INTRO.
A.Every believer has encounters with “MAYHEM” … And we need protection!
(MUCH LIKE THOSE “Allstate Mayhem Commercials”.)
a).Man driving his car, BZZ-BZZ, “I’m a phone stuck down between your seat and console, playing a little hide & seek. The man is reaching under the seat trying to feel for his phone. “Cold, Warmer, warmer…(CRASH!!) “Get Allstate be better protected from Mayhem, like me”. Ha Ha!
b).“I’m a bear, coming out of hibernation after the best nap of my life. Papa is hungry. Sniffing through the window, ‘he smells food. He shakes the car, rips off the door, “While you’re hitting the trail, I’m hitting your cooler, “Cheddar…hotdog buns…”You’re cut-rate car insurance may not pay for all this, He knocks off the mirror while walking away and says-“Get Allstate be better protected from Mayhem, like me”. Ha Ha!
B. Mayhem, A gathering storm lurking around the corner in your life. — Life’s Battles!
• Without warning, a massive coalition of three hostile nations—Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir—swept toward Jerusalem, like Santa-Anna’s army sweeping toward Texas.— Judah was outmatched, out-manned, and out of options.
C.Jahaziel in v.20, said “Do not be afraid, the battle is not yours but God’s.
D.No matter what battle you’re facing “The Battle is the Lord’s” (Sermon 1 deals with ‘The Alarming Crises”… If we are going to deal with Life’s battles, there are Several Conditions we need to consider!
The First condition to consider Emphasizes—
I.THE ASSEMBLING OF THE ENEMY: (v.1)
A.Three historic adversaries combined forces against Judah.(v.1)
2.Chron.20:1-”After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle”
“Check out the phrase…”After this”…it comes right after Jehoshaphat brought order and peace to the land.
[Let me level an imperative Lesson here-”Doing the will of God doesn’t make you immune to adversity.
B.Most of the time we only have to deal with one enemy at a time,however at other times we are confronted with multiple enemies at one time.
ILL: (Sometimes the odds are against us.)
Adversity rarely strikes as single, small skirmishes; more frequently, difficulties surge together like an overwhelming tide. Often we are in situations where the odds are against us. But; this is the area God works… God specializes in those mounting odds against us. For instance-Gideon whittled an army of 32,000 down to 300—Elijah stood against 450 prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel.— And-(David faced off with a 9 ft. Giant with one kill shout; and then cut off his head).
C.”If God is for us, who—or what—could ever tip the scales against His Divine purpose?”
The Second condition to consider Emphasizes—
II.THE ALARM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: (v.2)
A.2 scouts reported “A Great multitude” at En-Gedi, Hazazon Tamar. 30 mi.from Jerusalem, Army was right on their doorstep.
B.This scene like Elisha at Dothan, surrounded by Syrian army.
The servant of Elisha when he saw they were surrounded said to Elisha, “What shall we do”? 2. Ki.6:16- He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”Elisha prayed, “Lord open his eyes that he may see”, “The mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha”.
ILL:During the Vietnam war, Lt.Col.Hal Moore in the Ia Drang valley with 450 troops.During the 3 day battle, they were being overrun by the enemy, one Company was completely cut off. He gave the order to his radio man “Give the code “Broken Arrow”. They were calling on every available military aircraft within range to provide immediate support to save the troops.
C. When Elisha said, “They that are with us are more than those that are with them”…this was his “Broken Arrow” code for The God of Heaven to provide all of His immediate support to save Israel.
[What is your CODE for calling on God for immediate support?]
Psalm 18:6
“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”
The Second condition to consider Emphasizes—
III. THE AWARENESS OF GOD: (1.Pet.3:12)
1.Pet.3:12-For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
A.If you are thinking that God isn’t aware of your present circumstances…then you need to listen to John Piper”.
John Piper:
“Not a hair falls from your head, not a sparrow falls to the ground, and not a single tear slips down your cheek without your Father knowing it, ordaining His grace for it, and weaving it into an eternal weight of glory.”
B.In 1.Pet.3:12-There are two distinctive Responses of Go when you are in the heat of a battle in your life.
[To illustrate these distinctive responses of God, let me give you two simple but dramatic analogies about two vessels navigating through rough, stormy, dangerous waters.]
ILL:The First analogy-One vessel a battered fishing boat trying to reach the harbor. The lighthouse watchman keeps his light directly on the deck tracking the vessel. There is communication from the vessel to the tower giving instructions to bring them safely in.1. Peter 3:12-(“His eyes are open, ears attentive”.)
ILL:The Second analogy-The other vessel is an armed pirate cutter maneuvering through the waters to take over the fishing vessel. “(The lighthouse doesn’t ignore it” The lighthouse watchman shines his bright high beam onto the ships bridge, blinding the helmsman. (Back to 1. Peter 3:12-“His face is against those who do evil”).
C.You know; when I am in the midst of a battle, I’d rather have God’s face of grace, mercy, and peace on me!… And not His face of judgment!
The Enemy is a pro at intimidation, he thrives on building a case against us.
[Since the beginning of time, we have had to deal with Satan, THE ACCUSER!]…Make no joke about it..He is relentless!
Check out-
Rev 12:10-“And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
LET ME POST THIS NOTICE-“The phrase-“BEFORE OUR GOD, DAY AND NIGHT”.
Àccording to Rev.12:10- His days are numbered!
[During the tribulation period, Satan knew he had only 1,260 days!]… A limited time!!
“Ín your battles today; God has limited the devil as to what he can do to you!”
CONCL:
A.So then, I will leave you with a probing question: “Are we truly terrified by the size of the army on the plain, or have we simply forgotten to lift our eyes to the hills surrounding them?”
B. Psa.121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
C. “When we lift our eyes to the towering hills and find them silent, why do our hearts ever doubt the Maker who formed those very mountains out of nothing?”
D.The battle that you are fighting right now..”Look unto the Hills”..”God is greater than your battle…it belongs to Him; so let Him do the fighting for you!
