The Work of God in Answer to Prayer

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews the context of Judah's crisis, emphasizing it was not due to sin but occurred during revival. He recounts Jehoshaphat's fear, the national fast, and the specifics…

Martin explains the church's current crisis is not internal strife but growth-related, necessitating a new building, which has led to unexpected challenges and a 'rock and a hard place' situation, mirroring Judah's crisis.

Now let us turn again to 2 Chronicles chapter 20. This portion of the word of God that has become so precious to us in these past days of crisis. Suffice it to say for the benefit of those visiting amongst us. Our crisis is not a crisis of a church split about to happen.

0:07 - 0:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews the context of Judah's crisis, emphasizing it was not due to sin but occurred during revival. He recounts Jehoshaphat's fear, the national fast, and the specifics…

Martin contrasts his early earnest but sometimes fanatical prayer experiences with the intelligent, scriptural prayer he has heard during the current crisis, highlighting the maturity of the latter.

To hear intelligence scriptural earnest prayer. The likes of which I have never heard in twenty five years as a Christian. Now I have heard prayer that was his earnest. When God saved me.

11:05 - 11:18 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews the context of Judah's crisis, emphasizing it was not due to sin but occurred during revival. He recounts Jehoshaphat's fear, the national fast, and the specifics…

Martin recounts a meeting in Canada where people fell on their faces to worship God, illustrating the profound, physical response of Judah to God's word in 2 Chronicles 20:18.

I remember preaching one time in a large auditorium up in Canada. There were some 1,500 or 2,000 people present. And God came into that meeting and I didn't know what to do. And the man who was leading the meeting, who was much more seasoned than I, I'll never forget, he stood up and he says, God's in this place.

16:46 - 17:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Now the great principle is simply this, that the deliverance of God in answer to the prayers of the people of God came in the path of obedience to their present revealed duty. The deliverance did not come in any other pa…

The story of Jericho is used to illustrate God's command for obedience, even when the means (marching and singing) seem militarily stupid, emphasizing that deliverance comes through faith in obedience.

And this is a great principle of God's dealings with His people. When He would give a mighty deliverance, He almost invariably gives some word of direction which many times is utterly contrary to carnal reasoning. How? How did He give Jericho?

22:19 - 22:37 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jehoshaphat's summons to 'Believe in the Lord your God' and 'Believe His prophets' is expounded as a call to trust in the invisible factors of the living God and His certain word…

Martin cites a recent offering as evidence of the congregation's earnestness and commitment, despite their relative 'pauper' status, demonstrating a willingness to sacrifice for God's work.

A bunch of nobodies. As I said the other night, God in his providence sometimes puts men and women of great wealth in a congregation. If we had a few, two semi-millionaires and others, I'm sure as we prayed for money to build that building, God would touch their hearts and the money would be forthcoming. A bunch of paupers, relative as we are, can squeeze out $13,000 in one offering as you did three weeks ago.

34:09 - 34:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jehoshaphat's summons to 'Believe in the Lord your God' and 'Believe His prophets' is expounded as a call to trust in the invisible factors of the living God and His certain word…

Martin likens himself to the disciples in a storm, needing to hear Jesus (their 'great Jehoshaphat') say, 'Do not be afraid. It is I,' to encourage faith in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

Oh, dear people, I call upon my own heart. I wish I were a Jehoshaphat who could simply say, Join me where I am. On this pinnacle of faith. But I must, as it were, stand with you and listen to our great Jehoshaphat, the Lord Jesus Christ, who says to disciples who see billowy waves, Do not be afraid. It is I.

37:50 - 38:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Encourage one another's faith and admonish each other with the words and promises of God.

Martin warns against the spread of unbelief, urging those afflicted to 'quarantine' themselves so as not to infect others who are striving to believe.

We need to encourage one another's faith. Don't be like those spies that came back and say, this is all a bunch of rubbish.

40:16 - 40:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section vividly describes how God caused the enemy armies to destroy each other as Judah began to sing and praise. Martin highlights the unexpected and unpredictable nature…

Martin uses vivid imagination to reconstruct the scene of Judah's army, led by singers in priestly garments, marching towards the enemy, and the enemy's confusion as Judah begins to sing, leading to their self-destruction.

And when they made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another. Now, you kids, you like stories, don't you? Here's a true story that's more exciting than any false story or fairy story you ever read. Now, use your imagination this morning.

44:20 - 44:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not try to predict God's ways; trust that His possibilities are infinite.

Martin recounts the story of Elisha's prophecy and God causing the Syrians to hear sounds of an army, leading them to flee and leave spoils, illustrating God's unpredictable and miraculous ways of deliverance.

And I'm sure some of you have thought of the incident in 2 Kings chapter 7. You remember in the ministry of Elisha, a similar situation? Here the Syrians are encamped against the people of God and Elisha makes the prediction tomorrow they'll all be done in and plundered. And one man who was a smart aleck said, Hey, Elisha, take your religion serious, but man, if God should open up heaven, this could never happen.

49:45 - 50:12 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The possibilities are infinite because God is infinite.

Martin uses the hypothetical example of a contractor offering to do work for free due to tax write-offs to illustrate the infinite, unpredictable possibilities of how God might provide for the church's building needs.

God can take the heart of a contractor who says, for some crazy reason, you know, I've just made too much profit this year and I need to write off some taxes. Can I do your work for nothing?

52:04 - 52:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Drawing parallels with 2 Kings 7, Martin stresses that God is not bound by human predictions or prescribed means. He can work through supernatural or seemingly normal means, and…

Martin humorously states that if he believed in reincarnation, he'd want to be a 'fly on the wall' to witness God's deliverance for the church, emphasizing his eager anticipation.

If I believed in reincarnation, I'd even be willing to become a fly on the wall to see it.

53:05 - 53:10 Read in full sermon