Title: Overcoming obstacles
Contents
Title: Overcoming Obstacles Main Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
Among the names representing God, there is the name ‘Jehovah Nissi’. Literally, it means ‘I am your banner and I protect you from all obstacles in front of you.’ In particular, a very special case is recorded in this chapter. During the reign of King Jehoshaphat of southern Judah, the Moabites and the Abmonites formed a coalition with the Maonites to wage war against Israel. They formed an alliance to subdue Israel. Jehoshaphat was feeling a triple threat. But in the end, the war ended with the victory of King Jehoshaphat. He was able to overcome all the obstacles in front of him by choosing the right path, even though he was in danger. King Jehoshaphat's actions in the text are words of good instruction that serve as a principle for overcoming the obstacles we face in life. I hope this will be a time to receive grace by examining how King Jehoshaphat acted in the face of the obstacle of crisis.
1. I looked to God first.
2 Chronicles 20:1-3 When Jehoshaphat encountered the obstacles of this crisis, he looked to God first before taking any other action. When the crisis of war escalated and the enemies approached before them, other people would be too busy checking their weapons and checking their troops, but Jehoshaphat turned to the Lord. Raising your face towards the other person shows respect. However, the fact that Jehoshaphat turned his face toward the Lord indicates that he respected God and asked him for help out of trust. So are we. When faced with a problem obstacle, we must first look to God before taking any other action.
Everyone! Prayer should be the first option, not the last option. You must pray before doing anything else. In order to overcome obstacles, we must first look to God. And the first reaction of King Jehoshaphat when he encountered the war is that he was afraid. That's a common reaction. In reality, it is natural to be afraid. When we face any problem, fear and worry come to us as well. However, this is not a problem. This is usually an emotion we can have. But the problem is, I shouldn't let these fears dominate my life. I can be afraid, but I must not let fear rule my life.
2. To overcome obstacles, you must tell the truth to God.
2 Chronicles 20:5-6 It is an honest confession to God about the current situation. It doesn't matter if it's a big problem or a small problem. Give everything to God and tell him. Jehoshaphat is also standing with the people and praying in a loud voice. The content of that prayer first confesses who God is. Verse 6 confesses that God is greater than all the nations of the world. This is a confession of who I believe in God. And in verse 7 we are reminded of the power God has bestowed upon us in the past. Thinking that God gave this land and drove out the Gentiles, we are thankful for the grace we received once again. This means that you did it then and believe that you will do it now. And in verse 9, I asked God for help. As you did before, I ask you to remove this heavy obstacle for us now. asked for help.
3. To overcome obstacles, tell God exactly how you feel.
(2 Chronicles 20:12) We need to confess our own inability and inadequacy before God. And we need to be honest about our fears. In verse 12, King Jehoshaphat accurately expressed his feelings. We confess that we do not have the strength to stand against this great crowd that is coming against us, nor do we know what to do with it. It is a confession of one's weakness. It is a confession of realizing and confessing human limitations. When I realize and confess my limitations, God starts working for me from that point on. When you know and confess your incompetence, you become completely dependent on God. Even Jacob, who was so cunning, wise, and good at rolling his head, realized his incompetence when he heard that his older brother Esau was coming to him with an army. And he wrestled with the angel of the Lord at the Jabbok River, pleading for blessings and clinging to it. Then God helped Jacob.
4. To overcome obstacles, you must trust in God's help.
(2 Chron. 20:12) Here, it is important to note the phrase, ‘Only I look to you.’ We must look to God alone to help us. You must trust Him alone. We need to focus on God rather than focus on ourselves. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that when they encounter a problem, they only look at it when they see an obstacle. We should look to God, but when we see problems, we become discouraged and despair.