1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: I would like to share with you a verse of 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: scripture that I pray will go off like a bomb, 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: like the promise that it is when I read it. 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: A certain number of you. I don't know how many, 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: and I don't know where you are, but a certain 11 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: number of you are going to know that this one 12 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: is for you when I read the verse. And I'm 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 1: not saying this for everybody, but if it is for you, 14 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: and how you can know if it's for you, If 15 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: you're currently facing a battle that is bigger than you, 16 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: then this verse is for you today. And so when 17 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: I read this verse, it's not for everybody. It's for 18 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: those who are facing a battle that is bigger than you. 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: And the scripture is found in Second Chronicles, chapter twenty. 20 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: In just a moment, I'll read it. I want to 21 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: give everybody who wants to turn to it a chance 22 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: to do that you got it, Rachel. When Rachel's ready, 23 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: I'll read it, because she knows the Bible is so good, 24 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: so she hadn't found it by now. I know somebody 25 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: else is over in Galatians looking for Second Chronicles. You 26 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: got it twenty seventeen. Listen to this. You ready? I 27 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: don't think you are. This is the word of the Lord. 28 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: And really, I'm going to minister off of the song 29 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: that we just sang. We were singing I'm going to 30 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: see a victory, and we were singing Romans eight twenty eight, 31 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: Genesis fifty twenty, one of the major themes of scripture, 32 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: how God takes what the enemy meant for evil and 33 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: he flips the intention of the enemy. And actually, you 34 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: is it to produce a purpose through your life? And 35 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: I'm going to minister off of that today. That song 36 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: went so well with my sermon. It's almost like we 37 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: planned it. It's almost like I texted LJ Wednesday and 38 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: told him to do that song before I preached Second 39 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: Chronicles twenty verse seventeen. The word of the Lord. You 40 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: will not have to fight this battle six of y'all 41 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: all right, if you want that to be your word? 42 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: Shot When I read it. You will not have to 43 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: fight this battle. Come on, punch somebody, say not this one, 44 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: not this one. You will not have to fight this battle. 45 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: You will not have to fight this battle. Tell them 46 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: you will not have to You will not have to 47 00:02:54,160 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm and 48 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: see Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will 49 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 1: give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, 50 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: do not be discouraged. Don't believe that devil when he 51 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: tells you that there's nothing you can do about it. 52 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will 53 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 1: be with you. Let's give God a shout of praise 54 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: for his proper amen. You may be seated in the 55 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: presence of God. I should mention that yesterday marked seventeen 56 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: years since I made the best decision of my life 57 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: in Monks Corner, South Carolina, at the Old Santee Canal 58 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: State Park, where I send my vows to the Hollyanna 59 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: boyan out of my dreams. Sweating through my s and 60 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: K two sizes too big, standing out in one hundred 61 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: and four degree low country heat. Eric Phillips was a 62 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: groomsman sweating and six ministers stood on the rostrum to 63 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: share in seven different songs that we sang. It was 64 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: quite an occasion. We made a big deal about it 65 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: and everybody had to endure it. It was a big day. 66 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: I sang a song to Holly on my Taylor acoustic 67 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: guitar that I could barely afford that I had written 68 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: for the occasion, And I'm going to write her another song. 69 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 1: She doesn't know it yet, but I've already got the 70 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: chorus and I'm working on it before we get to 71 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: the twentieth anniversary, and I'm going to have it ready. 72 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: It's a good song. It's kind of got a Tom 73 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: Petty vibe with a little bit of Ed Sheeran, and 74 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: I'm praying that it'll help me to unlock the doors 75 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: of love that I need unlocked in moments of my 76 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: life where I want affection, attention and intimacy with my wife. 77 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: So y'all pray for me about that as well. Already 78 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: got the chorus praying about the verse. So now I 79 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: think I'm qualified to give marriage advice seventeen years something 80 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: to say, not ready to do the parenting book yet, 81 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: but the marriage thing. Really, I feel unqualified to give 82 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: marriage advice because I feel like our marriage is strong 83 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: mostly because of who I chose, And that's the honest truth. 84 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: I'm not pandering now, I'm telling you the truth. I 85 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: think that selection is so important. And I don't mean 86 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,359 Speaker 1: that God can't take a relationship that starts rocky and 87 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: turn it into something that is really, really beautiful. Of course, 88 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: he makes beauty out of ashes, that's what he does. 89 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: But I think I get sometimes credit for things about 90 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: our marriage that are really just a product of the 91 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: character of the person that I'm married. And one person 92 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: told me, who has a very psychologically based knowledge, that 93 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 1: the healthiest part of me chose Holly. And I didn't 94 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: even know what that meant when they said it, but 95 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: it sounded true. So I'm saying it to you. When 96 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:04,279 Speaker 1: I chose her, I chose a union with her strengths, 97 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: but I also chose to cover her weaknesses as her husband, 98 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: and then she chose to cover my weaknesses. And I 99 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: definitely got the good end of it. I promise you that. 100 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: But you know, the thing about marriage is sometimes it's 101 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: more helpful to look at an example than it is 102 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: to listen to advice. Even Jesus he loved the church 103 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: like he wants a husband to love their wife. So 104 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: it's more of an example than an explanation. And people 105 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: will give you marriage advice or life advice or parenting advice, 106 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: but they'll give it to you based on ideal situations. 107 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: And the problem with that is when someone is advising 108 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: you but they don't know the exact nature of your challenges. 109 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: They might give you a strategy that worked for them, 110 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: but it might not work for you. Because every relationship, 111 00:06:54,480 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: every challenge, every battle is not created equal. And I 112 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: remember asking so many different couples before our wedding what 113 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: advice they would give, and mostly you get the same 114 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: old cliches, the same old tired cliches about you know, 115 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: never go to bed angry, which I want to say, 116 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: is a horrible, horrible thing to try, because the best 117 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: thing to do sometimes is get some rest and come 118 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: at it fresh in the morning before you say something 119 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: you regret with your sleep deprived, delirious self, with your 120 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: filter off. And now you're tired saying stuff that you 121 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: would never say if it wasn't three am. So go 122 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: to your corner and come out tomorrow morning. See I'm 123 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: saying some of this advice that sounds good like, choose 124 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: your battles. That's one advice you always get. Choose your battles. 125 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: Don't fight over everything, which is great advice. You know, 126 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: you have to decide in any relationship. This is not 127 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: a marriage seminar, by the way, I'm just using it 128 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: for an opening illustration. But you have to decide, like 129 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: is this really worth waging a war over? Is it 130 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: really worth If Holly still, after seventeen years, doesn't know 131 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: how to correctly load the silverware in the dishwasher, and 132 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: she thinks it's still okay to put the part of 133 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: the fork that you put in your mouth facing up 134 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: so that your hand touches the part that's going in 135 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: your mouth when you get it out the next day, 136 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: If she really still thinks that makes sense after seventeen years, 137 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: is it really worth fighting about. No, I'm bigger than that. 138 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: I'm not a petty man. I let it go. So 139 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: they'll tell you choose your battles. Let your kids play 140 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: the music too loud every once in a while, don't 141 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: always choose your battles. Don't get tripped up over tiny things. 142 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: Choose your battles. The question I want to ask today, 143 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: and I guess you could use it as a title 144 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: for the message as well. From Second Chronicles twenty is 145 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 1: it's wise to choose your battles when you can. But 146 00:08:53,559 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: what do you do when your battle chooses you? You 147 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: do when something shows up on your doorstep and it's 148 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: not from Amazon Prime and you didn't order it. What 149 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: do you do when the devil drops something off for 150 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: you to deal with that you did not directly cause, 151 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: choose or definitely anticipate. Like Jehoshaphat in Second Chronicles twenty, 152 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: who is told one morning in verse one, might I 153 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: add in a time of spiritual renewal for Judah, the 154 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: southern kingdom of Israel, in a time of great momentum spiritually, 155 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: one day, just when everything's going good, you know how, 156 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: just when you get something figured out, and just when 157 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: you get in your groove, and just when you get 158 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: in your rhythm, and here comes some news. The Bible says, 159 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: after this first one, the Moabites and Ammonites and even 160 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: some of the men Unites came to make war on Jehashaphat. 161 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: And some men came and told Jehashaphat, I'm not telling them, 162 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: you tell I'm not telling them. You tell him? Well, 163 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 1: I'll tell him. Let's all tell them together. A vast 164 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: army is coming against you from Edom, from the other 165 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: side of the sea. This means they're sneaking up from behind. 166 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: They're going around the Dead Sea and then coming back 167 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: up to attack the people of God on a little 168 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: known route because they can't use the normal trade route, 169 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: and so they're sneaking up from behind, and they're twenty 170 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: five miles out. That means that Jehashaphat doesn't have time 171 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: to develop a strategy. He doesn't have time to build 172 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: the armed forces to mount a defense. He doesn't have 173 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: time to rethink the occasions that led up to this 174 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: event is coming, and it is coming now. Have you 175 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: ever got that phone call, that text message, that moment 176 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: in time where something is sneaking up on you and 177 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: it's only a day's march away. That means I have 178 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,040 Speaker 1: to deal with it tomorrow. I don't have time to 179 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: read a book. I don't have time to watch a 180 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: Ted talk. I don't have time to get my nutrition 181 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: in my sleep. This one caught me off guard. This 182 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: one slapped me up side the head. This one left 183 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,319 Speaker 1: my ear ringing. This one I can't even believe is happening. 184 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 1: This one, I'm not even really sure if it's real yet. 185 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: This one. I don't have time to call twelve people 186 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: about this one. I don't have time to get everybody's opinion. 187 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: This one, I don't have time to get everybody's advice. 188 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: So watch what Chahashaphat did. He said, I don't have 189 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 1: time for all that, so I gotta go to God. 190 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: There's something about a surprise attack that will drive you 191 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: into the presence of God. There's something about the one 192 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: you didn't see coming that'll make you run to the 193 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: place you should have run too. All along, I'm getting 194 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: ahead of myself. But it said that they were coming, 195 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: and they were already in ingetti, and so the response 196 00:11:54,600 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: of the king is urgent. It says that in verse 197 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: three he was alarmed, but yet he resolved. I really 198 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: liked that. I really liked that he had a determination 199 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:15,319 Speaker 1: to seek the Lord even in the face of an 200 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: unexpected attack. He had made up his mind who he 201 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: would go to before he even knew what would come 202 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: against him. And of course he didn't always respond this way. 203 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: Nobody does. Come on, nobody does. Oh man, this is 204 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: so difficult to get across the hypocritical Christians who always 205 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: want to act like they always sought the Lord and 206 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: prayed about everything, like you always prayed in tongues, like 207 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,439 Speaker 1: you always lifted your hands, like you always prostrated yourself 208 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: before the holiness of His Majesty, the Great Jehovah, who 209 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: fights your battles. No, Jehoshapad hooked up with Ahab and 210 00:12:55,679 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: almost got himself killed two chapters ago because it seemed 211 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: like the right strategy. Because when they wanted to attack 212 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: a strategic city, the wicked king Ahab, and you might 213 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: recognize his name from the prophetic account of Elijah. That's 214 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: the one Elijah went to and he was like, Hey, 215 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: it's not going to reign until I say so. The 216 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: heavens are going to be like a voice activated shower system, 217 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: and until I say so, it's not going to rain. 218 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: That was ahap He said that too, And so Jehashafat 219 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 1: got with that same king and went out to do 220 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: what seemed smart, and they almost got killed. In fact, 221 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 1: Ahab did get killed, and the prophet Makaiah tried to 222 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: tell him these false bail prophets, what they're telling you 223 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: is what you want to hear. But it's not what 224 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: you need to hear. If you go into that battle, 225 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 1: you're gonna get yourself hurt. And he did, and he 226 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: barely made it out because he fought the wrong battle. 227 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: Have you ever barely made it out because you fought 228 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 1: a battle that you weren't supposed to fight. One time, 229 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: my father in law were driving it was actually on 230 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: the day of my wedding seventeen years ago, and we 231 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: passed a couple who on the side of the road. 232 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: They were fighting physically, But the interesting thing about it 233 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: was the man was in a headlock and the woman 234 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: seemed to have the situation firmly in control. I didn't 235 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: see that till ill when I pulled the car over. 236 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: I was going to get out and help because I 237 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: thought that the man was beating up on the woman. 238 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: But when I saw that the woman was taking care 239 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: of the man, I figured, you know, just praise God 240 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: for his sovereignty, that he knows what's best, and apparently 241 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: this woman doesn't need my help. So I just drove off. 242 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: But my father in law said, why did you stop. 243 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: I said, I was going to get out and help. 244 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: He said, no, no, no, never get in a fight 245 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: between a man and his woman, because you'll step in 246 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: to help them. And then if you step into their 247 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: fight and it's not your fight, but you get in 248 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: the middle of it, they'll turn around and both start 249 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: fighting you. It's good life advice. Don't try to take 250 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: on a fight that's not your fight, because you might 251 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: find out when you take on a fight that's not 252 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: your fight, you might find out that the surest way 253 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: for you to get yourself in trouble is for you 254 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: to take on a battle that doesn't belong to you. 255 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: This is why Christians don't always need to share their 256 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: opinion on every subject that is presented as a cultural issue. 257 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: You've got to choose your battles and to know God. 258 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: This is what Jahasipha wanted to know. Is this my battle? 259 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: Is this my fight? Is this something that I need 260 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: to be involved in? Is this something that I'm called 261 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: to do? You'd be shocked how many people through the 262 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: years have tried to get me to be more political 263 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: from my pulpit. But that's not my fight. I vote, 264 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: I'm involved. I lead thousands of people to make a 265 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: difference in our community. I build something that represents and 266 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: reflects unity to a broken fragmented world, and we do 267 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: it together every six days and through the week. But 268 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: you've got to be very careful that you don't expend 269 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: all of your energy fighting battles that are not yours, 270 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: and then you don't have any energy left for the 271 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: battles that are yours. And now you've gotten so tired 272 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: leaving comments on Facebook posts with people that you don't 273 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: know in Idaho that you don't have any strength to 274 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: engage with the people who live in your own house. 275 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to run the White House. I'm trying 276 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: to run my house. And I got my hands full. 277 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 1: I got three people in my house who are dependents. Yeah, 278 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: I know, when you're wearing yourself out swinging that stuff 279 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: that's not even yours to fight. I'm bad about this though. 280 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: I sometimes it's as if I don't have enough drama 281 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: for my own self, so I start trying to control 282 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: other people. You know how you can tell if you're 283 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: fighting the wrong battles. If you are trying to control others, 284 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: you're fighting the wrong battle. You can't control others past 285 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: a certain point. You can only manipulate short term behavioral results, 286 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: but you can't change somebody's heart. That's why even the 287 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,479 Speaker 1: New Testament says, as much as it is possible with 288 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: you live at peace with all men. There comes a 289 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: point where the peace of another person is not your responsibility. 290 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: Your piece is your responsibility. And there comes a point 291 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: where you have to say, that's not my battle, that's 292 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: not my battle. I've done all I can do, but 293 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: that's not my battle. In fact, let me give you 294 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: a great little line to use the next time somebody 295 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: tries to draw you into some gossip or draw you 296 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: into some drama, okay, And they'll usually say, what do 297 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: you think about so and so? You heard about so 298 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: and so? What you think about People ask me this 299 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 1: off time about another ministry, what do you think about 300 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: so and so? And I learned this from an older minister. 301 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 1: They taught me what to say, what do you think about? 302 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: And here's what you say back, I don't. It'll work 303 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: for a variety of situations. It can work for a 304 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: situation that you're ignorant about and you only read headlines, 305 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: so you really don't have anything to say because we 306 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: can't trust the information that we're given. It can work 307 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: about Donald Trump, It can work about Kanye West. It 308 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,199 Speaker 1: can work about somebody else that drops their kid off 309 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: at school next to you, and they're having trouble in 310 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: their marriage. What do you think about so and so? 311 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: I don't. My heart is a full time drama factory. 312 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: I do not need to borrow drama from anybody else's 313 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: personal life. I got my own drama byod bring your 314 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: own drama. I got enough. You brought your own drama 315 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 1: to church without judging somebody else from what you think 316 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: about them from ten seconds of their life compared to 317 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: the entirety of it. I don't have time for it. 318 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: And Jehoshaphat didn't run around looking at what other people 319 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: were doing. He went to seek the Lord. He went 320 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: to inquire of the Lord. And this is not just 321 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: some glib prayer or this is not just getting some 322 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: feeling and going with it and calling it God. And 323 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: this isn't just slapping a scripture verse on something that 324 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: you wanted to do any so that you can blame 325 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,719 Speaker 1: it on God when it doesn't work out. This is 326 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: really seeking the Lord. In fact, the Bible says that 327 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: he was shaken, but he wasn't. He wasn't. Maybe I 328 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: should say it this way. He was shocked, but he 329 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: wasn't shook who didn't see this coming. Amm and Moab 330 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: and the Edomites. That's three of them. I could fight one, 331 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:32,719 Speaker 1: but there's three of them. It's bigger than me, and 332 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: it's coming up from behind me. You got something bigger 333 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: than you that came up from behind you. Jehoshaphat's prayer 334 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: is interesting because he's praying about Amm and Moab and 335 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: the Edomites from Mount Sierra. But we got three different enemies. 336 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:58,880 Speaker 1: We got the world, the flesh, and the devil. That's 337 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: from first John, that's your the world, the flesh and 338 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 1: the devil, that's the values that oppose your purpose. The world, 339 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,879 Speaker 1: the flesh that's the patterns that oppose your purpose. And 340 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,640 Speaker 1: the devil that is the principality that opposes your purpose. 341 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: And I could fight one, But how do I fight 342 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: the devil when I'm fighting my own flesh? How do 343 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: I fight the world when actually there's a part of 344 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: me that wants to do it like the world. I 345 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: could fight one, but I can't fight them all, and 346 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: they're bigger than me and it's coming up from behind. 347 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,360 Speaker 1: How do I raise kids in a culture where the 348 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 1: information of the history of the universe is in their pocket. 349 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: How do I have a sex talk with kids when 350 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 1: they don't have to go to a gas station to 351 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 1: see pornography, They can do it right beside their Bible lap. 352 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: The nature of the battle determines the nature of the strategy. 353 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: When you don't understand and the nature of the battle, 354 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: you will not understand the nuance of the strategy. So 355 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: you will fight the battle not understanding the dynamics of 356 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: the battle, and you will lose the battle because you 357 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: will wrestle on the wrong level. Can I preach you 358 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: a little bit today? It's for fifty people that you 359 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: are facing something that snuck up from behind. You didn't 360 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 1: see this coming, and it's bigger than you. I don't 361 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,399 Speaker 1: know which one to fight next. When you understand the 362 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:37,239 Speaker 1: nature of the battle, you can understand the nature of 363 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: the strategy. And that's why I got to ask God. 364 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: Jehasha Fat resolved to seek the lure. That means he 365 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: involved the priests, the levites, and they got together and 366 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: he got surrounded by the right people. He's not going 367 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: to Ahab this time. He's not asking all his friends 368 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: what they think about at this time. He's not looking 369 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: for celebrity culture to influence his decisions. This time he's 370 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 1: going to the right place, but he doesn't have a plan. 371 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: And I want you to see his prayer because it'll 372 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: help you. If you're facing a battle that is bigger 373 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: than you and it's snuck up from behind you. Every 374 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: day this week, I want you to open your Bible 375 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:23,479 Speaker 1: to Second Chronicles twenty verse three, and following read what 376 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: Jahasapad prayed, and then pray it. Because verse five says 377 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: out loud, I want you to pray this every day 378 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 1: this week. If you're fighting a battle that is bigger 379 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: than you and it's snuck up from behind you, get 380 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: in God's face this week for a few minutes every 381 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 1: day and pray this prayer. Because Jehasafad stood up verse 382 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: five in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the 383 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 1: Temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard. 384 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: This is Solomon's temple. This is the one they dedicated 385 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: to God. This is the one where God promised to 386 00:23:55,720 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 1: pour out his presence for any problem you face. He 387 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: starts reminding God of what God said, O, Lord, God 388 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: of our fathers, are you not the God who is 389 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: in heaven. I love this man because he has already 390 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: shifted his focus from what is coming against him to 391 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: the one who reigns above him. O, Lord, God of 392 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 1: our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? 393 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power 394 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 1: and might are in your hand, and no one can 395 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: withstand you, Oh our God, Did you not drive out 396 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 1: the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel? Remind 397 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: God of what he's already done when you're not sure 398 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: what he's doing right now. Not so he can remember, 399 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 1: but so you can. Come on, You need to remember. 400 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 1: This is not your first rodeo cowboy. This is not 401 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: the first time you cry. This is not the first 402 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,439 Speaker 1: time you were sort of breath. This is not the 403 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: first time you didn't see away clear. This is not 404 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 1: the first time you were hurt. This is not the 405 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 1: first time your heart was broken. This is not the 406 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: first time you didn't have enough money. This is not 407 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: the first diagnosis that came up from behind phyllis presence? 408 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: Did you not do it before your people Israel? And 409 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,879 Speaker 1: give it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend. 410 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 1: Watch this, He said you gave it forever. And since 411 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: you gave it forever, it can't stop now, since you 412 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 1: promised to fulfill your purpose. No enemy from Ammin, no 413 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: enemy from Moab, no enemy from Mount Sierra, no Eedom 414 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: I can take it away. And when he says it, 415 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: on one hand, he's praising God, but it almost sounds 416 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: like he's blaming God. Notice the tone it shifts in 417 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 1: verse eight. They have lived in it and have built 418 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, if calamity 419 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: comes upon us, whether the sore judgment or plague or famine, 420 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: we will stand in your presence before this temple that 421 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: bears your name, and will cry out to you in 422 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: our distress, and you will hear us and save us. 423 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 1: But now, God, Great God, respectfully, King Sir, the Righteous One. 424 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:23,680 Speaker 1: But now here are men from Ammin, Moab and Mount 425 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:28,879 Speaker 1: Seer whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade 426 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 1: when they came from Egypt. Oh Jehasha Fah said, this 427 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:38,920 Speaker 1: is not my fault. Now, last time when I hooked 428 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: up with Ahab, that's on me. But this one, somebody 429 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 1: shot this one. This one, we're doing the best we can. 430 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 1: This one we're praying in the temple. This one we 431 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: were acting according to the wisdom that we had for 432 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 1: the situation we were in. This one. Nobody really knew 433 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 1: how to do it this one, and we couldn't have 434 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: prevented by obedience. This one is different. This one is different. 435 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: And you're going through something right now that's a little different. Sure, 436 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: you've got sin and you've got things you need to 437 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 1: repent of, and I do too. And if you dare 438 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 1: look at me with an angelic face when I say that, 439 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 1: I promise I will prophesy and God will show me 440 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: something about your life that you do not want on 441 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: these imax screens. I'll do it. But this one, this battle, 442 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 1: this coalition is three enemies. They joined up to fight me. 443 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: And the whole reason they're even here is because when 444 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: Moses led the people out of Egypt, you told him 445 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: that he couldn't drive them out because they were the 446 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: relatives of Esau. That's who the Edomites were. They were 447 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 1: the descendants of Esau. And Esau was the son of Isaac. 448 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 1: He wasn't his favorite son, but he was still his son. 449 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: He gave away his birthright, but he was still son. 450 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: And Isaac was the son of Abraham, and Abraham was 451 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: God's friend, and so God did not let the Israelites 452 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,640 Speaker 1: drive out somebody that belonged to his friend. When you've 453 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 1: got a friend who knows how to fight, it will 454 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,680 Speaker 1: make you confident. When you've got a friend who knows 455 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,199 Speaker 1: how to fight. I remember this kid we used to 456 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: pick on in fourth grade called Eric Pye, but then 457 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: Eric Pye made friends with Harry Walker. Eric Pye couldn't fight, 458 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: but Harry Walker could. Harry Walker was seventeen with chest 459 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 1: hair in the fourth grade. Harry Walker had a prison 460 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: record in the fourth grade. Harry Walker said, you pick 461 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: on him, you pick on me. Now look at somebody confident, 462 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: say you fight me. You gotta fight my friend. This 463 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: is a pold message. This is to know. It might 464 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: be bigger than me, but it's not bigger than God. 465 00:28:55,280 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: I'm a calm down. I'm a calm down. You wouldn't 466 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: let us drive them out. We would have done it, 467 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: but you wouldn't let us. This is not our fault. Well, 468 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: you have to do when you fight a battle that's 469 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: not your fault. Sometimes you fight against things that are 470 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: in your genetics, but you still got to figure out 471 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: what to do about that battle. And when it's that deep, 472 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: it's that strong. Sometimes you fight against things that other 473 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: people did, and if you go into shame and you're like, well, 474 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: I take responsibility for my part, that's good. But it's 475 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: tricky because before long, shame will drive you out of 476 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,479 Speaker 1: the presence of God, which is what you need when 477 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: you're in a situation, even if you created it. So 478 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,719 Speaker 1: it's tricky because you can find yourself in a battle 479 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: and you can say, well, I can't expect God's help 480 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 1: in this situation because it was created by my hand. 481 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 1: But Jehoshaphat is transcending all of that with his prayer, 482 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: and he says, Oh, Lord, our God, we belong to you. 483 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: We are your possession. And when we came into this 484 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: land so many years ago, you would not let us 485 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: drive out these enemies. And they're bigger than us, and 486 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: they came up from behind us, and we're not to 487 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 1: blame for this battle. And yet here it is so 488 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: so now verse eleven, Oh Lord our God, see how 489 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: they are repaying us by coming to drive us out 490 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. Now 491 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:51,959 Speaker 1: let me put this in here. I'm just going with 492 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: the spirit today. I haven't opened my nose. I mean 493 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: I got in my heart. I'ming. I'm preaching spirit to 494 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 1: spirit today for whoever needs to receive it. And God 495 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: gave me this word before I gave you this word 496 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: for the battles that I face that are bigger than me. 497 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: And he said, see how they are repaying us by 498 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 1: coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us. Now, 499 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: if it's God who gave it, then it's God's to 500 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: protect it. That's about possession. It's not about how much 501 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: power you have. It's about possession. And if you are 502 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: God's possession and you are stewarding something that he gave 503 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: you to possess, then it's not a matter of how 504 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: much power you have that determines what happens next in 505 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: this battle. When it's God's possession, it's God's problem. I 506 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: don't want to cry telling you this if it hits 507 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: your heart that if it's God's possession, is God's problem. 508 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: And then you realize that you are his treasure, you 509 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: are his possession, You are his daughter, you are his son. 510 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: You are his friend, and your friend knows how to fight. 511 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: It gives you the confidence, Oh, our God, will you 512 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: not judge them? For we verse twelve. Have no power 513 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: to face this vast army that is attacking us. It's 514 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 1: bigger than us. It came up from behind us. We 515 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: can't do it. We do not know what to do. 516 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 1: If you're there right now, raise your right hand. I 517 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: do not know what to do. I don't know how 518 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: to fight. I don't know how to fix it. I 519 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: can't control what comes against me. But our eyes are 520 00:32:56,240 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: upon you, and God says, if you will change the focus, 521 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: he will win the fight. If you will change the 522 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: focus and stop looking at how big it is, but 523 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: start praising him for how great he is. Help is 524 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 1: on the way. Thirteen. All the men of Judah, with 525 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,479 Speaker 1: their wives and children and little ones, stood there before 526 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 1: the Lord. Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jehazeel, 527 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: son of Zachariah, the son of Benaniah, the son of 528 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 1: j Eo, the son of matt and Aiah, a Levite 529 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: and the descendant of Asath as he stood in the assembly. 530 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: Why did you read all those names, pastor Steven? Why 531 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: didn't you skip over that that's not important to the story. 532 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: It absolutely is because every name that was represented represented 533 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: a generation that God was faithful in, and it meant 534 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: that every single time that God got ready to pass 535 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:56,560 Speaker 1: his purpose to another generation, he didn't drop it, and 536 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: he won't drop it now, and it won't stop with you. 537 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: And you won't lose the battle unless you lose your focus. 538 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: It's not about your power, it's about your position. Can 539 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:24,799 Speaker 1: I show you you got like ten more minutes. I'm 540 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: so thankful that that prophet stood up and said what 541 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 1: he said, because you know, everybody was starting to get 542 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: ready to fight, and you know if they had fought, 543 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: they would have lost. Isn't that the craziest thing is ironic? 544 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: If they had fought, they would have lost. When you 545 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: don't understand the nature of the battle that you're in, 546 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: you use the wrong strategy and some of us are 547 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 1: losing because we are fighting on the wrong level. To 548 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 1: unpack it, I could use Ephesian six twelve. We wrestle 549 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: not against flesh and blood, but that's what we fight 550 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 1: against flesh and blood. We fight every battle physically, We 551 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 1: fight people. We even fight people that are trying to 552 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:17,319 Speaker 1: help us. Because we're insecure. We fight. We fight the 553 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:21,360 Speaker 1: battle to protect our ego and to protect our pride, 554 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 1: and then we lose the battle in our spirit, because 555 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:27,319 Speaker 1: we were more concerned about protecting our pride than we 556 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:29,759 Speaker 1: were about receiving God's power and his help and his 557 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: provision in our lives. I was talking to somebody this 558 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 1: week and they were saying all kinds of crazy stuff 559 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: to me, and the Lord said, not this one. Don't 560 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: fight this one. Learn the twenty percent that he say 561 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: in this true. Keep your mouth shut, save your energy 562 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: for the real battle. Sometimes I see a comment on 563 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 1: Instagram about my preaching or shoes or something like that, 564 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:06,720 Speaker 1: and the Lord says, not this one, not this one, 565 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,759 Speaker 1: because if you convince a fool, all you got for 566 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: a friend is a fool. Not this one. Somebody say, 567 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: not this one. Mm hmm. I watched the movie about 568 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 1: Jackie Robinson forty two, and there was a scene in 569 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 1: the movie where the owner was telling him Gonna, We're 570 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 1: gonna put you in the system and hopefully get you 571 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: to Brooklyn to play professional baseball. But there's one problem. 572 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 1: What are you gonna do when they're screaming racist threats 573 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:39,200 Speaker 1: in your face? What are you gonna do when they 574 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 1: attack you at every stop? What are you gonna do 575 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 1: when they push you to the breaking point? And he 576 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: jumped up in the depiction in the movie. I don't 577 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 1: know if this happened in real life, but I like 578 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: to think it did. And he said, what do you 579 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 1: want a player who doesn't have the guts to fight? 580 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 1: And he looked back at him and said, no, I 581 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:56,720 Speaker 1: want to I want a player who has the guts 582 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:02,400 Speaker 1: not to fight back. And here's the message. Sometimes it 583 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 1: takes more faith not to fight back. Sometimes it takes 584 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:11,680 Speaker 1: more faith to just let God be God and be 585 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 1: great in your situation, because if you manipulate it, you're 586 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 1: gonna mess it up. If you start plucking tears, you're 587 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: gonna pull up wheak. Sometimes it takes more faith to 588 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 1: let God sort it out. And the prophet said, you 589 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,240 Speaker 1: have to understand the nature of the battle to understand 590 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: the strategy. This is why we don't fight much in 591 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:37,839 Speaker 1: our marriage after seventeen years. It's not because we don't disagree, 592 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:41,319 Speaker 1: but we understand it's not me against her, it's me 593 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: and her against it. If we thought it was me 594 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,760 Speaker 1: against her, we would fight each other. But we gotta 595 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 1: line up on the same side of this problem or 596 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 1: we're gonna lose this battle. And one time when we 597 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:59,000 Speaker 1: were first maybe a year and a half married. There 598 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:01,880 Speaker 1: came across our desk a bill for three thousand dollars, 599 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:05,080 Speaker 1: and I didn't have three thousand dollars, not just laying around, 600 00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:09,520 Speaker 1: I didn't have it. So I did what I do 601 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 1: when I'm afraid. I got angry. Did you hear me? 602 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:17,880 Speaker 1: When I'm afraid, I get angry because the anger is 603 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:21,080 Speaker 1: a camouflage for the fear, which makes me feel vulnerable. 604 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:26,240 Speaker 1: So I gotta get angry because that makes me look strong, 605 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,640 Speaker 1: because on the inside I feel weak. And I was 606 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: yelling at Holly about the bill and it was only 607 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:41,720 Speaker 1: seventy percent her fault, and in the middle of yelling, 608 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,080 Speaker 1: I saw her countenance change. And I'm not saying this 609 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 1: excuses me yelling I should have been more grown up. 610 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 1: But she realized in that moment, he's not fighting me. 611 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: He's not mad at me. He's scared about this, and 612 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,120 Speaker 1: if I can help him fight his fear, we can 613 00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:03,160 Speaker 1: fix this thing together. But if you wrestle at the 614 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:09,319 Speaker 1: wrong level, you'll wear yourself out fighting it where it 615 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:12,359 Speaker 1: shows up. But where it shows up is not where 616 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:15,359 Speaker 1: it started. So if you got somebody and they have 617 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 1: an addiction, you can't counsel them to win against addiction 618 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:22,319 Speaker 1: with willpower. It's not a matter of willpower, it's a 619 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:29,760 Speaker 1: matter of worship. Something in their life has started meeting 620 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:33,440 Speaker 1: the needs that only God alone can meet. And if 621 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 1: you don't show them that God can meet those same 622 00:39:36,239 --> 00:39:39,640 Speaker 1: needs that alcohol can, that God can meet those same 623 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 1: needs that pornography can, that God can meet those same 624 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 1: needs as overspending overeating can. If you don't fix the 625 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:53,279 Speaker 1: worship problem, you can't win it with willpower. Am I 626 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 1: right about it? So you gotta fight with a focus. 627 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:05,799 Speaker 1: People say, focus, focus, fight with a focus. And the 628 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 1: prophet said, this is not even about you. So don't 629 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:18,840 Speaker 1: be afraid. If it's too big for you, don't be afraid. 630 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:21,120 Speaker 1: This is what the Lord says to you. You got 631 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:25,520 Speaker 1: it on the screen verse fifteen. Don't be afraid, don't 632 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:30,120 Speaker 1: be discouraged, don't back down, don't get in your own 633 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:31,359 Speaker 1: head and try to figure it out. You can't figure 634 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 1: this one out. And if you fight it, if you 635 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 1: fight it, you're gonna lose it. If you try to 636 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:42,799 Speaker 1: meet the righteous requirements of the law in your own 637 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,919 Speaker 1: strength and don't let the power of Christ flow through 638 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:48,479 Speaker 1: you and the Holy Spirit direct you, you are going 639 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:51,839 Speaker 1: to keep losing the battles because you are wrestling on 640 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:54,440 Speaker 1: the level of what you can see. But it is 641 00:40:54,520 --> 00:41:01,520 Speaker 1: not against flesh and blood. It's spiritual. He said, don't 642 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:04,040 Speaker 1: be afraid for this vast army. Vast army is the 643 00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: phrases they use when they were just saying it's too 644 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 1: big for you. I know it's too big for you, 645 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 1: but the battle is not yours, it's God's. When I 646 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:26,359 Speaker 1: say this, I want you to receive it like if 647 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:31,480 Speaker 1: it was just for you. If it's too big, it 648 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:41,080 Speaker 1: doesn't belong to you. If it's too big, you got 649 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:44,920 Speaker 1: to give it back to God. And we say the 650 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:48,200 Speaker 1: battle is the lord's, but we stress like it's ours. 651 00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:52,720 Speaker 1: We say the battle is the lords, but we worry 652 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,360 Speaker 1: like it's ours. Now we've wasted all of our strength 653 00:41:56,440 --> 00:42:02,839 Speaker 1: worrying when we could have been worshiping. The battle is 654 00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:08,000 Speaker 1: not yours. Give it back. Quit doing God's job for him. 655 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:17,800 Speaker 1: God wants his battle back. God wants his battle back. 656 00:42:18,360 --> 00:42:22,040 Speaker 1: Is too big for you. It came up from behind you. 657 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:25,319 Speaker 1: You can't do it. Give it back. You can't fight it. 658 00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:28,880 Speaker 1: Give it back, you can't figure it out. Give it back. 659 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:31,879 Speaker 1: How do you give it back. That's a focus, that's 660 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:35,920 Speaker 1: looking beyond what's coming against you and looking toward what 661 00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:39,759 Speaker 1: is within you, to know that greater is he that 662 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:43,040 Speaker 1: is in me than he that is in the world. 663 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 1: And God wants his battle back. The battle is not yours, 664 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:58,560 Speaker 1: but God's. And tomorrow I want you to march down 665 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:05,360 Speaker 1: against them. I want you to march down against an 666 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 1: enemy that you're not even gonna have to fight. I 667 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:15,560 Speaker 1: want you to get in position, not so that you 668 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:20,759 Speaker 1: can fight, not so that you can struggle, but so 669 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:25,959 Speaker 1: that you can see the deliverance that the Lord will 670 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:30,520 Speaker 1: bring about to Israel. This day, God is fighting for tudor. 671 00:43:30,880 --> 00:43:34,719 Speaker 1: God is fighting for worshipers. God is fighting for praisers. 672 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:39,680 Speaker 1: God is fighting for his people. God is fighting for you. 673 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:46,400 Speaker 1: You're his friend. You get his help, you get his strength, 674 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,640 Speaker 1: you get his miracles, you get his wisdom, you get 675 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:59,040 Speaker 1: his provision, you get his angels. If you worship, you 676 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:02,719 Speaker 1: age the world. Where is too big for me? What 677 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:06,200 Speaker 1: do you do when the battle chooses you? You worship 678 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:11,239 Speaker 1: your way through it. Now that sounds good, but it 679 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:18,520 Speaker 1: feels stupid. Because here they come Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites. They 680 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 1: were all big in their own right, and they're all 681 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:25,040 Speaker 1: fighting together, and so how are you gonna fight them? 682 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:27,160 Speaker 1: What are we gonna do, Jehasha bad, what we're gonna 683 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:28,959 Speaker 1: do about this situation? What are you gonna do about 684 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:34,360 Speaker 1: the prophet said you verse seventeen, will not have to 685 00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:40,080 Speaker 1: fight this battle, but you're gonna experience the victory, not 686 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:52,080 Speaker 1: by fighting, but by focusing. If they would have fought, 687 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:56,719 Speaker 1: they would have lost. But because they focused on the 688 00:44:56,719 --> 00:44:59,560 Speaker 1: goodness of God, you know what they did. I love 689 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:05,960 Speaker 1: this script sure. I think this scripture is a beautiful 690 00:45:05,960 --> 00:45:09,359 Speaker 1: illustration and picture of the weapons of our warfare that 691 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,840 Speaker 1: pulled down strongholds in our life. It says that Jehasha 692 00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:16,120 Speaker 1: fat verse eighteen bowed with his face to the ground, 693 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 1: and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down 694 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:26,400 Speaker 1: in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites, that's the priests, 695 00:45:26,440 --> 00:45:30,840 Speaker 1: some levites, the one who administered the levitical law, the 696 00:45:30,880 --> 00:45:35,000 Speaker 1: priestly law, from the Coethites and Coralites stood up and 697 00:45:35,280 --> 00:45:38,399 Speaker 1: praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very 698 00:45:38,480 --> 00:46:05,759 Speaker 1: loud voice. Why why Because early in the morning they 699 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:09,440 Speaker 1: left for the desert of Tacoa, And as they set out, 700 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:13,960 Speaker 1: Jehosha Faz stood and said, listen to me Judah. Judah 701 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:19,560 Speaker 1: means praise, and people of Jerusalem have faith in the Lord, 702 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:23,520 Speaker 1: your God, and you will be upheld. Is fight or flight? 703 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:28,480 Speaker 1: Time is fight or flight. But when you can't win 704 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:30,839 Speaker 1: the fight and you can't run from it, watch this. 705 00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:33,759 Speaker 1: This is amazing. They didn't have to fight it, but 706 00:46:33,880 --> 00:46:39,920 Speaker 1: they did have to face it. And God wants to 707 00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:44,200 Speaker 1: give you the faith to face it and to trust 708 00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:46,719 Speaker 1: him to fight it. Do you have the faith not 709 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:50,040 Speaker 1: to fight it in your flesh, but to deal with 710 00:46:50,080 --> 00:46:55,720 Speaker 1: it in your spirit? Jesus told Peter, puts your sword away. 711 00:46:56,239 --> 00:46:59,880 Speaker 1: Sometimes it takes more faith not to fight. Sometimes it 712 00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 1: it takes more faith just to go to the cross 713 00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:05,359 Speaker 1: and get over your pride and get over yourself and 714 00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:11,920 Speaker 1: let him fight your battles. But what they did next 715 00:47:13,480 --> 00:47:18,799 Speaker 1: is remarkable, especially considering the enemies. We're standing right in 716 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:24,359 Speaker 1: their face. The scripture says, after consulting the people, Johasapad 717 00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:30,480 Speaker 1: appointed men to sing to the Lord. Singing is a 718 00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:35,319 Speaker 1: strange strategy to fight three nations all at once. But 719 00:47:35,440 --> 00:47:39,520 Speaker 1: sometimes the battle is so big that you know, I 720 00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:44,759 Speaker 1: can't fight this on my own. I always thought that 721 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:48,000 Speaker 1: this scripture meant that when you're in trouble, you should sing. 722 00:47:48,840 --> 00:47:52,359 Speaker 1: But some people can't carry a tune and they don't 723 00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:57,840 Speaker 1: like music. Now I realize that the passage isn't about music. 724 00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:06,400 Speaker 1: It's about focus. And I want you to look past 725 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 1: your enemy and I want you to sing. It says 726 00:48:09,680 --> 00:48:12,560 Speaker 1: that jehas fate appointed men to sing to the Lord 727 00:48:12,600 --> 00:48:14,960 Speaker 1: and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness. 728 00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:21,280 Speaker 1: Let's focus on him. Let's focus on what's right about 729 00:48:21,320 --> 00:48:25,480 Speaker 1: God rather than what's wrong with our life. And if 730 00:48:25,480 --> 00:48:29,160 Speaker 1: you will focus on that, if you will focus on that, 731 00:48:29,239 --> 00:48:31,440 Speaker 1: if you will look past what's standing in front of 732 00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:34,359 Speaker 1: you that's bigger than you, and look to the God 733 00:48:34,360 --> 00:48:37,960 Speaker 1: who is bigger than it, and praise him for the 734 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:41,200 Speaker 1: splendor of his holiness. As they went out at the 735 00:48:41,239 --> 00:48:43,880 Speaker 1: head of the army, saying, give thanks to the Lord 736 00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:48,320 Speaker 1: for his love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord. 737 00:48:48,960 --> 00:48:53,799 Speaker 1: I wonder, are there any praisers from the tribal Judah 738 00:48:53,840 --> 00:48:58,880 Speaker 1: who are willing to use gratitude as a strategy for 739 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:03,360 Speaker 1: the battle that I'm in and magnify the Lord In 740 00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:10,640 Speaker 1: the middle of the battle, And as they began to 741 00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:16,000 Speaker 1: sing in praise, the Lord said ambushes against their enemies, 742 00:49:16,719 --> 00:49:20,360 Speaker 1: and they were defeated by the angel armies of God. 743 00:49:20,840 --> 00:49:24,120 Speaker 1: God is gonna fight what you can see by sending 744 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:28,120 Speaker 1: what you can't see. I declare an ambush against insecurity, 745 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:32,520 Speaker 1: and ambush against the diction, and ambush against depression, and 746 00:49:32,640 --> 00:49:42,759 Speaker 1: ambush against the darkness in your life. And watch this, 747 00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:45,920 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna pray for you. The men of Emmine 748 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:47,839 Speaker 1: and Moab rose up against the men of Mount Sir. 749 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:55,040 Speaker 1: That's the enemies, to destroy and annihilate them. The enemy 750 00:49:55,840 --> 00:50:01,719 Speaker 1: started eliminating the enemy. That's what happens when you let 751 00:50:01,880 --> 00:50:09,839 Speaker 1: God fight your battles. He's gonna use everything then came 752 00:50:09,880 --> 00:50:15,399 Speaker 1: against ste He's gonna use everything that the enemy meant 753 00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:19,360 Speaker 1: for evil. He's gonna use a cross to create a 754 00:50:19,440 --> 00:50:25,479 Speaker 1: space for resurrection for the glory of the Lord. He's 755 00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:31,239 Speaker 1: in this place. Give him a sound pray. Thank you 756 00:50:31,280 --> 00:50:33,759 Speaker 1: for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who 757 00:50:33,840 --> 00:50:36,840 Speaker 1: give generously to this ministry. Is because of you that 758 00:50:36,920 --> 00:50:39,800 Speaker 1: this ministry is possible. You can click the link in 759 00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:43,640 Speaker 1: the description to give now or visit Elevation Church dot 760 00:50:43,719 --> 00:50:47,040 Speaker 1: org slash podcast for more information and if you enjoyed 761 00:50:47,040 --> 00:50:50,120 Speaker 1: the podcast. You can subscribe. You can share it with 762 00:50:50,160 --> 00:50:52,400 Speaker 1: your friends. You can click the share button, take a 763 00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:54,959 Speaker 1: screenshot and share it on your social stories and tag 764 00:50:55,080 --> 00:50:58,000 Speaker 1: us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.