Fear Not

Peter Firth

Open air preaching • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Sin

Deliverance

Man asking about Salvation

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Fear Not, the Lord is With You

Text: You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you. nasb

The battle is the Lord’s

We need to seek God’s grace and mercy

The need of faith and obedience

Point 1. We must remember above all else that God is in control of everything (). There is nothing that happens that does not pass without God’s notice (). Sometimes it is not our place to fight what would seem a righteous battle before us. God in His mercy and omniscience knows what we’re capable of and our limitatations. He will not allow more to be put upon us than what we’re capable of ().

Jehoshaphat was a king of Judah who ruled for 25 years in what was considered one of the most prosperous times for the people of Judah. He supported the worship of God and teachings of the holy Scriptures. He did right in the sight of the Lord; banishing idolatry but failing, like his father king Asa, to remove the “high places” where idol worship was performed.

Jehoshaphat was a cautious man, always seeking the Lord before making major decisions. In first Kings we’re told how the king of the northern tribes of Israel, king Ahab, had asked Jehoshaphat to join him in battle against a place called Ramoth-gilead (). Ahab wanted Jehoshaphat to join him in the battle. He agreed but demanded that an inquiry of the Lord be made first. All the prophets of Ahab encouraged the king to go to battle saying, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” Jehoshaphat wasn’t fooled by their treachery. He asked isn’t there any other prophets to whom they could inquire? A man named Miciaiah was brought forth. Miciaiah, the son of Imlah, was a prophet of Samaria who was at odds with king Ahab, never prophesying good about Ahab.

Although Miciaiah prophesied about the destruction of Israel and the demise of Ahab they went up against Ramoth-gilead and were defeated. Ahab died, pierced through by a random arrow.

At another time and another place, according to our text, the Moabites, Ammonited and some of the Meunites made war against Jehoshaphat. The force bearing upon little Judah was overwhelmingly strong. Jehoshaphat was afraid and “set his face to seek the Lord.” He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. They all stood united. The king’s heartfelt prayer was heard by God. the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah and he spoke a word from the Lord, “Listen, all Judah and unhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.” (v15) Read verse 17.

They believed in the Lord, bowing down before Him and worshiping Him. The next day they went out and witnessed the destruction of their enemies and took great spoil from the enemy.

Point 2. We need to seek God’s grace and mercy. It was a very big threat that Judah was facing with that great horde and it was good that Jehoshpafat sought the Lord first sincerely. The truth is we all need to go to the Lord first no matter what we’re facing. The Lord will hear your cry from on heaven and will answer you. Do you think you’re too far removed from God that He cannot hear from you? Is your conscience so seared that you cannot even lift your face to the Lord? Perhaps you feel that the trial you’re facing is too big or hard or that you haven’t been faithful to the Lord so as to no expect to receive His grace. It is the very thing that you should do is come before the Lord with sincere repentance and He is faithful to forgive and provide for you.

Understand, God is not like some spiritual vending machine; drop in a few token coins and receive your blessing. It doesn’t work that way. It never has. God is always looking for a broken and contrite heart that is repenting out of a sincere desire to be in right relationship with God. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

[ ESV] All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Everything that exists came in to being by God’s hand. He is high and above everything. Yet He looks to the one who is humble and contrite in heart and who fears the Lord. Him will draw to dwell with Him in the high and holy place ().