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God With You Or Not?
How much do you love God? Will you put His Commandments before all of your desires and wishes? Do you draw close to Him, seek to serve Him, and truly want to be His?
Today we look at some events, quite miraculous, in the book of 2nd Chronicles. I encourage you to read these chapters and those surrounding this section of 2nd Chronicles to get the full story in each instance, and the history of the period.
In our first selection, King Asa was given these words from God telling him that God will be with him, while Asa is with God.
2 Chronicles 15:2 NKJV 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
They are powerful, thought-provoking words. We often hear that God is with us, period. Remember that there are consequences for our actions. It was true for a long ago king, and for each of us today. Seek God. Follow Him. Obey Him. Love Him. All will then be well, as God will be with us.
HOWEVER, if WE forsake HIM, and turn to our own wants and wishes without regard to God’s Commandments, GOD will FORSAKE US. The people of long years ago couldn’t have it both ways and neither can we of today. We must remember that.
Do you love God and want to be near Him more than you want YOUR own way?
Speak God’s Words
2 Chronicles 18:13 NKJV 13 And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”
Let us set the stage for our next selection. Micaiah was a prophet of the Lord.
Four hundred prophets had already told the king what he wanted to hear.
Micaiah was warned to give the king good news as well. Micaiah is not swayed by the tide of popular opinion around him, nor his favor with the king. He says that he will speak only that which God tells him.
May we each do the same in our world today and each day that we are given. Live Boldly. Live For God.
God Is With The Good
2 Chronicles 19:11 NKJV 11 …”Behave courageously, and the Lord will be with the good.”
God will be with the good. Of course, He gives rain to the good and the bad. Air in the lungs of us all. We know that God is good to us all. YET THE LORD WILL BE WITH THE GOOD. There is a precious closeness that the Lord gives to those who love Him and serve Him, obediently. Live with courage, despite what others may say or think of us as we follow God. Remember, that God is WITH THE GOOD.
Let us read the following passages together of 2nd Chronicles, chapter 20. We look especially at Verses 12, 15, 17,20.
2 Chronicles 20:12 NKJV 12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
The Battle Is God’s
2 Chronicles 20:15 NKJV 15 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.
Don’t Fear
2 Chronicles 20:17 NKJV 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.”
Believe
2 Chronicles 20:20 NKJV 20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
The enemy was overcome by God. They were safe and still free.
Look back a moment. A great multitude of the enemy was coming upon the people of God. They prayed to God, telling Him that they do not know what to do.
Haven’t we all been there? In the human, we simply are afraid and don’t know what to do next.
Yet, the following words are so powerful. They say that they don’t know what to do, BUT their eyes are upon God.
May we all remember these words. Yes, the Lord fought this battle for them. The enemy was overcome by God. They were safe and still free.
Yet, remember that keeping their eyes upon their God was the part they were to do. God Himself fought for them and saved them from their enemy. God is always powerful!!!
Let us lastly remember that God helped them in those days and helps us today with our fears, enemies, threat of war and upset, and battles.
Our God is with us, WHEN WE ARE HIS. He is our safe place and our HOME.
Psalms 90:1-2 NKJV Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
Through all generations, throughout the eons of time and eternity, God is God and He is powerful. God is always good. When we believe Him, obey Him, and put Him First in our lives, HE IS OUR GOD!!!