Discover the will of God for you (18)

How Do We Know God’s Will? (Cont)

Fasting as a spiritual discipline should accompany our prayer life, not only in times of crisis, but also in our regular fervent pursuit of God (Ezra 8:23; Neh 9:1-2; Dan 9:3).

In 2 Chron 20:6ff, Jehoshaphat’s prayer had several essential ingredients. 1: He committed the situation to God, acknowledging that only God could save the nation. 2: He sought God’s favour because his people were God’s people. 3: He acknowledged God’s sovereignty over the current situation. 4: He praised God’s glory and took comfort in His promises. 5: He professed complete dependence on God, not himself, for deliverance.

To be God’s kind of leader, follow Jehoshaphat’s example – focus entirely on God’s power rather than your own.

In 20:15, as the enemy bore down on Judah; God spoke through Jahaziel: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed…for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” We may not fight an enemy army, but every day we battle temptation, pressure, and ‘rulers of the darkness of this age,”’ Ephesians 6:12. Who wants us to rebel against God? Remember, as believers, we have God’s spirit in us. If we ask for God’s help when we face struggles, God will fight for us. He always triumphs.

How do we let God fight for us? 1: By realising the battle is not ours, but God’s. 2: By recognising our human limitations, and allowing God’s strength to work through our fears and weaknesses. 3: By making sure we are pursuing God’s interests and not just our own selfish desires. 4: By asking God for help in our daily battles.
What Does It Mean To Seek The Lord?

“He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment,” 2 Chron. 14:4. “Seek the Lord,” essentially to any reformation or revival among God’s people is seeking the Lord (2 Chron. 7:14). The writer of Chronicles used the verb “to seek (the Lord)” eight times in Chapters 14-16 (14:4,7; 15:2,4,12-13,15; 16:12) and 30 times altogether. The word means to earnestly desire and pursue the Lord’s presence; fellowship, kingdom and holiness, (1Chr 16:11). Seeking the Lord involves:

1: Turning to the Lord with the whole heart and in fervent prayer (Isaiah 55:6; Jer 29:12-13).

2. Hunger for and thirst after righteousness and God’s presence (15:2; Ps 24:3-6; Isaiah 51:1; cf. Mat 5:8; John 4:14).

3: Committing yourself firmly to do God’s will and abandoning all actions that offend God (vv.2-7; 7:14).

4: Believing in and relying on God as your ultimate helper (Heb 13:6), confident that He is a “rewarder” of them that diligently seek Him (Heb11:6; 2Chr 14:11;).

“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,” (2Chro 15:2).

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