WHAT TO DO WHEN PROBLEMS STRIKE
 Pr. James Victor Lubwama

DAY 1 - SEEK GOD

 2 Chronicles 20:2-4 (NLT)
"Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.) 3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help"

When you have been attacked, what do you do first? When you hear that they are planning to terminate your contract, who do you run to first? When your child has been admitted, what runs through your mind first?
When King Jehoshaphat heard the news that a vast army was preparing to attack his kingdom, he feared but above all, prepared his heart to seek the Lord first. Why? Our help comes from the Lord. This is the first step every Christian should take when faced with frightening circumstances.

Most people when faced with problems run to friends or relatives; but many times when you run to fellow men, the probability of being disappointed is quite high. Why? The person you are running to may not be available or not in position to help you. But the bible says that Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord – he went on his knees to beseech the Lord of salvation who is always available and doesn’t disappoint.

There should be a triangular mechanism of solving problems - You, God and the problems. When problems strike, face throne-ward first to God for divine intervention and then later encounter the problem. God will then be your shield and go ahead of you, because when problems or terror see God, they will scatter, and another reason you should seek God is because our redemption comes neither from east nor west but from the Creator of heaven and earth (Psalm 75:6). If God gave you a job, marriage or children and the devils attacks them with extinction, failure and diseases respectively, don’t just start wailing, run unto your God and report the traumatic situation.

2 Chronicles 20:3 (NLT)
“He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.” 

 Why did he command people to fast? Fasting is not the price you pay to cause God to descend and take away your problems. Fasting doesn’t change God because God is the same, yesterday, today and forever, but it changes you (Hebrews 8:13). Without food, your mind will be focused on prayer minus distortions. When people have been called for prayer and there is no fasting their attention is divided – some instead of praying will wonder up and down looking for drinks and snacks. So fasting helped all the people to be focused on one thing – seeking God.

So he went on to pray like this; 2 Chronicles 20:6 (NLT)
“O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 

1- God of Our Ancestors: It makes sense when you are praying to call upon the God of your anointed predecessors who overcame – God of Abraham, God of Isaac etc. When Elisha, was returning from receiving the mantle from Elijah he found the river was back and had blocked his access, so he called upon the God of Elijah – his predecessor and the river separated. 2 Kings 2:13-14 (NLT) says; 
“Then Elisha returned to the bank of Jordan River. 14 He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, ‘Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?’ Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.”
Jehoshaphat had to call upon the God of his predecessors in order to get victory, because by doing so, he was invoking the victorious covenant of his forefathers.

2 - Ruler of All Kingdoms of the Earth: You immediately get encouraged when you know that the God you are seeking is in charge of all the kingdoms of the earth because He is the King of kings (Psalm 47:7; Revelation 19:16). Since God is charge of planet earth, even what you need in Iceland, China, Chile or France, He controls and has authority over it; whatever you need in all the earth, He has authority over it – God controls all nations of the world; so if you want anything from anywhere, just inform Him because He is in control of it all.

Comments

  1. Unknown3 June 2020 at 08:23

    The God of my Pastor, the God I have seen using my Pastor to; deliverbpeople, heal cancer, change people's lives. There's nothing that can fail you. Come through for me I pray, deliver me from those who hate me with no reason, and establish and prosper me. Amen

    ReplyDelete

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