1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:03,400 Welcome to the cross power church podcast. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,800 You're listening to a service from our church in Campbell, TX. 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,480 We pray this message strengthens your faith and points you to the 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,640 cross. Now let's join the service. 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,720 It's. Good to be in the House of the 6 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,440 Lord tonight. Going to be in Second Chronicles 7 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,920 chapter 20. Very familiar passages of 8 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,800 scripture in here preached out of it lots of times, different 9 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:32,560 times and different things. But it something I need tonight 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,320 because anybody ever been going through something? 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,480 And I was going through something one time and a boy 12 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:43,080 asked me. He said what do you do when you 13 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,400 don't know what to do? We were working. 14 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,360 I said it's a good sermon. What? 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,560 I was a young preacher at that time, but I've preached this 16 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,040 message several times in different directions. 17 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,400 But I asked you tonight, what do you do when you don't know what 18 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:58,680 to do? Pray. 19 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,160 Sometimes we have to take action. 20 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,760 It's it it's different meanings at different times of our life. 21 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,520 You know, I was as y'all know, we've been going through a trial 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,400 and I didn't share everything Sunday morning. 23 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,920 We need your prayers. Candy's cancer come back as 24 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,840 triple negative and I don't understand that stuff. 25 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,120 It's the worst kind. But when it's called early, it's 26 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,520 the it's it's very good success rate of treating it. 27 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,400 So they're choosing to do chemo and, and four rounds of it. 28 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,600 And, and, and I had another friend that that took some 29 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,760 Ivormac. He has esophageal cancer. 30 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:37,080 A good friend of mine, he's been taking six CCS of Ivormac after 31 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,920 the chemo and was doing very good and taking the other stuff, 32 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,480 the Finbenzanol and was doing very good. 33 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,880 And I just share this along, you know, in case you know anybody, 34 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,400 but but he made it. He's he's a year and then he had 35 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,200 some pain in his neck, went back and they found some metastatic 36 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:54,760 systolic or whatever. Now. 37 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,480 So you know, we, we can't say that the that that it works. 38 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,080 You know that that the Ivormec helps. 39 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,160 I don't know if it does, it's not curing it. 40 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,199 I can say that first ten people noticing it, but bottom line, we 41 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:09,360 got to trust God. Amen. 42 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,120 And it's like I told my wife, we've all got something. 43 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,200 We want to know that we're cancer free. 44 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:15,920 We want to know that we're sin free. 45 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:18,320 We want to know all that. But this side of heaven, there's 46 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:19,560 some things we're not going to know. 47 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,120 You know, somebody can be walking and, and after listening 48 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,840 to the doctors, I really thought they had a better grip on it 49 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,840 than they do. You know what I mean? 50 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,280 I yeah, you've been going through it and you there is no 51 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,440 and you know, sister Linda's son and Bob's son and that, you 52 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,200 know, they, they don't know. I mean, they really don't. 53 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:38,520 They have theories, they have things. 54 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,720 They're trying. Praise God, but God knows, Amen. 55 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,400 And our times are in his hands. They're appointed by that You'll 56 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,080 just pray we stay strong through it. 57 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,760 That, you know, if we, if the chemo route works, praise God, 58 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,760 it works, Amen. But I know God's working and I 59 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,640 know he's never failed this yet. So that's what I can say. 60 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:58,320 But we do need prayers. But I know many of you need 61 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,160 prayers in here and tonight too. But I'm going to share some 62 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:02,960 things going to continue along these lines. 63 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:04,640 Sunday. The people's not here. 64 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:06,800 I'll try to recap. I may not, they should be here. 65 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,920 Amen. But but I'm going to cover this. 66 00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:13,040 And you know, every preacher I've noticed over the years, 67 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:14,720 they get titles, they get series. 68 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,880 But you know, I've never, I've heard lots of preachers in my 69 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:18,960 time. You have too. 70 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,880 And this message has been preached a lot of different 71 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,120 ways. The four PS, the five PS, you 72 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,920 can go on and on, but I want you to write some of this stuff down 73 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:28,160 tonight. It will help you. 74 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:33,800 But there are essentials in our life that we must have to be 75 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:38,480 healthy spiritually, physically, financially. 76 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,520 And you know, in our minds, we think that if we can prosper in 77 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,120 those three areas, that everything in our life that we 78 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,240 would, that we would be happy because humans are in pursuit of 79 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,240 what happiness. But in this world, Jesus said 80 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,320 that we will have troubles, we will have trials, we will have 81 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:00,160 tribulations, we will have jobs that we don't want to go to many 82 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,640 times. But I've found if you could get 83 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,720 these four things, these 4 essentials, if you can get a 84 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:11,560 purpose, say that with me, a purpose in your spiritual life 85 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,720 or the, your, your earthly fleshly life. 86 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,560 If you can get purpose, a man, we're seeing that with James 87 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,600 Reed right now. He's been a hospital for five 88 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,640 months, you know, and you tend to lay there in the hospital, 89 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,960 you lose purpose, you lose focus. 90 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,080 And that's what Tony's been stressing to him. 91 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,240 And when I talk to him and there is a purpose and God has a plan, 92 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,400 a man. But if we could get these four 93 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:37,680 things and #1 is purpose in our life, if a Christian could know 94 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,920 that they had a purpose, they had something to strive for 95 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,680 other than just their self. So many Christians are still 96 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,880 looking at what self and they can't get self under control. 97 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,960 So it's hard to go to not just Christians, preachers, you know, 98 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,400 we tend to separate Christians and oh, they're not just a 99 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:58,440 Christian, they're a preacher, right? 100 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,360 But a lot of preachers can't get stuff under control. 101 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,680 But if we get a purpose, it becomes clear, hey man, if I get 102 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,960 a purpose of So I got to come over here and preach on Wizzy. 103 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,200 I've already preached those. But but there's a purpose, 104 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,120 right? We always have to have a purpose 105 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:16,040 #2 we have to have a plan. We have to have a plan to 106 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,600 achieve our purpose, right? But when we have a purpose and 107 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,080 we have a plan and it's based upon the Word of God and only 108 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:29,480 God that cannot fail, it gives us the other two things that we 109 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,040 long for, protection and provision. 110 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,960 If you could have a purpose in life, if you could have a plan 111 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,400 in life, if you could know you're protected in life and you 112 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,240 could know that someone or something was going to provide 113 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,360 for you, sounds like it'd be pretty good life, right? 114 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,240 But yeah, there's people that have those things, still aren't 115 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:49,920 happy. They have guards at their house. 116 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,640 They live behind a guarded gate. They have more money they could 117 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,280 ever spend, but yet they're still looking for a purpose, 118 00:05:56,280 --> 00:05:58,320 right? We can't leave one of them out. 119 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,040 So I want to read to you about a king. 120 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,280 He had a purpose in Second Chronicles chapter 20, and he 121 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:06,320 reigned. He was the 4th king to reign 122 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,840 over Judah. Remember, Israel was divided 123 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:12,000 into two kingdoms, the northern and the southern Kingdom, and he 124 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,640 reigned over Judah. It was King Jehoshaphat and 125 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,840 there was he was a king that did promote godly principles. 126 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:24,240 He did do some things for God. He did, he did try to keep some 127 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,400 things going that David had handed down to him. 128 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,040 He was the son of ASA or ASA and Jehoshaphat. 129 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,920 He feared the Lord, but it was going into particular battle 130 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,640 this day in verse 20 and someone come to him. 131 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,840 You ever been having a good day and everything be going good and 132 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,320 and someone comes to you. I call him news toter. 133 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,760 Sometimes it's not good news. It's just it's some bad news. 134 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,480 You know, we we used to have a say in my other ministry. 135 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:57,360 We'd say they're a news toter. Don't be don't be repeating what 136 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:58,720 they say because they're told news. 137 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,760 It could be fake news, it could be real news. 138 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,160 Anybody ever got those things for those pay ministry. 139 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,440 You'll learn those things. But I had another one. 140 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,200 The lady, that Lady told me one time it hurt her ministry, she 141 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,240 said, She said, we just say they got pretty white teeth. 142 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,920 Nobody knows what we're talking about except my circle as they 143 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:17,600 just they got pretty white teeth. 144 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,680 What's what's coming through the teeth, right? 145 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,520 But you know what I'm saying, a news told or someone that that's 146 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,240 bringing you something always got something to tell. 147 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:28,920 And it's not usually about the Kingdom. 148 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,560 It's not usually godly news. And and you know, it's easy to 149 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,560 chime in. Sometimes we just want to hear 150 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,160 it. Sometimes we seem we got to hear 151 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:37,840 it. But you're better to refrain 152 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,400 from it, right? But Jehoshaphat, it says they 153 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,960 came to him in verse 2. It says in in Second Chronicles 154 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,840 chapter 20 verse 2, it says then some came and told Jehoshaphat, 155 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:53,400 a great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, 156 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,480 from Syria, and they are in has moment tomorrow which is in 157 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,320 Indiga. However, you say that in verse 158 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:05,040 3, it says Jehoshaphat feared. The first thing he did here was 159 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,560 he feared, but immediately when he feared, he set himself to 160 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:14,040 seek the Lord and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judea. 161 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,480 So the first thing he did here when he feared he gave up 162 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,720 something, he said I'm going to give up something, I'm going to 163 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,600 fast before the Lord and I'm going to get a hold of God, 164 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,640 right? That's what the fast is about is 165 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:26,360 getting a hold of God and it's a job. 166 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,520 He feared the Lord and he proclaimed a fast throughout all 167 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,880 Judea. Verse 4 So you together, 168 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:37,120 together to ask help from the Lord, and from all the cities of 169 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,320 Judah they came to seek the Lord. 170 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,360 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem 171 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,520 in the House of the Lord before the new court. 172 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,480 And he said, Oh Lord our God, our fathers, are you not God in 173 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,920 heaven? He feared, he fasted, but he 174 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,920 realized I've got a purpose because I've got a God that's 175 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,960 working behind me. And he recognizes that right 176 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:00,360 here. The second thing he did, he 177 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,280 declared a fast. And then he says here that he, 178 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,800 he recognizes who God is. Sometimes when we're in the 179 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:12,000 midst of a trial and we hear bad news and it seems like all the 180 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,600 things are coming against us from the North SE or West, we 181 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,040 tend to forget who God is. And he says here, Oh Lord God, 182 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,720 our fathers are. And do you not, are you not God 183 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:25,680 in heaven? And do you not rule over the 184 00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:30,200 kingdoms of the nations? And in your hand is there not 185 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,200 power and might I love this question here. 186 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,080 Sometime we need to ask God that. 187 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,960 And and he's he's just reminding himself really here of who God 188 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:43,200 is and what God can do that no one is able to withstand you 189 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,800 isn't that powerful. No one can withstand your God. 190 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,800 Not a not a sickness, not no principality or anything in this 191 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,440 age or the age to come can withstand God when we have a 192 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,080 purpose in life and our purpose is to serve him. 193 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,040 Are you not our God who drove out the inhabitants? 194 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,320 He automatically goes back to and declares the things that God 195 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,520 had already done for him. You know, I pity for people 196 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,680 today that don't that don't have a purpose. 197 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:12,160 And you know, many Christians, I have to go way back and in my 198 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,160 life and many of you do too, to where we didn't have a purpose 199 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,280 where we didn't have a plan. You know, people, people they 200 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,160 come to church a lot of times and their biggest plan and 201 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,520 purpose itself. How many remember, Yeah, I was 202 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,680 always letting myself down. I was always but always doing 203 00:10:27,680 --> 00:10:29,960 things. And but when I put my purpose 204 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,640 and my plans on the things of God, the things that I had begin 205 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,880 to change, right? But it cannot happen when you 206 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:41,280 don't position yourself in that place and in the correct place 207 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,000 where where God wants me to be with. 208 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,880 We have to have this strategic purpose in this plan. 209 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,160 But he said, are you not God who drove out in verse 7, 210 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:54,160 inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and gave it 211 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,520 to the descendants of Abraham, your friend forever? 212 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,200 Remember that. I'm going to come back to that 213 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,400 in a minute. Your friend say that with me, 214 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,040 your friend forever. And they do what? 215 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,320 Why? Was it because he was in the 216 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:10,360 covenant, right with Abraham? So he was his friend forever. 217 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:15,960 And they dwell in it and have built you a sanctuary in it with 218 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,800 your name, saying, If disaster comes upon a sword, judgment, 219 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:24,320 pestilence or famine, we will stand before this temple and in 220 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:31,360 your presence for your name in this temple, and cry out to you 221 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,680 and our affliction. And you will hear and you will 222 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:37,120 save. So here in the 1st 10 verses 223 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,440 we've already seen that he declared a fast he he'd give up 224 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,640 some things he recognizes God's sovereignty that he's that he 225 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,040 can do anything his omnipotent presence. 226 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,520 He cries out and it was we read on. 227 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,960 It says in verse 10. It says here, here are the 228 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,880 people of Ayman and Mohab and Mount Siri, whom you would not 229 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:01,000 let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but 230 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,640 they turn from them and did not destroy them. 231 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,680 Here they're rewarding by coming to throw us out of your 232 00:12:08,680 --> 00:12:12,000 possession, which you have given us to inherit. 233 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:14,520 He says, oh our God, will you not judge them? 234 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:18,320 For we have no power against this great multitude. 235 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,680 Never felt like that. You're going through a trial. 236 00:12:20,680 --> 00:12:23,280 You feel like you have no power. You have no control. 237 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,040 You know, the first thing we try to do when we're going through a 238 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:29,360 trial or going through something hard is we try to gain control 239 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,320 of it. And we think if we can gain 240 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:35,640 control of it, that we somehow bring some self comfort. 241 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,680 But see, there's things that will come your way that you have 242 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:40,120 no control over. Amen. 243 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:45,800 Family, friends, things that happened to us in this life, 244 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,160 diseases. But it says we have no power 245 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,640 against this great multitude that is coming against us. 246 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,080 I I thought so hard about that this afternoon when I was 247 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,760 reading that, because, you know, the, the Bible says that in the, 248 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,680 as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of 249 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:05,200 the Son of Man. And also, you know, we, we're, 250 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,600 we're doing a lot of things now as a nation. 251 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,320 We're bombing other countries. We're doing all of these things. 252 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,280 And, and yet we just we, we, we do it. 253 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,200 And, and even our president sometimes, yeah, it's like it's 254 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,640 no big deal, but it is a big deal. 255 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,600 A man because there is a king of the North that is coming. 256 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,040 And he just as just as these were coming, there is a king 257 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:27,760 from the north that is going to come. 258 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,400 And and America is going to face confrontation in the near 259 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:32,840 future. I really believe. 260 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,120 Amen. And as I've said many times, 261 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,240 there's something that that always makes me wonder about 262 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,120 America and the things because all the people that are in 263 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,520 America, especially now, we think we're unstoppable. 264 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,280 But the Bible is clear that that a man will do what he will reap 265 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:54,320 what he's sown at a later date. You know, America is the is the 266 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,280 only nations that have sown nuclear bombs in here or she we 267 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,280 have sown 2 of them. We have sown 2 of them. 268 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,480 And thank God they're fighting to keep them out of here. 269 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,920 But it's just food for thought there because see, we there, 270 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,200 there's coming some things up on our country that we cannot 271 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,360 control and we're going to see them. 272 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:16,040 I believe it's the day is getting so near that and, and, 273 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:18,680 and it's even a worse place maybe than we were before 274 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:21,080 because we don't really think it can happen to us. 275 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,400 We don't really think that it's going to have. 276 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,920 We think that we're bigger and better. 277 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,440 And if that's true, why are we not mentioned in end time 278 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,880 prophecy? So we better be praying. 279 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,880 We better be praying for our leaders because there's some 280 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:35,680 things that are coming against us. 281 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:40,920 Nor do we know what to do. Preaching to you tonight about 282 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,360 what to do when you don't know what to do. 283 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:47,320 These are steps, he says. We do not know what to do, but I 284 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:49,440 like this. The last thing he does here is, 285 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,360 he says, But our eyes are up on you. 286 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:57,720 Our eyes are up on you, so we know where God is, but we can't 287 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,160 place our physical eyes upon God. 288 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,840 That's why we spend all the time around here preaching in the 289 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,080 spiritual right, because we have to see with our spiritual eyes. 290 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,720 Now all of Judea, all of Judah with their little ones, their 291 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,160 wives, and their children stood before the Lord. 292 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,320 Then the Spirit of the Lord in verse 14 came up on Jay Hassle, 293 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,480 the son of Zechariah, the son of Ben and I, and the son of jail, 294 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:25,240 and the son of Matthea the Levi, the sons of Aspen in the midst 295 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,640 of the assembly. And he said, listen, all of you 296 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,960 of Judea, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King 297 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,560 Jehoshaphat Thus says the Lord, do not be afraid nor dismayed 298 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:42,360 because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours. 299 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,400 What a thing for God to tell you, what a thing for us to 300 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,040 recognize. And he says tomorrow go down 301 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,280 against them, they will surely come up by the ascent of Zing, 302 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,280 and you will find them at the end of the brook before the 303 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,760 wilderness of Jerusalem or Gerald. 304 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,120 You will not need to fight in this battle preached on that 305 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:04,920 many times. You will not need to fight in 306 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:06,520 this battle. What would a battle be like if 307 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,960 we didn't fight in it? It'd be a good battle. 308 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:13,520 But see, why would he not have to fight? 309 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:16,600 Because he had already positioned himself. 310 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,280 He already had a strategic purpose. 311 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,800 He was where God wanted him. But many times we don't realize 312 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,680 where we're at spiritually and we don't position ourselves. 313 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,720 Going to follow up on some of this stuff Sunday of how to 314 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:34,920 position ourself. A position is a situation or set 315 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:41,560 of circumstances, especially one that affects one's power to act. 316 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,160 Did y'all get that? A situation or a set of 317 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:51,800 circumstances, especially one that affects one's power to act, 318 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,840 What makes it? What affects our power that we 319 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,400 always think we have to fight? What would it be like here? 320 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,880 See, the God told him, He said you will not need to fight in 321 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:01,560 this battle. Just position yourself. 322 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,680 If you're in the right position, you don't have to fight is what 323 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,280 he was saying right? But we're always in the fight 324 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,760 position, you know, spiritually, we're always going through a 325 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:14,440 battle because we haven't positioned ourselves before the 326 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,000 battle to where we didn't have to fight in it, right? 327 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,200 So we're always having to fight. What's the number one thing that 328 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:24,960 causes us to have to fight, makes our response time to a 329 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:26,640 battle or trial slower? What is it? 330 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,440 It's sin. Sin. 331 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,760 That's why we preach on it so much because sin makes your 332 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:36,400 response time slower when you're feeding your life spiritually, 333 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:42,040 sin will always make your response time slower because if 334 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,240 we don't have we have unrepented sin in our heart. 335 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,080 Condemnation comes in and then we don't even want to go to 336 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:48,320 church. We don't even want to hear the 337 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,160 word of God. We don't build our faith because 338 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,760 we we we think we sin in our eyes is on the sin. 339 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,560 So it's slower slows our response time. 340 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,720 See, a position is a state of being placed where we have an 341 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:04,960 advantage over the rival. You need an advantage over Satan 342 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,440 tonight if you're going to defeat him, because you're in a 343 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,240 competitive situation, whether you realize there or not. 344 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,360 A lot of people throw up their hands and just say, well, I've 345 00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:14,640 been saved, I've been baptized. It's God's battle. 346 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,040 But that sounds good. But if you hadn't positioned 347 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,840 yourself, the enemy's fixing to come in and he's fixing to 348 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,520 defeat you because he's your rival. 349 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,680 And the stakes are high because it's a soul that's going to live 350 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,440 somewhere for eternity. And Satan wants your soul a man. 351 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,680 He has a point that he thinks he can prove to God, and he's 352 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,560 trying to prove it. The stakes are high. 353 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,840 Wake up, look up because your redemption draws nigh. 354 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,840 But I challenge you, take these steps get you a purpose. 355 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,800 See, not everyone wants to hear the gospel, much less live it. 356 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,800 I begin to think of, you know, two people go to church on any 357 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,080 given Sunday. Two people turn on the radio any 358 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,840 given day and listen to a message and preaching something 359 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,800 about positioning yourself or preaching something about the 360 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:01,720 things we've overcome in this life. 361 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,960 Well, one person takes it as they got their checklist out 362 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:06,280 there. Like, man, I've done that I've 363 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:07,720 done that. This is a good thing. 364 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,120 I got all these things going to my spiritual life and they stick 365 00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:12,760 their chest out. I've been reading my I've been 366 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:17,360 doing everything the preacher said this morning, man, while 367 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,680 the other one is sitting over here ain't done none of it on 368 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,680 the same seat on the same royal pews a few pews down. 369 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,120 You're getting lifted up because you positioned yourself to 370 00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:31,640 receive the word of God and the Holy Spirit to minister to you 371 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,760 while the other one over here hasn't been positioned in their 372 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:37,040 self. So two people, you can preach 373 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,000 one message, one thinks it's really good. 374 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,880 The other one thinks is you. They just got beat over the head 375 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,840 with a 2 by 4, right? Why? 376 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,360 Anybody ever been there and don't want to go back because 377 00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:51,640 they took such a beating, but yet the other one took such a 378 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,000 blessing? What was the difference? 379 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,520 One had positioned herself, right? 380 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,120 You know, you can almost see it what people's going through 381 00:19:58,120 --> 00:19:59,960 sometimes. Couldn't you sister Linda 382 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:01,760 preaching the same? You see their fate. 383 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,240 Oh, I just hit them because they're doing that and they're 384 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,880 like, you know, and then the other bless God, that's under 385 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:08,000 the blood. Wow. 386 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,760 One has positioned herself, one has not. 387 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,120 Position yourself. Many people want to talk to you 388 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,800 about the Lord because they know you're a Christian. 389 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:22,480 I was hunting with a guy a few months ago and got a got AI had 390 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,640 talked to the same guy he was talking to just a few days 391 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:30,400 before and the the conversation was totally different. 392 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,000 He didn't know I was even there and I was hearing it. 393 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,320 You know, everybody likes to talk on speaker. 394 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,400 Beware the things you say, the things you do. 395 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,640 People will find out sooner or later. 396 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:49,320 But I was like, this is the same guy that just told me how he was 397 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,240 growing. This is the same guy that was 398 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,280 preaching to me and quoting me scripture 2 days ago. 399 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,400 Is that really human? I got all said who was you 400 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,040 talking to? And he tell us that's what I 401 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,600 thought. I just prayed for him, you know. 402 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,480 But see, we have to discern these things because I thank God 403 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,800 every day for my new song. How about you? 404 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:15,080 I thank God every day for my new tongue, for all the things that 405 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,840 God gave me when He saved me, Amen. 406 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,520 I don't hear these people talking about what they give up 407 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,600 when they got. I thank God for all the things 408 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:24,400 He gave me, Amen. He gave. 409 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,920 Somebody ought to praise the Lord in this house, Amen. 410 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,760 He give you a new song. He give you a New Hope. 411 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,600 He give you a future. He's worthy of our praise today. 412 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,320 See, after receiving the report, Jehoshaphat stood in the 413 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,840 assembly. He realized that he said we 414 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,760 don't know what to do. But when he did not know what to 415 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:46,680 do, he said our eyes remain on you. 416 00:21:47,360 --> 00:21:50,160 The battles, not mine. It's God's. 417 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,040 I find peace in that. Amen. 418 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,000 Because you're fighting a battle you can't win anyway. 419 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,840 Position yourself and you will find there's some battles that 420 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,680 you might not have to fight. The best way to fight battles 421 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,160 when you're going through trials, when you're going 422 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:12,520 through heartaches, go to John chapter 15 and verse 9. 423 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:20,920 We can't fight battles. If I came to you and I'm not 424 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,880 going to do it, so don't get nervous, But if I came to you 425 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:29,480 and said there's what is it in your life that I could just take 426 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:35,920 out tonight that I can just take out and give you back what 427 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:39,000 you're wanting in that area? Just take that piece that's got 428 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,520 you all disturbed and take it out. 429 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,440 You know, I, I would dare say if you went out on the street and 430 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,800 ventured out and begin to give people the microphone to 431 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,920 announce it, they it would probably be broke money because 432 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,000 people think it fixes things when we know it don't. 433 00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:00,080 But I think the second one, what do y'all think it would be? 434 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:02,720 In fact, you could go to people and say, I want this thing 435 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,000 that's causing you not to be able to live for God like you 436 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,680 need to. It just pulls you down every 437 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:08,680 day. What would it be? 438 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,120 I thank you. Boldness. 439 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:14,280 Yeah, that does a lot. Pride maybe. 440 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:18,640 But I really think, I think that people would have an 441 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:24,080 individual's name if I could get rid of this one person. 442 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,680 Because every time they're in my life, every time, maybe it's two 443 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,120 or for some people it's more than one. 444 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,440 For some people, it's everybody. And they hadn't figured out that 445 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:35,760 it's them, right? You ever know somebody? 446 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,680 It's everybody else. But everybody sees it. 447 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,080 But you, you have to look at your own self sometimes. 448 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,880 But I think sometimes it would be like that. 449 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,560 But when you're fighting a battle, it doesn't matter what 450 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:49,960 it is. And I'm just, I'm going to be 451 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,240 honest with you. And I, this is what I fear for 452 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,520 the United States of America because I fear our leader's a 453 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,120 smart man. I fear our leader does reach for 454 00:23:58,120 --> 00:24:00,680 God, but I fear our leader lacks love. 455 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:10,680 I fear our leader lacks love. And without love, we're nothing 456 00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:16,920 in John chapter 15 and verse 18. Let's go to verse 9, John 15, 457 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:21,600 verse 9. It says as the Father, love me. 458 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:26,040 Think about this. I also have loved you. 459 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,240 This is Jesus talking. You know, we think many times 460 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,640 the enemy comes in and tells us he don't love us because of what 461 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:33,560 we've done. That's not true. 462 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:39,480 He still loves us. Abide, man, I, I just got all 463 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,440 over me today when I read that. Abide and my love. 464 00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:46,200 See, His love is an endless love. 465 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,600 It's a bound, unboundless love and it reaches out and it 466 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,800 touches me. If you keep my commandments, you 467 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,080 will abide in my love. That's powerful, isn't it? 468 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:02,440 Just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His 469 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,320 love. Jesus needed love. 470 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:10,000 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in 471 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:11,200 you. See, if you don't have love, you 472 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:15,760 don't have joy, and that your joy may be full. 473 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,520 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved 474 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:22,640 you. That's that's powerful. 475 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,720 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down his own 476 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,400 life for his friends. Remember what we read a while 477 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:37,360 ago back there in Chronicles? You're my friends and said we 478 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:38,880 were. We have remained his friends 479 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,920 since the covenant with Abraham. You're my friends if you do 480 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,000 whatever I command you. No longer do I call you 481 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:49,680 servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing. 482 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,240 But I have called you friends for all things that I heard from 483 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:55,440 the Father I have made known to you. 484 00:25:56,120 --> 00:26:00,680 You did not choose me, but I chose you, and I appointed you 485 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:02,280 that you should go and bear fruit. 486 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:06,720 I like that that you should go and barefoot and that your fruit 487 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:11,400 should remain that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He 488 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:16,240 may give you these things. I have commanded you that you 489 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:20,880 love one another. See, there's a place that God's 490 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:24,000 trying to position us, and I've known some great teachers, some 491 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,440 great preachers, but I didn't feel love. 492 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:31,320 We can never get away from love, and love is one of the hardest 493 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,360 thing. Jesus said that that's one thing 494 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:36,000 we have to do is love our neighbor as ourself, right? 495 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,400 But there's a place that God's trying to position you in so you 496 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,640 can win your battle. How many believe that tonight? 497 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,400 It might be a trial. It might be hard pressed on 498 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,840 every side, but position yourself. 499 00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:50,240 And when you position yourself, you might get an answer like 500 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,800 Jehoshaphat did. You don't need to fight this 501 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,000 thing. Let me handle it. 502 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:00,080 Let's go to let's go back to Second Rock Chronicles verse 18 503 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:12,040 through 22. I'm going to read here and I'm 504 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,240 verse chapter 20, verse 18 we're let's just read on down. 505 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,800 I listed 17 that says you will not need to fight in this 506 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:22,280 battle. Say it with me. 507 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:27,920 Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the 508 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,840 Lord who is with you. I wonder how many Christians 509 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:33,880 think about positioning their self every day. 510 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:35,920 They just walk around like a blonde. 511 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,760 You know God's going to take care of. 512 00:27:40,360 --> 00:27:42,760 God's going to do it. Oh, God's going to do it. 513 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:45,120 I walk out in front of this truck. 514 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,840 God just going to stop it out here running 70 miles an hour. 515 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,960 No, God give you wisdom, right? God give you the power and might 516 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:56,680 to position yourself. He says, O Judah, O Jerusalem, 517 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,880 do not fear nor be dismayed, for tomorrow go out against them. 518 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,920 I like this right here. See, when you position yourself, 519 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,040 the Lord is with you, the Lord is with you. 520 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,720 Jehoshaphat bowed his head and his face to the ground, And all 521 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:13,760 Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, 522 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:17,360 worshipping the Lord, than the Levites and the children of the 523 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,400 Coathites, and the children of the Whoever stood up and praised 524 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,800 the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high. 525 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,200 They stood up and they begin to praise because they had 526 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,920 positioned herself. So they rose early in the 527 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,960 morning, and they went out into the wilderness of Tioka. 528 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,040 And as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and he said, 529 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:40,240 Hear me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the 530 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:43,360 Lord your God, and you shall be established. 531 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,400 Believe his prophets and you shall prosper. 532 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,920 That word still true today. I believe it. 533 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,760 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those 534 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,960 who should sing to the Lord. I like that he didn't appoint a 535 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,000 council that could come in and talk to everybody about the 536 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,480 problems. He said we've all got problems, 537 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,760 we've all failed, but today we're going to worship a man. 538 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,000 Today we're going to praise the Lord. 539 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:09,600 I talked to some people that was here Sunday morning. 540 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,480 They said, man, I haven't felt the Holy Spirit like that in a 541 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,400 long time. As I begin to walk to them 542 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,520 altars, I said, God, I want to feel your presence again. 543 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,720 And as I said, it doesn't matter how much you fall, you got to 544 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:24,120 keep getting back up. But he said he appointed those 545 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:25,800 that who should sing to the Lord. 546 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,240 You know, that's the greatest counseling session you could 547 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:29,880 ever have. This somebody who wants 548 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,680 counseling, just bring them on in the office, turn some praise 549 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:34,600 and worship. And I said, look to the God that 550 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:35,800 can fix it. Amen. 551 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,520 Because I can't fix it. He can. 552 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,640 He appointed those. I wonder if there was something 553 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,360 I Can't Sing. I'll do anything, but I Can't 554 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,120 Sing. And then there was some that 555 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,320 probably wanted to sing and couldn't sing at all. 556 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:54,840 You have both kinds, right? But it's not that we listen to. 557 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:56,720 It's about the praise. Amen. 558 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,400 It's about the praise. But it says that. 559 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,240 And it says that those who should sing to the Lord. 560 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:04,160 I like that. Should some shouldn't, I guess. 561 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:08,560 But he said He appointed those who should sing to the Lord and 562 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:12,120 who should praise look well, they look at look at the praise 563 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,840 they give here, the praise, the beauty of holiness. 564 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,560 It's a lot different than the praise we see today. 565 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:23,160 You know, some of these concerts that people spend enormous 566 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,680 amounts of money to go to and and these these people charge 567 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:33,600 minimums of millions of dollars to just to come and they serve 568 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:37,800 alcohol at a lot of them serve alcohol. 569 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,320 If I was going to preach somewhere like that, I would I 570 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:41,680 would ask him not to serve alcohol. 571 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,160 I wouldn't go right. But they're up there. 572 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:47,120 You can see them zoom in on some of them. 573 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:50,760 They're worshiping the Lord and drinking alcohol and just be in 574 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:52,560 the world. But it's today we're going to 575 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,320 worship God. I'm not sure that this right 576 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,240 here don't fit and who should praise? 577 00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:01,920 We all should praise, but there's a praise that he 578 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,800 receives is a praise that he rejects because what you're 579 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:08,920 praising is the beauty of holiness. 580 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:13,280 I like that, don't you? So if I'm not, I can praise. 581 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:16,240 But there's sometimes that when I begin to praise, His Holiness 582 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,440 has got to get on me. Right as they went out before 583 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:24,360 the armies and they were saying praise the Lord for his mercy. 584 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:29,160 Endure, say it with me forever. Now when they begin to sing and 585 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,000 praise, y'all ready for this is the best part. 586 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,120 When they begin to sing and praise say it with me. 587 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,400 When I begin to sing and praise, I Can't Sing well you better 588 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,680 learn, you better find somewhere that you can sing. 589 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:49,480 When they begin to sing and to praise the Lord boy like this 590 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,240 the Lord said an ambush. Tell the enemy my God's about to 591 00:31:54,240 --> 00:32:01,040 ambush you against the people of Amon and Mohab and Mount Seir, 592 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,760 who had come against Judah and they were defeated. 593 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:09,440 Your God set in an ambush. I told the devil that this 594 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,200 morning. So my God's about to set ambush 595 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,080 for you. Enough's enough for the people 596 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,840 of Amon and Mohab stood up against the habit, inhabitants 597 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:21,160 of Mount Siri to utterly kill and destroy them. 598 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,920 And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Syria, they 599 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:27,720 helped to destroy one another. Isn't that cool? 600 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:29,760 They didn't. God caused him to fight amongst 601 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:31,520 ourselves. And he said you ain't going to 602 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,400 have to fight because they're going to kill themselves. 603 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,480 That much like America. Hey man, we ain't nobody's going 604 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:38,200 to have to wipe us out if we keep going. 605 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:40,840 We're going to kill ourselves. Hey, man, we're going to break 606 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,760 out because we can't get along and acknowledge God. 607 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:46,720 That's the truth. You want to hear some more? 608 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:51,240 So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they 609 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:57,840 look toward the multitude, and there were their dead bodies 610 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:01,960 falling on the ground, and no one escaped. 611 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:04,920 When God sets an ambush is serious. 612 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,000 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, 613 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:13,400 they found among them in an abundance of valuables on the 614 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:17,480 dead bodies and precious jewelry which they stripped off for 615 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,240 themselves more than they could carry. 616 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:22,320 He said you don't got to fight this battle. 617 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,360 We're just going to bless you today because they had 618 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:30,280 positioned themselves and let's let's go down to verse 29. 619 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:33,520 You go home read the rest of it and it says in the fear of God 620 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:37,560 was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that 621 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,080 the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 622 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:45,240 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet for his God gave him 623 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:50,560 rest all around. Go home and read deny the rest 624 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:51,960 of that. I'm going to keep you read it, 625 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:56,760 but 31 to to the end there go read what happened to 626 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:59,000 Jehoshaphat. He wavered a little bit. 627 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:03,480 He joined in with a he joined in with another king and did some 628 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:07,360 things that that that he he didn't really have nothing to do 629 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,239 with it, but he kind of joined forces with it a little bit. 630 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:14,280 And God did not bless some things in his life after that. 631 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:19,719 He his and and he was unable to pass his faith on to his son 632 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:26,440 Jerome, because after him, he he killed his brothers and he 633 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:30,639 married a daughter of King Ahab. I don't know if it was because 634 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:33,199 he wavered a little bit there, but you read it in 35 635 00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:38,199 Jehoshaphat. He, he allied himself with 636 00:34:38,199 --> 00:34:42,520 Isaiah, the king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. 637 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,679 So he wavered a little bit. It's important to keep the plan 638 00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:49,840 of God, the purpose of God, the protection of God and the 639 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,440 provision of God in your life. There's key things that 640 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,639 Jehoshaphat did here to position himself. 641 00:34:56,639 --> 00:35:00,600 The number one thing he did, and I'm going to close, he took his 642 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:04,120 eyes off the battle. Whatever you're battling 643 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:06,880 tonight, maybe it's a habit, maybe it's something else, 644 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:11,360 Whatever it is, take your eyes off of it because there's a 645 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:13,120 great multitude that you can't see. 646 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:15,400 A host of heavenly angels that's there to help you. 647 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,680 Just as the enemy was coming for Jehoshaphat, he's coming for us. 648 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:24,200 He's not stopping. But he proclaimed to fast. 649 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,640 He spent more time with God number #2 and he asked for help 650 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,360 from the Lord. He stood with boldness and he 651 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:35,880 proclaimed who God was. He recognizes His sovereignty 652 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:40,640 and he recalls past victories. When we when we do these things, 653 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:44,960 it puts us in a position for victory. 654 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:50,000 Don't forget love. Just as Jesus said, we're 655 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:54,920 friends of His. As we close, I want to read this 656 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,760 very important passage of Scripture here in First 657 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:04,240 Corinthians 13. If you ever think you've 658 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:09,480 arrived, go read this. He talks about the greatest gift 659 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:11,760 here. And when you're positioning in 660 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:15,680 your battle, I said the number one thing you got to do is love, 661 00:36:15,720 --> 00:36:18,120 Amen. You got to love those that 662 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,560 persecute you because if you if you, if you start looking at 663 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:24,160 just those that persecute you, pretty soon love will leave you. 664 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,760 And the apostle Paul says here in First Corinthians 13, he 665 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:35,120 says, let's stand as we read this, though I speak with 666 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:39,800 tongues of men and angels, but I have not loved. 667 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,960 I have become a sounding brass or a clanging symbol. 668 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,080 People in the world need to know that we love them. 669 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,560 Amen. When you're going through a 670 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:52,320 battle, even if you're fighting against somebody, they got to 671 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:57,040 know that you love them. If you're discipline a child, 672 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,760 you got to discipline, but they got to know that you love them. 673 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:04,800 And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all 674 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:06,960 mysteries, that'd be a great thing, wouldn't it? 675 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:10,400 And all knowledge. And though I have all faith so 676 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:15,880 that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I'm nothing. 677 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,120 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I 678 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:24,200 give my body to be burned, well, it's pretty serious. 679 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:28,720 But have not love. It profits me nothing. 680 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:31,400 There's some people hard to love. 681 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:34,160 Anybody got them in your life? Seems like the more you love, 682 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:38,960 the more they take. But look what it does here. 683 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:47,040 Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. 684 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:53,040 Love does not parade itself. It's not puffed up. 685 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:57,400 It does not behave rudely. We need love, right? 686 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:01,880 It does not seek its own. It's not provoked. 687 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:08,640 Love's powerful. It thinks no evil, does not 688 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:13,480 rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth, bears all 689 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:17,600 things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures 690 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:21,200 all things. Love never fails. 691 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:25,120 How could something do this? Because it's the DNA of God. 692 00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:28,240 God is what? Love. 693 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,560 That's why you need love, you need God. 694 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:35,880 But where there are prophecies, they will what? 695 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:40,120 Where there are tongues, they will cease. 696 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,960 Where there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 697 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:46,600 Or you get so old you can't remember it right. 698 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:53,040 It vanishes. For we know in part, we prophecy 699 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:57,960 in part, but when that which is perfect has come, then that 700 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:00,240 which is in part will be done away with. 701 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:05,160 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, 702 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:08,440 I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put 703 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:10,640 away childish things. But I'm preaching to somebody 704 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:15,400 tonight. Be a man for now we see in a 705 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:19,600 mirror dimly, but then face to face. 706 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:23,080 Isn't that powerful? Now I know in part. 707 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:28,360 But then I shall know, just as I also am known. 708 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:34,080 Now abide faith. Now abide faith, hope, love. 709 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:40,000 These are the three. But the greatest thing I can do 710 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,880 is to love. I think we forget that 711 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:46,320 sometimes. Even in the battles when you're 712 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:50,440 going through the battles, even when somebody's made you mad, 713 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:54,880 you know, God's places verse on my heart for the last few years 714 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:58,080 and he says, Oh no man, nothing but to love him. 715 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,520 And then what would what would life be like if the old no man, 716 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:04,600 nothing but to love him? I'm headed there. 717 00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:06,960 Amen. By the grace of God, I'm headed 718 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:08,480 there. Father, we love you tonight. 719 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:13,080 Father, we all face battles. We all face trials in this life, 720 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:17,840 but help us to do his King Jehoshaphat did help us to 721 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:21,720 recognize who you are. Help us to keep our eyes upon 722 00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:25,640 you. Help us to know that you have a 723 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:29,040 plan, you have a purpose, and where your plan is and where 724 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,760 your purpose is, there is provision and there is say it 725 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:36,640 with me protection. And we thank you for that 726 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:39,440 tonight. But most of all, when we're in 727 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:44,440 the heat of the battle, help us to proclaim a fast, ask for help 728 00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:48,040 from the Lord and stand with boldness and proclaim who you 729 00:40:48,040 --> 00:40:51,720 are and recall past victories. But most of all, help us to 730 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:54,760 love. For without love we're nothing. 731 00:40:55,880 --> 00:41:01,080 Without love we're nothing. And we thank you that you are 732 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:05,160 love, and we thank you that love overcomes all things. 733 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:10,960 Father, give us love tonight. We'll have no worries, because 734 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,640 you are love. It's in your Son's name. 735 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:15,880 We ask and pray. Amen. 736 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:19,120 Thanks for listening to the Cross Power Church podcast. 737 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:23,080 May you know that true hope, peace, and salvation can only be 738 00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:26,480 found in Jesus. If you're near Campbell, TX, we 739 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:28,640 would love for you to join us in person. 740 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,200 You can find service times at crosspowerchurch.com.