Battle is not yours but God's.

  

Date of Sermon Delivery: 19. mar. 2023

Place of sermon Delivery:  Delhi, India

Sunday Worship Service

Speaker: Jatin Bisht

Title : Battle is not yours but God's.

Bible: 2 chronicles 20:1-30

Key verse : 2 chronicles 20:15

Praise the lord

I welcome you all to the house of the lord.

I pray that this Lord's day brings you joy in life and draws you closer to God.

Thank you all for taking the gospel of the lord to the people.

Through our offerings and prayers, we travelled around 650 km in 36 hours and reached more than 250 people with the gospel of the lord.

I hope next Sunday we will  come with PPT.

I am so thankful that we all contributed to it.

This is what the Lord wants from all of us to work together. I hope in the coming day, we all together will do more great things for the kingdom of the Lord.

Hallelujah.

 

Let’s read2 chronicles 20:1-4,12,15,16,17,20-21,24.,25

 

Lets pray. 

I met many people around me  who used to handle their things at their own will.

But in these words of the Lord, we can see many people who did not lead their lives by their own strength, but who raised their voice to the Lord, and the Lord corrected their circumstances by his strength.

Do you want things to happen in your life by God’s strength (will)?

If you want things not by your own strength but by the strength of God, then listen carefully today God’s word.

In today's Bible, there is one man called Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat, the fourth king of Judah, came into power after the death of his father (Asa).

When he came into power, many people in Judah offered and burned incense in the high places, but he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah, he removed practicing prostitution, and Jehoshaphat proceeded to teach the people the word of God (2 Chronicles 17:7-9).

As a result of these reforms, God was with Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:10).

But one day the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle (2 Chronicles 20).

Jehoshaphat did not have a large army, and those who came to attack him, were many times more.

They had a trained army, good protection, and good weapons, they came against Jehoshaphat with their best.

When Jehoshaphat heard, a large army was going to attack me.

The first and most important

The Lord gives us strategy (Ranniti)

God’s strategy, where God gives us strategies to save families, how to manage finances, how to save relationships, and how to come out of sickness, is all this.

 

When Jehoshaphat heard that a large, strong army was going to attack him and his country, he fled.

He had many options, he could get help from neighbors countries, he could rent an army; he could make new weapons day and night.

He had many options.

But verse 3 says 

Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (ESV)

To get God's strategy. We have to seek the Lord. 

If he wanted, he could have taken help from the world, because his problem was bigger than its worth. His problem was bigger than he was.

 

Today, it is possible that you have a disease bigger than your capabilities.

आज हो सकता है आपकी योग्यता से बड़ी आपको बीमारी लग गयी हो

 

You maybe surrounded by bigger problems than you are capable of. 

शयद आपकी योग्यता से ज्यादा बड़ी परेशानियो ने आपको घेर लिया हो

 

Today I want to encourage you to learn from Jehoshaphat, it is written that Jehoshaphat started to seek the Lord.

He didn't see help in the world, but he saw God.

4. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

They didn't prepare for war, but they prepared in their hearts to meet God.

Always remember, when you are in trouble, people can help you up to a limit.

Jeremiah 17:7 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord." (ESV). 

Every person in this world has limitation, but Jehoshaphat has revelation that if I will to get help from other country they have some limitation.

As a result, he began to seek God; they did not prepare for war, but rather to seek the Lord.

 

Dear brothers and sisters on this earth, everyone has some limitations.

Even I have some limitations, but the Lord, who is mighty, who is creator, who is lord of lords, who is the real savior, and who is coming soon, is the only one who has no limit.

 

Your doctor has some limitations, your relatives have some limitations, your spouse has some limitations, your parents have some limitations, your money has some limitations, and your office boss has some limitations, and all these can help you to the limit.

Psalms 118:26a says blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Psalm 34:5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Jehoshaphat knew that people can embarrass him, but there is one who will never embarrass me, and that is God. Hallelujah….

If there is any one among us whose things are getting out of control and you are very tired of how to control those things,

You are trying a lot but are not able to do it, so this morning you can learn one thing from Jehoshaphat: that you should start seeking the Lord.

Seeking the Lord means to pray to God or to find God’s will.

 

Jehoshaphat set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah (verse 3).

Jehoshaphat and all of Judah fasted and prayed.

In the Old Testament, when people used to fast, they used to tear the clothes they were wearing, take ashes and put them on their heads, lay a carpet, start praying, and say that they were in fasting, but even then they didn't repent.

That's why in the Bible, God says to his people, "Don't tear your clothes, but tear your heart.

Do not tear your clothes, but tear your heart for me.

Fasting means rebuilding a broken relationship with God.

Whenever you are fasting, do not just take it, because it is Friday or the last Friday of the month; whenever you are fasting, check your relationship with God and fix it.

Fasting means spending time with the Lord; spend time with him in his presence.

In the Bible, when people fasted with broken hearts, restored their relationship with the Lord again, or repented, God turned that situation around.

Wherever the fast was held, the Lord showed his strength.

 

When they were seeking God and doing fasting and prayer, God sent this message through Jahaziel: "Do not be afraid, do not be dismayed at this great army, because the battle is not yours but God’s.

Hallelujah.

 

In our horrible situation or hard time, but when we seek the Lord with a humble heart and fast, then God gives us strategy.

Verse 20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord, your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed."

God said to them, "Go into the battle field, God gave them strategy.

When we humble ourselves before God, when we surrender our things in front of God, when we fast and pray  then God shows us the way.

How to get out of debt

How to Fix a House Problem

How to Fix a Broken Relationship

How to protect your brothers and sisters from evil

How do you get the job?

How to give a job interview and

How do you take your business forward?

When we keep our relationship with God in the right way, then God gives us the right strategy.

When the Israelites were entering Jericho, God also gave them a strategy, take one round for six days and seven on the seventh day, worship loudly, and the wall will collapse.

 

Here also God gave them, strategy in verse 16&17

16.Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 

¹⁷ You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

 

God gave them strategy, go against them, but do not fight. (repeat again)

God is saying here to his people, "Your work is to stand firm, and there is no need to fight, as he did in front of the red sea."

When they surrender their problem in front of God, when they humble themselves in front of God, when they have given their battle in front of God, God says now you have to stand firm, because now I will fight for you and it is my battle.

²¹ And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

When God gave him strategy, and said, "Go into battle, not to fight. 

So here is Jehoshaphat, the appointed worshiper to praise God, and they go before the army. 

He said to sing them.

Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. 

A king, whose country was attacked by three countries and a huge army was against them, and Jehoshaphat is saying to sing them a song. 

What was that song? Give thanks to the Lord and his steadfast love.

Did you ever sing a "thank you" song for your disease? 

Did you ever sing a thank you song when you hadn't received your salary for the previous six months?

 

When we thank God in every situation, it pleases him, and when the people of Judas thank God, it pleases him.

 

The best Thanksgiving is not only when all things are good and you are thanking the Lord, but the best Thanksgiving is when you are surrounded by troubles, medical reports are against you,  but still you are saying, "My Lord is great, my God is alive. 

 

On the battle field, Jehoshaphat praised God before the battle, as did all the Jews before the battle. 

And nobody even got to use their swords because they were all dead.

 

Dear brothers and sisters!

Do not use your force to correct your things; let the force of God correct your things. 

Let the Lord use his strength to remove your troubles, and fix your things. 

 

You must fast, pray, and praise him in order to accomplish this.

Those who praise God in every situation, whether a lot of new things are happening or nothing is happening for them, will see God arise. 

 

 

When Jehoshaphat reached the battle field, they saw everyone dead, and they collected a lot of gold, for three days.

Every battle brings loss, but the war in which the Lord is there, that war goes on bringing benefits, They kept collecting gold for three days. 

 

  

Dear brothers and sisters. 

Do you want to experience how the Lord fights for you?

Do you want to stand while the Lord is fighting for you?

Do you want to be free from every bondage?

Do you want to see victory in your life? 

 

Then trust in your Lord; he will never put you to shame. Seek the Lord, increase your praise, and increase your thanksgiving.

then God will also say to us, "This is not your battle, but my battle. 

May God bless you. 

 

Passion (जुनून)

Date of Sermon Delivery: 5. mar. 2023

Place of sermon Delivery:  Delhi, India

Sunday Worship Service

Speaker: Jatin Bisht

Title : Passion (जुनून)

Bible : Acts 1:6–8

Key verse:

Praise the Lord.

My lovely brothers and sisters.

Welcome to the presence of God.

How are you?

It is wonderful that you are all well and are able to see each other today.

Last Sunday was amazing for me; I felt his faithfulness again.

The biggest challenge we had was the weather, as the warm season started in February, so we were all praying for good weather.

God has not only given us good weather but also good worship, a beautiful message (surrender your burden to God), delicious food, especially French toast, sorry everyone food was so delicious),  good games, and amazing fellowship.

Thank you very much for all your service.

 

Today, before we begin the sermon, I'd like to ask you a question.

How is your spiritual life?

It is very important for our spiritual life to be fine.

Because in our lives, some difficulties are small and some are big.

But our biggest difficulty is not that we do not have money, that we are sick, or that we are facing lack in our family; rather, our biggest difficulty is that we see our difficulties as we should not see them.

Our thinking is our big difficulty.

Sometimes we enlarge the trouble so much in our thoughts, that it effects our health, emotions, and behavior.

Many people are depressed right now because of their current life situation, relationship, future, work, and so on.

 

Whatever difficulties you have—whether it is with your marriage, whether it is with your finances, whether it is with your relationship—whatever they may be.

God will resolve it within seconds, but we suffer a lot in your mind for this.

 

Even though I am not different from you, I am also thinking. If something happens, I will also think and think. But quickly I hold the word of God, trust in it, and fight with myself.

As Paul says, I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7).

Do you know what kind of fight he had?

When thoughts come up and you deny them and believe God’s word, then thoughts come up again and you again believe God’s word, this is called fighting the good fight of faith.

Our difficulties are not with what is going on, our problem is with our thinking.

How are we taking it?

Last Sunday, we heard from Matthew 11:28.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

 

Why did not Jesus say, "Come to me, and I will bless you financially first?"

No doubt God gives us our financial needs also. (David says the Lord is my shepherd, and I lack nothing.).

But the reason Jesus said, "Come to me, and I will give you rest, and not, "I will give you a big car, a big house, or a lot of gold," is because He knew, that the human first need is inner rest.

The authors of the New Testament mention very little about how the Israelites escaped from Egypt, but they do mention several times that the Israelites were unable to enter into inner rest.

We also came out of the world, but have we entered into that Christ’s rest?

If yet you have not entered into the rest of Christ.

Then say to God, "God, I want to enter into your rest."

God does not want that we may move here and there; God does not want in our hearts that we may lose. But he wants that we may be stable in him.

Dear brothers and sisters.

If you want to enter God’s rest, then put aside your difficulties and focus on God.

Do not just read the Bible, or do not just spend your quiet time meditating. But imply it in your heart.

This is the only way to move into the rest of God.

Let us now turn to today's Bible reading, Acts 1:6-8.

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

Let me pray.

 

 

This was the last time Jesus met with his disciples.

And before Jesus left, the disciple had asked Jesus one thing: "Will you return the kingdom of Israel?"

Here, the disciple's main concern is to ask this question,  Jesus will come and restore Israel,

They were wondering when Jesus would return and when the Romans would leave.

Then Jesus said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or dates."

Today, many people try to find out when Jesus will come, what time the sun will turn into darkness, and when the stars will fall.

But here Jesus is saying, "Do not try to find when I will come; that time will come.

Many people today wonder when the antichrist will come. What is 666 meaning? What will be happen when Jesus will come? What will happen to those who remain here? When is Lord's Day? When is the Christmas date?

But let’s not spend time looking for those things.

It is not wrong to gain knowledge about it.

 

But the Lord is telling them to pay more attention in verse 8.

 

"There is written, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

According to the Bible, you must concentrate more on that.Have you received the power?

Young people are obsessed with the end of time, antichrist, the meaning of 666, and the date of Jesus' return.

Or are you passionate about being witnesses for Christ?

 

Why did Jesus say you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes on you. ?

What will that power give you?

When Jesus was on the earth 2000 years ago, he met a young man like us. And he was so rich.

When he met Jesus, he asked him a question. (Matthew 19:16-26)

Jesus, what shall I do to get eternal life?

Jesus replied, "You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall honour your father and mother, and you shall love your neighbour as yourself.

Then his young man said,I've done this all my life.

Jesus answered, "You still lack one thing.

Go and sell everything, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

This young man was very perfect in his own eyes, he does not want to get any correction, and I will say that is a bad attitude.

 

Dear brothers and sisters, do not hate or be angry at correction, even if it comes from your elders or younger.

The Bible says if you want to wander (bhatna), then stop listening to correction/truth (2 Timothy 4:4).

I want to ask, "How many of you love to correct?"

In the Bible, Hebrews 12:6

Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

In revelation 3:19, Those whom I love, I rebuke and disciple. So be earnest and repent.

 

If God shows any evil in your character, do not run away from it but love it and correct it.

If you have a plant, and it is in the growing stage, you can bend it in any direction. You can move it left or right, and it will take that direction.

But you cannot bend big trees, not even a little.

 

As you are young, bend your life with the word of God; correct yourself. Do not keep the pride that you are right or that you do not need anyone; how can that person give me suggestions or correct me.

It is your young age, live your life with God’s word in the correct way. 

after a few years you grow up, then it will not be so easy to turn yourself around.

Whenever your church tells you something or corrects you something, we go into sadness and want to move out of church, we go into completeness; we go into questioning how that person can say to me like this.

Stop this kind of attitude, God did not call you for this kind of attitude. God did not call me with this kind of attitude.

 

When Jesus met this young man, he thought that he was perfect, and he said, I follow all commandments." Then Jesus said, "You have a lack of one thing, sell everything and give to the poor.

Somewhere, this young man had pride in his money, he depended on it.

Earning or saving money is not wrong, but relying on money, trusting in money, and living on money, will not turn you into a faithful believer.

Money was this young man’s weakness, and Jesus answered this young man, by saying it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.

But in the Bible, there were many rich people too, and they followed Jesus.

Here, Jesus wanted to make us understand that it is difficult for a rich man who is dependent on money to enter the kingdom of God because they go again and again into their money, not God.

 

Maybe your weakness will not be money, but in present time, young people's weakness is that they do not want to help others but instead want to impress others. The second thing might be their eyes, many times there is no discipline in our eyes.

Even at last Friday's service, I told you, when David became lazy, he lost his eyesight and his discipline, and he did evil.

In the garden of Eden, Eve first saw the fruit with her eyes, then she ate, and then she fell into sin.

 

Dear brothers and sisters, you all know your weaknesses. Someone may be so addicted to games, someone's eyes may not be pure, someone may be in lust, and someone may be so addicted to a phone.

Still, do you struggle with it?

Then somewhere, we have not yet understood Acts 1:8

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

Jab pavitr aatma tum par aayega to tum Samarth paoge.

Lekin kyu? But why?

So that we can overcome those weaknesses, and the one who wins becomes its witness.

Witnessing is not just telling people the gospel.

Witnessing means being a person who manifests Christ in everything you do, in your life, in your character, in your behaviour, in the way you talk, in the way you think, and in the way you look.

First, God wants us to be his witnesses; a witness is a person who has the character of Jesus Christ, and such a character can be shown only on those to whom the Holy Spirit comes and gives power.

We all have the Holy Spirit, but why are we not that powerful?

 

When the Holy Spirit came over Jesus disciples, they were around 30-32 years old, after them, Paul got the Holy Spirit; Timothy became Paul's disciple; and after that, from generation to generation, many great reformers came: John Wesley, Martin Luther, and John Calvin.

They were all in great temptation, they were persecuted, many false words were used for them, they were called false teachers, but they overcame it and served the kingdom of God, because they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Disciples came and went: Paul came and went; Timothy came and went; Martin Luther came and went; John Wesley came and went; there were many who came and, after their work, they went.

But now it is your turn, and it is my turn.

The Lord wants to keep us in that line and make us His witnesses.

It's your turn to stand for God, as a witness.

Continue to pray to God, ask for the power of the Holy Spirit, and be a witness for God, and you will undoubtedly have a victorious life.

 

Dear brothers and sisters, have desire in your hearts, and Lord, make me a person who wins in his weakness and shows Christ in his character.

Increase your boundaries; God wants to bless you in many ways; do not just limit your life to money, jobs, and marriage.

I want to encourage you, to stay in touch with your church and church leader.

Share your weaknesses with them, talk with them, and God will show you the ways.

Be a witness for the Lord.

 

Every day I surrender my weaknesses in front of God, and ask for his forgiveness, I accept my mistakes and say, "Yes, Lord, I did this wrong, correct me. Whenever God is mentioned to me by anyone, I take it seriously, no matter if he is younger or older than me. God is my witness, and I try my best not to repeat those mistakes again.

Even though I am not perfect, I believe my God is perfect, and he is amazing, God is making me his witness day by day, and whoever he has called, he wants to make them a witness.

Dear brothers and sisters,

You know who you are (aapne aap ko pahchaniye ki aap koun ho?)

Arise in your passion, You are God’s priest, you are his letter, fulfil the purpose for which he has called you, finish your race in Jesus.

God loves you a lot.

Hallelujah.

God has a great purpose for your life, and he wants to fulfil that purpose in your life, but it will begin with your desire to be his witness, and then God will use you where he wants to use you.