Title: A Call to Prayer in troubled times 

Text: 2 Chr 20

I thought in light of world circumstances to bring a message this morning that relates to that situation. I found it hard to tear myself away from the television this week, at least when my head wasn’t spinning around. I guess that’s one of the advantages and disadvantages of a home office. It’s hard to realize that it was 12 years ago, before I became your pastor, when we found ourselves at this same place in the world.

Obviously no reasonable person wants or desires war, Paul wrote to the Romans in Rom 12:18, If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. (NAS) But sometimes peace isn’t possible because it doesn’t depend on you, because there are tyrants in the world and Saddam Hussain is most certainly by any definition a tyrant.

It is a sad situation when the world is willing to allow someone to torture and kill innocent men women and children and turn a blind eye and a deaf ear. It is sad when world leaders act like these things don’t happen and that the Iraqi people are happy and supportive of this ruthless dictator. People talk about peace, but are willing to ignore the fact he has brutalized, tortured, killed, estimates are that he killed as many as 100,000 of his own people in 1991. He has used chemical weapons against his own people as well as the Kurdish people of Iraq, his enemies in Iran. He also used deadly force against the people of Kuwait. These people deceive themselves with their own empty rhetoric.

People who oppose war, which is their right, have admitted these things shouldn’t happen that Saddam should be removed, but are unwilling to take a stand against his tyranny and brutality. Yet when someone is willing to take that stand and say enough is enough they want to criticize not the tyrant but the liberator.

Of all places to find details of what happens under Saddam and his sons this weeks Sports Illustrated tells the story of how Iraqi Olympic Athletes have been are still being brutalized under the direction of one of his sons.

Saddam Hussain also allows terrorist to train in Iraq to bring havoc and death to innocent people all over the world. Ecclesiastes 3:8 says: A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (NAS) Surly this is a time for war, when all attempts at peace have failed.

Why are we there? Why have we taken this position against the vocal opposition of many world leaders? To those who say we haven’t been attacked I say remember Oct 1983 243 Marines killed in their barracks in Beirut; Dec 1988 244 killed aboard Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie Scotland; Feb 1993 6 killed at the WTC in New York; Jun 1996 19 killed at Khobar Tower in Dhahran, SA; Aug 1998 224 Killed at the US Embassy in Kenya; Oct 2000 17 killed aboard the USS Cole in Yemen; Sept 11, 2001 A.A. flight 11; United Flight 175; AA flight 77, United flight 93 and the twin towers of the WTC 3000 +. While I certainly desire peace, I believe this is a time for war.

I admit much of this message is borrowed from Dr. Charles Stanley. But as I searched for something to share with you I believe God led me to share what he had already given another of His servants.

The fact is we are at war, whether we agree with the reasons or not. The question is what can we do, what should we do in these perilous times? We must understand we have a specific God-given duty – that of prayer.

As believers, our first responsibility in any crisis, whether personal, national or international, is prayer. In 2 Chronicles 20:1-4, King Jehoshaphat demonstrated this truth when he learned of an imminent invasion of Judah from many enemies. In verse 3 of that chapter we read that "Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD; and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah." Obviously he was frightened by the news. Jehoshaphat, however didn’t concentrate on his emotions, rather he sought the Lord’s direction and guidance. In the same way, in these perilous times of terrorism and war, God desires, actually He commands that each of us prayerfully seek His wisdom and guidance for our nation and our leaders.

Not only should we respond to a crisis with prayer, we should respond with fervent prayer. Fervent prayer is passionate, sincere prayer. Second Chronicles 20:6-12 reveals a wonderful example this kind of prayer. Jehoshaphat didn’t simply mumble, "Lord, please help us," or "just bless our nation somehow." Instead, he actually stood before the people of Judah and cried out to God about their particular situation. When was the last time you felt so desperate that you forgot about anything else and unashamedly called out to the Lord? I believe if we engage in this kind of praying our prayer lives will take on an entirely different perspective — God’s perspective. At all times, but especially in perilous times we need to be specific, passionate, persistent and sincere in our prayers.

Jehoshaphat also proclaimed a fast throughout the land. The people set aside their normal schedules in order to focus their attention, not on their situation but on God. Fasting means to abstain from food or drink, it’s done as a way to focus yourself. Each person is different, some can completely fast some can only partially fast . Some can fast for long periods, some for only a short time. But the point of fasting is to focus yourself on seeking the face of God. When you begin to seek the Lord during this time, He will show you things that you may not sense at other times, or you will be open to hearing fro God because you have focused yourself on that purpose.

In our prayer time, it is important that we focus on the Person and power of God. King Jehoshaphat does this in 2 Chronicles 20:6-12. He first exclaims, "O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? Are You not ruler over all the kingdoms and nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You" (2 Chron. 20:6). Jehoshaphat acknowledges the presence, the might, and the sovereignty of the Lord. In the same way we should concentrate on the many wonderful characteristics of God such as the fact He is merciful, forgiving, always in control, and willing to intervene on behalf of His children.

In the next verse, Jehoshaphat recalls the mighty things God had done in the past (2 Chron. 20:7). This was another way that Judah’s king could praise God and remind the people of His faithfulness. Like Jehoshaphat, we need to focus our attention on the divine characteristics of our Lord and on His past blessings and He has indeed blessed this nation. Not just with material blessings, but also with godly leadership. Consider these facts:

52 of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention.

It was the Continental Congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation.

Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is remembered for his words, '"Give me liberty or give me death."' But in most current textbooks the context of these words is forgotten. Here is what he actually said: '"An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."'

Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1776, he wrote "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.”

Thomas Jefferson who is often labeled as a Deist, one who belives God doesn’t take an active part in the affairs of man, wrote on the front of his well-worn Bible: '"I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator "' Jefferson was also the chairman of the American Bible Society, which some say he considered his highest and most important role.

On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, '"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."'

Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President of the United States reaffirmed this truth when he wrote, '"The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country."'

In 1782, the United States Congress voted this resolution: '"The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools."'

Of the first 108 universities founded in America, 106 were distinctly Christian, including the first, Harvard University, chartered in 1636. In the original Harvard Student Handbook, rule number 1 was that students seeking entrance must know Latin and Greek so that they could study the scriptures: '"Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, John 17:3; and therefore to lay Jesus Christ as the only foundation for our children to follow the moral principles of the Ten Commandments? James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: '"We have staked the whole future of our new nation not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."'

God has Indeed blessed us as a nation with men of character and courage.

In addition to focusing on God characteristics and past blessings, our prayers should be offered with a spirit of humility and total dependence on God. Second Chronicles 20:9 describes Jehoshaphat’s declaration that if the people cry out to God in their distress, then He will hear and deliver them. In verse 12, he declares that Judah is "powerless before this great multitude who are coming against [them]; nor do [they] know what to do, but [their] eyes are upon [God]" (2 Chron. 20:12).

Jehoshaphat showed humility by expressing Judah’s absolute dependence on God. They didn’t place their faith in the country’s army or leaders; instead, they relied completely on the Lord. Likewise, despite the great military forces of today, with all of the sophisticated weaponry, we cannot and must not trust our own abilities. We must instead depend on Almighty God. Though He may choose to use the military to accomplish His purposes, He alone ordains what happens during warfare. The important thing is that we don’t attempt to proudly handle situations on our own, but rather humbly depend on God. And I think we have seen our President doing that and calling God’s people to prayer.

We must also pray with confidence knowing that God is always with us, that He alone determines the outcome of the battle. The people of Judah learned this firsthand when the Lord spoke to them through a prophet in 2 Chronicles 20:14-19. In verse 15, he declared, "Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.’" God responded to the prayers and fasting of His people, reassuring them He was present and in control of the situation. God always hears and answers the prayers of believers who have repentant hearts and surrendered lives. Psalm 34:15 says, "The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry."

God not only hears us, He also carries out His sovereign will. Just like Judah, we do not know what may happen or what we should do at times; so, we must pray for the Lord’s will. How do we discover the will of God? First we look in His Word. By reading the truths and promises of Scripture, then concentrating on them in our prayers, we will know that we are praying for God to accomplish His perfect will.

Finally when we pray, we should be willing to do whatever the Lord requires of us. Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah are great examples of obedience to God. He told them not to fight, but to simply stand on the battlefield and witness the salvation of the Lord. No doubt, this seemed like a strange request; however, they obeyed Him, and the Lord saved Judah by destroying their enemies right before their eyes! (2 Chronicles 20:16-27) Following the directions of our Lord brings us a mighty victory, and also serves as a testimony to His sovereignty and providence.

Just as Jehoshaphat and Judah sought the Lord through fasting and prayer, we must also seek the will of God during these troubling times. It is our duty to pray seriously , earnestly for our nation for our leaders for our soldiers. We must fall on our knees and cry out to the Lord for His direction and guidance. When we pray to our heavenly Father, we should acknowledge the fact that He is the Almighty God, He has absolute control over everything that happens.

Most important, God desires we surrender our pride, prayerfully turning to Him with confidence knowing He will fulfill His perfect will for our good and for His glory. John Adams, second President of the United States said: "It must be felt that there is no national security but in the nation's humble acknowledged dependence upon God and His overruling providence."

God is the only defense for our nation. Whether we like it or not now is a time for war. While our warriors are engaged in battle, it is time for us to turn our attention to seek the LORD" (2 Chron. 20:4). It is time for us to turn our eyes upon Jesus.