Acceptance of the prohpet and the message

Preached at Glen Aros Christian Fellowship on
Sunday 29th June 2008


Let’s look at 2 Chronicles 20:1-37

2Ch 20:1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.
2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar" (which is En Gedi).
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
6 and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?
7 "Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?
8 "And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,
9 'If disaster comes upon us-sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine-we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.'
10 "And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir-whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them-
11 "here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.
12 "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."
13 Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the LORD.
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came 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, in the midst of the assembly.
15 And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16 'Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 'You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.
19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.
20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever."
22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.
25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.
26 And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28 So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the LORD.
29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.
31 So Jehoshaphat was king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD.
33 Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.
35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly.
36 And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37 But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Here we have a great gathering and the king rises to speak and great is what he says

Look at Verse 5

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

• Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem
• In the house of the LORD
• Before the new court

King Jehoshaphat stands in the great assembly in the midst of the house of the LORD before the new court and he speaks.

In verse seven He declares

"Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

• Are You not our God
• Are you not the one who drove out the inhabitants of this land before us
• Are you not the one who gave this land to the descendant of Abraham
• Are you not the one who has Abraham as your friend forever?

In Verse eight the king declares

8 "And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,

• this day your people dwell in this land which has been given to them
• In this land your people have built a sanctuary in this land for your name.

In Verse nine the king continues to declare that God’s people have said

'If disaster comes upon us-sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine-we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.'

• If disaster comes upon us
• Sword
• Judgment
• Pestilence
• Famine
• We will stand before this temple
• We will stand in your presence
• (for your name is in this temple
• If we cry out to You in our affliction
• You will hear and save us

Wonderful! Sword judgment pestilence and famine are considered in Jehoshaphat’s day to be afflictions, which God can deal with if his people will stand before this temple and stand in his presence and cry out, He will hear and save them. Hallelujah!

You have to open your spiritual eyes when you read your Bible or you will miss the message.

Breathe on this great gathering of your people and let them see your face as they listen.

King Jehoshaphat declares in verse 10 and 11 the problem that has arisen for the people of his day

10 "And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir-whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them-
11 "here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.

• The people of Ammon
• The people of Moab
• The people of Mount Seir
• Here they are
• Coming to throw us out of Your possession
• Which you have given us to inherit


Notice in verse ten that the king not only states what the situation is, but declares that it is God’s fault that this is happening!

• You would not let Israel invade Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.
• When we came out of Egypt
• Your people turned from them and did not destroy them.

Yes the king is coming to the temple in the presence of God and in the presence of all the people.

Yes the king is crying out to The Lord.

But in his heart he is saying if your had let us deal with the Ammonites the Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir we would not find this people coming up and trying to throw us out of Your possession, and Your inheritance.

That’s right Jehoshaphat, blame God.

Look at verse twelve for here is the cry of the king’s heart to his God.

"O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."

• O our God will You not judge these people of Ammon,
• O our God will You not judge these people of Moab
• O our God will You not judge these people of Mount Seir
• We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us
• We do not know what to do
• But our eyes are on You.

No power against this multitude
Not knowing what to do
But our eyes are on you

What a great place the king and the people of God are in. they are what I would call God dependent!

If God does not move the king and his people are stuffed!

They will be thrown out of God’s possession and inheritance for them!

They are God dependant! Praise God for his people when only God can break through for them.

Look what happens next verse 14

Then the Spirit of the LORD came 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, in the midst of the assembly.

• The Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jahaziel
• The Spirit of the LORD speaks through him

You can read what he said and the wonder of the encouragement that comes from God’s spirit to the people later when you go home, but for now concentrate upon the wonder of what is happening.

Here is a king blaming God for his their predicament, declaring their lack of power and their lack of knowledge of what to do. Yet still looking and crying out to him, and keeping their eyes upon Him.

Hallelujah! For A people who will continue to cry out to God and keep their eyes on Him because of what the word states is true, that the promise of a Godly inheritance and possession will be there’s, because God will fulfil it for them!

A man speaks in the presence of the king and in the presence of all the people!

Why?

Because the Spirit of the LORD has come upon him!

I make no apology for encouraging you here in Glen Aros Christian fellowship in the presence of his people and in the presence of Jesus to speak out when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon you! Do it, speak out. Some times you will get it wrong, some times you will get it spot on, but do not wait until your are perfect until you bring forth the word, take the risk and speak it out. The king needed the word!

He had no power of his own to stop the multitude throwing out the people of their possession and inheritance.

The leadership at Glen Aros need to here the prophetic word come forth in the midst of the body!

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 14:26

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, and has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

• Whenever you come together
• Each of your has a psalm
• Each of you has a teaching
• Each of you has a revelation
• Each of you has an interpretation
• Let all things be done for edification

What every you bring forth is to be for the edification of the people. That means to build up.

The spirit of The Lord when he comes upon you will come upon you in order to build up those around you.

Let’s go back to our king, his people and the words being spoken through Jahaziel in 2 Chronicles 20:17

'You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."

• You will not need to fight in this battle
• Position yourselves
• Stand still
• And see the salvation of the lord
• Who is with you
• Do not fear
• Do not be dismayed
• Tomorrow go out against them
• For the LORD is with you

Hallelujah!

But look at verse 18

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.

• Jehoshaphat bowed his head
• With his face toward the ground
• All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
• Bowed before the LORD
• Worshiping the LORD

As we learn to bring forth the word of the Holy Spirit in Glen Aros, we will see much more of this great humility in this place.

People in authority will come into this place.

They will have no power against their enemies, they will not know what to do, they will be crying out to God, and God will speak through you in the midst of his people and in his very presence and they will humble themselves before almighty God, fall on their faces, and worship him.

Look what the king did in verse 20

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."

• The king and the people went out early in the morning
• Hear me
• O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem
• Believe in the LORD your God
• And you shall be established
• Believe in his prophets
• And you shall prosper

What can I say, this passage is full to overflowing for those who are God dependent, whose eyes are on him.

From prayer by the king

To prophecy from the Spirit of the LORD

To action and direction

The enemy was coming against them being established in the land

The enemy was coming against them prospering in the land

Look at verse 11

11 "here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.

• Here they are
• Rewarding us
• By coming to throw us out of Your possession
• Which You have given us to inherit

The king thought if the people of God had only been allowed to destroy ammonites, Moabites and the inhabitants of Mount Seir.

We can all say why did God not allow us to deal with our enemies, and give us victory sooner than now?

Theses enemies come and try to dispossess us now.

We must never blame God; He has the perfect plan, because He is the perfect one.

Who brought you here?

What are you doing here?

Why are you still here?

Job 2:8 says

Those who cling to worthless idols, forfeit the grace that could be theirs

You have to read the whole chapter

They did not fight the battle

They only collected the spoil

They did a lot of rejoicing

The fear of the LORD was upon all those around them

The realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for God gave him rest all around.

May Glen Aros Christian Fellowship be full of rejoicing, have rest all around, and collect the spoil of the battle they never fought.
For in the New Testament we too collect the spoil form the great battle accomplished on the Cross at Calvary.

You are Glen Aros, the spoil of a war you never fought; a war fought on your behalf with a love stronger than death its self.

What better reason for the whole house to be full of rejoicing.

Let’s look at Acts 9:26-31

Ac 9:26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.
29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.
30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.
31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Look at verse 31

Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

• The churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
• Had peace
• Were edified
• Walking in the fear of the LORD
• Walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit
• They were multiplied

You see it is the same today as it was in King Jehoshaphat’s day.

Because we serve an unchanging God.

Do you see that it is important that you accept the Brother who has a newer/fresher/different message than you!

Yes, you have to test the spirits to see if they be of God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1John 4:1)

But once the message has been tested you have the responsibility to love and accept the brother who is delivering it.

You test it not against your opinion but by the Word of God.

Look at verse 26
And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

• They were afraid of Paul
• They did not believe that Paul was a disciple

It was fear and unbelief that stopped them receiving Paul and his message.

It was not because they had checked it out in Bible, for them the O.T.

No, they were fearful of Paul and did not believe that he was a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Brothers, God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind so that you can make sound judgment according to the Scriptures.

If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no truth in them.

Brothers and sisters watch were your judgement is coming from.

Tradition?

Self?

The flesh?

The world?

Your favourite teaching?

Whatever

Jesus said that it is the words that he speaks that will judge you on that day.

So let the prophets speak forth one by one with newer/ fresher/different words and let the others judge with love and acceptance of the one bringing the message.

Look at Verse 31

Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

• Peace
• Edified
• Walking in the fear of the LORD
• Walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit
• The church was multiplied

Hallelujah! God bless you as you collect the spoil of a battle you never had to fight.
Just like Jehoshaphat and Paul and many like them.

That will do for now.