Acts of God's Power

Acts of God’s Power

2 Chronicles 20:15 and 17

“And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.”  Verse 17 “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.”

Now that we have begun the New Year and the tinsel, lights and dinners are over, let’s get serious about what God wants us to do now.  Over the Holidays I heard a pastor on TV talking about King Jehoshaphat and it made me so curious I thought I should look into it. What I found astounded me; although I had read it all many times; the absolute Power of God, Almighty!

Listen to this assurance, “Do not fear of be dismayed.” There was multitudes coming after King Jehoshaphat and his people in Jerusalem and God told him, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” The battle belonged to the Lord and the same is true today, the battle belongs to the Lord!  If you are going through something today like illness, financial problems, relationships, etc., the battle belongs to the Lord. Stand still and let God take care of everything.

It reminds me of another battle when Moses had led the Israelites to the Red Sea and there was no place to go.  The Egyptians were there ready to kill them all, when the sea parted and they all walked safely to the other side. “Then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained.” (Ex. 14:27-28)  The battle belonged to the Lord. 

I know you’ve heard all this before, but let’s concentrate on this: the power of God.  Do we really understand such power? Do you really understand that in one breath, God could wipe us all away; turn us to dust and be forgotten forever?  He doesn’t do that because of his great love for those who believe.  If you do not believe in the power of God, He will patiently wait for you to become his.  However, there will come a time when it’s too late.  We can’t always play around with our heavenly Father.

A good example of this is found in Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

Let’s look at this in a different way.  All the virgins knew about Jesus, but half of them didn’t want to be bothered to live the way the Bible tells us to.  They didn’t really believe that God is so powerful. They just wanted to play around with Christianity.  They thought they had all the time in the world to get serious.

  

There are really two messages in these scriptures and one is if we stand and believe He will be there for us and the other is, don’t play around with such a powerful God.  Remember what he did to those who wanted to kill King Jehoshaphat and Israelites.  Remember what he did to the Egyptians who wanted to kill Moses and God’s people at the Red Sea. Remember what happened to five virgins who did not make it into heaven; he said he didn’t know them.It’s time to stand up for God, believe in him, be obedient and he will have your back.  He will make all things right in his time.  My slogan for the year is this:        “May our hearts be made clean - in two thousand nineteen!”