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And Jesus said :
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. (John 10:10).
When troubles come to anyone in this physical earth, the intention of Mr. Trouble is to kill. Jesus describes the leader of trouble as a thief and he goes with death as the only good. But Jesus said : I am come that they might have life”.
Troubles could come with any of the following: sickness, famine, human enemies or any other. When You see any of these at your corridor, it is the advance of death.
However, prayers conquer death. The apostle of Jesus, James writes to those who are troubled thus : “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5 : 15).
In the life of nations and peoples, there is always a time to pray AGAINST one trouble or another. But the assurance is that God is able to deliver the PRAYING man. Your enemy may despise your prayer. Whoever despises our prayer is despising the Lord God.
Note that the prayer of faith counts.
I wish to drive this sermon, which I want to use to encourage praying with four separate illustrations of peoples, who were visited with trouble.
(1) The children of Israel were visited by Sennacherib. What did they do? They complained to God. What did God do?
Read 2 Kings 18 :1 – 32. This gives the threats of the commanders of Sennacherib against Hezekiah.
And God responded to this threat and sent an angel:
“And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. (2 Chronicles 32 : 21).
(2) The children of God were visited by three tribes Ammon, Moab and Edom. What did they do? They complained to God. What did God do?
Read the whole of 2 Chronicles 20 with special reference to the following verses :
20:1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
20:23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. ( 2 Chronicles 20 : 1, 15, and 23.)
God fights for the oppressed in any circumstance of trouble. In the time of Jehoshaphat, the people sought the face of God and He said to them ” the battle is not yours.”
(3) When the children of Israel left Egypt Pharoah sent his chariots to bring them back. What did they do? They complained to God. And what did God do?
Read Exodus 14 with special reference to the following verses :
14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14:15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. (Exodus 14).
God delivered Israel and drowned her enemies in the Red Sea.
(4) Hezekiah was to die. God told him to prepare his house. What did Hezekiah do? He complained to God. What did God do?
Read 2 Kings 20: 1, 3 , 5, and 6, specifically.
20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
20:3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
GOD’S ANSWER TO HEZEKIAH.
20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
20:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. (2 Kings 20).
God delivered Hezekiah and added days to his life
GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS AND DELIVERS FROM DEATH.
Going through the four examples, none of those attacked suggested to God what He God, should do for them. Each of those attacks were advance of death. Note the word of God in each of the four circumstances. Prayer opens door and God knows how to deal with death in what ever form it comes.
DO ENEMIES KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THEIR ATTACK?
If enemies know the outcome of their actions, they may never give a try. Enemies are gamblers, who do not know the outcome of their actions. Some of the thieves, who go out to steal may never know if they will return. God delivers mysteriously.
Prayer Conquers Death.
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5 : 15).
What ever be the nature of your trouble be steadfast in prayer. God will make a way.
We will seek the Lord who has the power to turn away the shadows of death, who has the power to do things unusual with men.
“Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:” (Amos 5 :8).
ALL THOSE WHO THREATEN YOU ARE INCAPABLE TO DO ANY OF THE ABOVE
A nation that prays has the greatest weapons on earth. So when human beings arise in wickedness, they do not remember that God, who created them and those they call enemies, is a God of justice altogether.
Read this extract:
“Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”
(Daniel 4 : 37).
You have noted what those who claim they have power have done and how Nebuchadnezzar reacted concerning God.
PEOPLE like Daniel were prayer filled. We cannot be different, but should go ahead to bring down the strongholds.
Moses told the Israelites by the bank of the Red Sea: “The Egyptians you see today, you shall see no more for ever”. The death signals that lurk around us we shall see no more for ever as God intervenes.
So all those captains of Egypt and their chariots remain to be excavated by modern achaelogists in the bed of the Red Sea.
The weapons of Moab, Ammon and the people of mount Seir are they not become the property of the children of Israel?
185000 Assyrian soldiers died in their sleep. The chariots of Egypt and their strong men are still at the bottom of the Red Sea.
God loves man and made justice a watchword. So death will not prevail against you outside God’s time, your sickness will not destroy you, because God is on His throne and will deliver His people. Amen.
“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32 :4).
Prayer for today :
Lord God, give us the spirit of faithful prayer. When we pray and call upon you, do not say I do not know you. May we find pleasure in your sight oh! LORD of Hosts Amen.
Miracle Valley Sermons 8th September, 2019.
outreach.mvgm@yahoo.com.
www.mvgmng.org.