THE PROCEDURE FOR
 CONQUERING THE CRISIS
(2 Chronicles 20:1-30)

I. THE PROBLEM (2 CHRONICLES 20:1-2).

King Jehoshaphat and the kingdom of Judah were about to be invaded by their enemies, and thus they faced a national crisis. This crisis was unique to Jehoshaphat and to the people of his day. Yet, the way in which he handled the crisis suggests to us certain principles which if properly applied can be used in conquering the crises and solving the problems we face in our daily walk with the Lord.

II. THE PROCEDURE (2 CHRONICLES 20:3-22).

Note: In verse 1 we are told that the invasion took place "after this," referring to the previous chapter. In chapter 19 King Jehoshaphat was strongly rebuked by the prophet Jehu because of his compromising alliance with wicked King Ahab. This rebuke proved effective as Jehoshaphat brought the people back to the Lord (v.4). He also encouraged judges and priests to serve faithfully "in the fear of the LORD" (verses 6,7,9,11). Thus the king was seeking the LORD before the crisis ever came. Often we do not seek the Lord until the crisis or problem comes. We turn to God when we are in trouble and cry out to Him then. Jehoshaphat turned to God before the trouble came and when it did come, he was prepared.

1. SEEK THE LORD FOR HELP (3-4). God has the solution to our problem whatever it might be. CHRIST is greater than any CRISIS. Therefore, before we do anything else, we must turn to Him.
    
2. RECOGNIZE WHO GOD IS (6).
   1. He is the Sovereign Lord.
   2. He is the Supreme Ruler.
   3. He is the Almighty God.
       
3. REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THE PAST (7). The God who drove out the Canaanites is certainly able to keep out the Moabites, etc. The God who gave them the land can certainly help them to keep the land. Likewise, the God who saved you from eternal condemnation is certainly able to deliver you from lesser problems that you might face! If He took care of your eternal needs, He can very easily take care of your temporal, day by day needs. He has already solved your greatest problem (the salvation of your soul), and He can certainly solve your lesser problems.
    
4. REMEMBER GOD'S PROMISE (8-9). God promised that if His people should cry out to Him in their time of great distress, He would most certainly HEAR and HELP (the word "help" means God will save and deliver them from the crisis). God will do the same today!
    
5. GIVE THE PROBLEM TO GOD (10-11). Compare Philippians 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:7.
    
6. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR INABILITY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH--
   "we have no might" (12). Compare 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
    
7. CONFESS YOUR LACK OF WISDOM-- "we don't know what to do" (12). Compare James 1:2-7.
    
8. MAKE SURE YOUR EYES ARE FIXED UPON THE LORD AND NOT UPON THE PROBLEM-- "our eyes are upon Thee" (12). When our eyes are fixed upon the Lord, the problem becomes very insignificant. The danger comes when we become so engrossed with the problem that we forget the Lord and we forget His promises. This is illustrated in Matthew 14:25-33. See also Psalm 25:15 (eyes on the Lord, not on the net!).
    
9. BY FAITH, CLAIM THE PROMISE THAT THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S (15-17). The battle belongs to God and not to us. God's responsibility is to solve the problem. Our responsibility is simply to trust Him. God never asked us to solve the problem in our own strength or in our own wisdom. God has the solution and there is no problem too big for God.
    
10. HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD (18). Recognize your weakness and claim God's strength (2 Cor. 12:9-10; Eph. 6:10; 2 Tim. 2:1). Acknowledge your insufficiency and realize the sufficiency of God (2 Cor. 12:9; John 15:5; Philippians 4:13). Bow down before God in humble adoration and worship.
     
11. PRAISE THE LORD WITH GENUINE ENTHUSIASM (19). Tell God how great He is (Psalm 34:1-3).
     
12. BRAVELY FACE THE CRISIS (20). They rose up early in the morning and went out according to God's command (compare verses 16-17). The believer need not run away from the crisis. With full confidence in the LORD the believer can meet the problem head on. Daniel did not run from the lions. Instead he faced them and God took care of them. The world does everything possible to avoid and escape their problems. The believer who has God as his Helper (Hebrews 13:5-6) can enter the heat of the battlefield with full assurance of faith (compare Romans 8:31).
    
    Note: Even though the "battle is the LORD's" we are not to be completely passive as God solves the problem. There are some things that we are able to do and that God expects us to do. David was able to fling the stone from his sling and he did so. It was up to God to guide the stone and enable it to strike a fatal blow. In Acts 12:1-9 Peter had a problem. He was in jail. Peter could not break his chains. This was the Lord's responsibility. He was, however, expected to put on his sandals and to get dressed. God solved the problem, but Peter did what he was able to do. See our paper, "SEEING THE BALANCE--the Believer's Working and God's Working."
     
13. TRUST IN THE LORD AND IN HIS WORD (20). Faith is taking God at His Word. Faith is believing that God is able to keep His promises. "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established." In other words, if you put yourself in His hands, He will hold you up! If you come under His wings, He will shelter and protect you! If you stand on the ROCK, then you will be established on the ROCK! God's prophet has spoken (verses 15-17). We have a sure word of prophecy that THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S. Are we going to claim that promise by faith?
     
14. THANK THE LORD (21). The expression "Praise the LORD" can be translated "Give thanks to the LORD." Compare Philippians 4:6--"with thanksgiving."
     
15. SING AND PRAISE EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T YET SEE GOD'S VICTORY (22). When the people began to shout for joy and praise the LORD, that is when God did His great work! Compare the experience of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:23-26.

III. THE PROVISION (2 CHRONICLES 20:22-25).

God is faithful! He cannot fail!

IV. THE PEACE (2 CHRONICLES 20:26-30).

Compare Philippians 4:7. The people blessed and thanked the LORD for the victory. The result was that there was much JOY and PEACE in the land and God was GLORIFIED!

Did you have your Bible open to 2 Chronicles 20 as you studied these notes?