Be Victorious in BattlesSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Loneliness, debts, financial strain, sickness, unemployment and problems in the family makes our life more than a battle. The Lord will grant you victory over them. He will fight the battle for you. In the Holy Bible, we read about a King named Jehoshaphat a man of God who followed God in righteouness was once in great fear as his enemies gathered together and came to fight against him, trembling in fear he cried out to God, "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" (2 Chronicles 20:12).
Friend, if we imagine ourselves in King Jehoshaphat's place, what would be our condition? We might have allowed the problems to take control over us when the enemies sorround us; when the worldly problems overwhelm us; we might feel very week as if there is no strength left in our body and mind to bear all this problems. We lose all hopes about the future. But even at such a crisis King Jehoshaphat did not lose heart, he cried out to God with faith. As he believed with God all things are possible.
When I had been to South Africa, a little girl said to me in tears, "Brother! My father loved me very much. But he died suddenly. My mother loves another man and she has no love for me me. Both of them despise me. I am an orphan now. I have no future?"
When the wall of partition between East and West Germany was pulled down, there was a mad rush of people from East to West Germany. Hundreds of mothers left behind their children who wept and pined for their parents. It was mentioned as the those children had become orphans overnight!
Loneliness, financial strain, unemployment and problems in the family push us into darkness. Our own relatives will make us grope in darkness. When Jehoshaphat had to go through the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord told him and his people, "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicles 20:15). Even at that hour of darkness he trusted in the Lord and His promises. On the next day he told his people, "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." (2 Chronicles 20:20)
To help his people grow more in their faith in Him, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord. As they sang, "Praise the Lord, for His mercies endures forever" (2 Chronicles 20:21), the Lord set up the invading armies one against the other; and they killed and destroyed them.
There was a sister who loved the Lord very much. Her husband lay ill for five years. Even in her distress she trusted in the Lord. Her husband died one day and she was heart-broken. Many felt that she would deny God altogether. But she said, "I love my Lord! I will follow Him no matter what happens in my life!" She had no money even to bury her husband. Some people helped her for that. Some began asking her how is she is going to live hereafter. She left alone by her friends and relatives too. Even amidst her agony she said with a smile, "My Lord is with me. He won't let me down!" A week later she received a cheque for 5000 dollars. The letter attached to it read, "Madam! Your husband had a small plot of land. It has been found to have an oil spring. As a first instalment of the profits we are sending you this amount." The poor lady was over-joyed. The Lord enabled her to wipe off all her debts and live comfortably on the income from that land.
Debts, sickness and problems in the family may rise against you. In all such deadly darkness the Lord will show you His light. He will make you triumph over them. Let not your heart be troubled!
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
Grant me Your grace to grow stronger in my faith in You. Thank You fighting the battle for me. Lord, when the worries of the world make me weary, fill me with You Holy Spirit so that the world may know that You are fighting my battles for me. Help me to claim the victory in the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen. |