if I wanted to talk with her.

 

This was a first for me! Goldie had a more important appointment from noon to 2:00 PM. She was meeting with Jesus! She was interceding for family, friends and her community! No wonder she was so loved and respected!

All through the Old Testament the kings of Israel and Judah are sent to certain prophets to hear from God! These prophets were the spokesmen for the Almighty!

John the Baptist was a man who clearly enjoyed a close relationship with God through prayer. He had grown up with our Lord as a cousin and friend and together they integrated spiritual connection into their lives. John – like Jesus – lived an austere life, owning no home, and depending on God for all his needs. John – again like Jesus – drew disciples around himself to train for effective ministry! As a matter of fact, some of John’s disciples became Jesus’ disciples!  [Read John 1:35-51]

In Luke 2:25-35, we read of an elderly man – Simeon – who lived so close to God that he was told that he would not die until he had seen the Christ promised by the Lord.

The Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to do what the law said they must do, Simeon took the baby in his arms and thanked God. (v.26)

 After praying over Jesus, Simeon blessed Joseph and said to Mary:

God has chosen this child to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God that many people will not accept so that the thoughts of many will be made known. And the things that will happen will make your heart sad, too. (vs34-35)

 In the very next verses we find the following report:

There was a prophetess, Anna, from the family of Phanuel in the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. She had once been married for seven years. Then her husband died, and she was a widow for eighty-four years. Anna never left the Temple but worshiped God, going without food and praying day and night. Standing there at that time, she thanked God and spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for God to free Jerusalem.  (vs. 36-38)

Clearly, there are certain people who either have a special calling to prayer, or who are so in love with Jesus that they commit large portions of time to engaging with Him!  Some have referred to these individuals as saints or prayer warriors; whatever you call them, it is good to have them available!

I met one of these men while teaching in the People’s Republic of China!

The son of a Baptist minister, Samuel Lamb first began preaching in Eastern China at the age of 19. A little more than ten years later, Lamb was arrested under the Communist regime of Mao Tse-tung for “anti-revolutionary” activity before being sentenced in 1957 to 19 years of hard labor. Pastor Lamb spent the majority of his sentence working under extremely difficult conditions in a coal mine but continued to teach Christianity. Despite the death of his wife while in prison and harsh treatment by prison authorities, Pastor Lamb never lost faith and only a few years after his release restarted his house church in Guangzhou.

[https://persecution.org/2013/08/06/heroic-chinese-house-church-leader-samuel-lamb-dead-at-88/#content]

I was privileged to visit his church which was located on a back street and would never have been recognized as a church. It was a normal looking building with multiple floors and a small sanctuary on the top floor that opened to a rooftop garden area. The ‘pews’ were narrow benches set closely together. Possibly thirty Americans could be seated in this space, but the Chinese are far more comfortable with close contact. Every Sunday, this building would fill its multiple floors with Chinese Christians.

I had a friend at the time who had grown his church to nearly five thousand people. They had built a large mall-like structure surrounded by parking space and a rural setting that was simply beautiful. Samuel Lamb’s church packed the same number of people into this tiny structure five or more times every Sunday!

When we met him we were struck with his humility. He sent us away with gifts of books and pamphlets! He prayed over us after our half-hour conversation. His people were kind and gracious in the ways they treated us foreigners.

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I got some news yesterday that rattled me. I was tender and feeling very raw. I had already turned to God in prayer, but felt the need to have others praying with me. I’ve always told Debbie that if I’m in a situation where I need prayer – please find as many children as you can who will pray for me! I believe they have a simpler faith and I know they have access to God!

But my list of ‘prayer warriors’ has been shrinking!

o   My mom – who was the most committed person to prayer that I have ever known – was always my first ‘go-to’! But, to my dismay, she died in 1981.

o   My great-uncle, Rev. J. O. Archer, was my next ‘go-to’!  He told me repeatedly through the years that he prayed for me “every Sunday morning”! I believe he died during the 1980’s.

o   Of course, Debbie has been my faithful prayer partner through the years! She knows me best and is very familiar with my weaknesses, moods, and vulnerabilities. Most of the time, she’s already praying for me before I even ask! How can you express gratitude for that kind of gift?

o   My sister, Beverly, was a great deal like our mom! She was so committed to prayer and faithful in its practice in her daily life! After Debbie, for many years she was my first-and only other ‘go-to’ for prayer. But she died earlier this year!

o   I have one other. We became soul-friends with Randy and Jessica Facklar during our three years in China! Randy and I worked to encourage and support one another through those three years. He and Jessica are still there serving effectively for Christ! He and I texted this morning – though without spiritual references [you eventually get the hang of this]. I know that I’ll be lifted up daily by these precious friends in Christ!

Having people like I’ve been discussing as a part of your ‘contact list’ is of inestimable value!  There are those who have cultivated a connection with God that exceeds that of the average believer. Perhaps they have the gift of ‘faith’? They are always persistent! They have a deep relationship with God through His Holy Spirit!

Do you know someone like this? Do you call on them when you have a need?

Are YOU this kind of person? Do people trust you with their most personal requests and needs? Are you trustworthy?

I’ll close with a quote that hangs on my study carrel: