1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,159 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you 3 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is about when we don't 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 2: know what to do. We'll return with the devotional after 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 2: a brief message from our sponsors. When we Don't know 6 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 2: what to do? Written and read by Hannah Benson, Second 7 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 2: Chronicles twenty twelve esb Oh, Our God, will you not 8 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this 9 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 2: great horde that is coming against us. We do not 10 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 2: know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 11 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: One afternoon, as I flipped open my Bible, my eyes 12 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 2: landed on Second Chronicles twenty twelve. As I reread the 13 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 2: entire chapter, I was struck by what I uncovered in 14 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:09,199 Speaker 2: that passage. Picture this The tribe of Judah receives warn 15 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 2: that three different armies Ammonites, Moabites, and those from Mount 16 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 2: Seer are plotting to attack them. When God's people first 17 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: entered the land, he had not allowed them to conquer Amin, 18 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: Moab or Mount Seer see Deuteronomy two. And now the 19 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 2: enemy was coming for God's people, not one or two, 20 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 2: but three powerful armies. King jehosephat the king reigning over Judah. 21 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: At the time was afraid. He was the leader, perhaps 22 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 2: he was even expected to have all the answers to 23 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 2: protect Judah from this threat. But you know what struck 24 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 2: me the most as we read the passage, we noticed 25 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: the scripture says, then Jehosaphat was afraid and set his 26 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: face to seek the Lord verse three. In addition, he 27 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah. In the midst 28 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: of fear, he turned to God and encouraged others to 29 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 2: do the same. As I read that, I was instantly convicted. 30 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 2: If a nation's king could lead with such humility and grace, 31 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 2: should not each of us respond the same? Yes, when 32 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 2: Jehosephats saw that these armies were coming, he was afraid. 33 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: How many of us can say the same? How many 34 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 2: of us see something, are afraid, but then set our 35 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: face to seek the Lord? How many times have I 36 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: done that? Not as much as I wish think about it. Usually, 37 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 2: so many of us are afraid and run to numb 38 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: that fear. We often numb fear, whether through distractions or 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: endless scrolling, instead of seeking God. It doesn't really matter 40 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: how we numb our fear. The fact is we all 41 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: have been tempted to turn to something other than God 42 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: when we are afraid. If we try to numb our 43 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: fear with anything other than God, we will come away disatisfied. 44 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 2: Only God can truly satisfy us and give us peace. 45 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: Turn to God. Not only did johosephats set his face 46 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: to seek the Lord and his fear, but he chose 47 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 2: honesty instead of what may and look good. He was 48 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 2: upfront and honest with all of Judah, sharing his prayer 49 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: to God. For we are powerless against this great hord 50 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: that is coming against us. We do not know what 51 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: to do, but our eyes are on you verse twelve. 52 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 2: He could have tried to appear strong like he had 53 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: all the answers, but he openly and freely admitted he didn't. 54 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 2: This was a fixed old that God could get them 55 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: out of. In essence, he was saying, God needs to 56 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: do this. God needs to work because I can't. And 57 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: then he sought the Lord in prayer and encouraged all 58 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 2: of Judah to seek the Lord with him. His dependence 59 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,119 Speaker 2: on God is what to find his leadership and set 60 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: an example for the people. In addition, I noticed that 61 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 2: Jehoseph that recognize God's sovereignty in the beginning of his prayer, 62 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 2: in verse six, he says, Oh, Lord, God of our fathers, 63 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: are you not God in heaven? You rule over all 64 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power 65 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 2: and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 66 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: He recognized that God was sovereign and the only one 67 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: who could save them. Second, he clung to God's promises, 68 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: recalling how the Lord had given them the land Verses 69 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 2: seven through nine, and trusting he could deliver them again. 70 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 2: But even though God already knows everything, the Lord loves 71 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 2: when we share our hearts with him. Finally, Jehoseph that 72 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 2: begged God to execute judgment on their enemies, For we 73 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 2: are powerless against this great hord that is coming against us. 74 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 2: We do not know what to do, but our eyes 75 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: are on you verse twelve. Guess what happens next. The 76 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: spirit of the Lord came upon a man named je Hazel, 77 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 2: and he said in verse fifteen, Thus says the Lord 78 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 2: to you, do not be afraid and do not be 79 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: dismayed at this great hoard. The battle is not yours 80 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: but God's. He goes on to give three specific instructions. 81 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: Stand firm, hold your position. See the salvation of the 82 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: Lord on your behalf. Sometimes the Lord allows us to 83 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 2: go through difficult trials and drives us to our knees 84 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: that we can recognize and realize that we are powerless 85 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 2: against whatever we are facing. Immediately after the Lord spoke 86 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 2: to Jehzel, Jehoseph bat his head with his space to 87 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 2: the ground and worshiped the Lord. It is so inspiring 88 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 2: to me that this is the first thing he did. 89 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 2: His act of surrender and glory to God led Judah 90 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: and Jerusalem to fall down on their faces worshiping the Lord. 91 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 2: But they didn't stop there. Intersecting faith in life, The 92 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 2: scriptures tell us that they rose early in the morning 93 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,919 Speaker 2: it went out. Not only that, but they sang to 94 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 2: the Lord and praised him as they went out to battle. 95 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: And when they had begun to sing and praise, the 96 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 2: Lord sent an ambush against the men of Ammon and 97 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 2: Moab and Mount Seer would come against Judah, so that 98 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 2: they were routed Verse twenty two. I'm sure they still 99 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: struggled with fear, But imagine if the men of Judah 100 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 2: had allowed their fear to stop them from following God. 101 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: Thank God they didn't. This passage reminds me that fear 102 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 2: may come, but faith fixes our eyes on God and 103 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 2: he fights for us. Pray with me, Dear Father, God, 104 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: please help me to walk in faith even when I'm afraid, 105 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 2: to always seek your face first instead of cating into 106 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 2: my fears. I trust you to work out everything for 107 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 2: my good and your glory, and to make me even 108 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: more like Jesus Romans eight twenty eight through thirty one 109 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: and Jesus' name Amen. 110 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 111 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,679 Speaker 1: Salem Media. 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