Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

 

Over the past Sundays, we have dealt with what have been called times of crisis.

For many of us we have faced or are facing or will be facing a crisis in our life.

No matter who you are, no one is armored from crisis.

We must all face crises in our lives.

We answered two questions in this series.

“Where is God in the Time of Crisis?”

We discovered that in times of Crisis God is right there.

He is with us and dwells in us but when we walk in fear we cannot see His presence.

In times of crisis we must walk in faith and not in fear.

Secondly we discovered “The Nature and Character of God in Times of Crisis.”

There were three things we learned about God.

First He is a Fulfilling God, what ever we need God can provide.

He is the great I AM.

Secondly He is a Focus God not distracted by the issues of our lives.

Thirdly He is a Faithful God, whatever He has promise He will do.

When we understand the presence of God and the nature and character of God we do not have to fear in times of crisis.

Today we will look at another question.

*Subject*

*What Should I Do In Times of Crisis?*

* *

2 Chronicles 20:1-4

20 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be 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 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

KJV

 

In our scriptures today Jehoshaphat the king of Judah is facing a crisis.

News of a great army from beyond the sea was coming to battle against them.

King Jehoshaphat knew that they could not defeat them and the army was already at their front door.

He was in a crisis and was asking the question, “What should I do in this Time of Crisis?

What should we do in time of Crisis?

Note what King Jehoshaphat did:

 

2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and *set himself to seek the Lord,* and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

KJV

 

He did what we should all do seek the Lord.

But note He set himself and the people of Judah to seek the Lord.

He placed himself in a position to seek the Lord.

What did he do to set himself to seek the Lord?

First     He *Prayed and Fast*

 

We have missed out on the power of God because of our lack of prayer.

The power of God is released in our lives through prayer and fasting.

Recall the situation when a father brought his demon possess son to the disciples to be delivered.

They could not deliver his son, so when Jesus came, the father asked Jesus to cast out the demon.

When the disciples were alone with Jesus they asked the question.

Why could we not cast out the demon?

Matthew 17:20-21

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

KJV

 

They came together in the temple of the Lord to pray for deliverance.

Most of us want deliverance but we don’t want to pray.

Please note they came together to pray.

I know that you can go into your prayer closet to pray and King Jehoshaphat could have gone into this prayer closet but this was a crisis situation and they decided to have prayer service.

Note what the scripture says:

 

2 Chronicles 20:4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

KJV

 

St.

John when we recognize the power of God’s people coming together in prayer, we will be able to unlock the power of God that can change this church, this city and this world.

I believe that is what’s happening in the city of Lakeland as we speak.

The Power of God has been turn loss it that city, miracles are taking place, died are coming back to life, God power is moving in a mighty way.

King Jehoshaphat understood the importance of prayer and fasting in the time of Crisis so he called for a national day of prayer and fasting.

Note King Jehoshaphat’s prayer:

 

First     He Extolled God for His Sovereign Power

 

2 Chronicles 20:6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven?

and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?

and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

KJV

 

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves the Sovereign Power of God.

We need to remind ourselves that He rules both heaven and earth and there is nothing beyond His reach.

Secondly             He Recalled God’s Grace

 

2 Chronicles 20:7-8

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, KJV

 

He recalled the gift of the land and the temple than He:

 

Thirdly              He Remind God of His Promise

 

 

2 Chronicles 20:8-9

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

KJV

 

God had promised them that He would hear their prayer and heal their land.

It the same promise He makes to us today.

 

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

KJV

 

Fourth              He Referred to Their Need

 

 

He states their problem.

 

2 Chronicles 20:10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

 

He states their need:

 

2 Chronicles 20:11-12

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them?

for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

KJV

So many times in our prayer life we do not state our problem and our needs.

It’s not that God needs to know, we need to express it so that we can acknowledge our problem and our need.

So many times we live in a state of denial.

What did Jehoshaphat do in time of crisis?

He prayed and fasted.

Secondly            He listens to the Prophecy

 

When you pray God does not always speak directly to you.