Welcome you to the Lord's house today and we pray that God will bless our coming together. We're going to worship the Lord and singing our opening praise. And what a way to start in singing the 23rd Psalm. The Lord's my shepherd, I'm not want. He makes me down to lie and pastures green. He leadeth me the quiet waters by. And we're going to stand and worship God as we sing the words of this, the 23rd Psalm. The Lord's my shepherd, I will not want. He makes me glad to lie in bed. to God the King, with heaven and earth for our King. I love you. Amen. We're going to come before the Lord in prayer, but we're delighted that our good brother, Dr. Greenfield, is with us this morning. I'm going to ask him to come and lead us to the throne of grace in prayer. So let's bow our heads before the Lord and our brother will come and lead us to the throne of grace, at the throne of grace in prayer. Amen. Our gracious God and our loving Eternal Father in heaven, we come again this Lord's Day morning into thy house to meet together with thy people around thine own inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word. And we thank thee, Lord, that we can say today, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. And we do thank thee, Lord, for the words that we have been singing together from the 23rd Psalm. Thank thee, Lord, for each one bowed now in thy holy presence who can say of a truth, the Lord is my shepherd, the one who is the good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep. And oh God, we thank thee today that we have been born again of thy spirit and cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. We thank thee, Lord, for Calvary. We thank thee for all that our Saviour accomplished for us at that old rugged cross of Calvary. We thank thee, Lord, that he bore our sins in his own body to the tree. And our Father, we thank thee today that we come to worship Thee, to give Thee thanks and praise, to thank Thee again for every blessing that Thou hast bestowed upon us. We thank Thee, Lord, that every good gift and every perfect gift, it cometh from Thee, the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. And our Father, we thank Thee today that we're found in the house of God, the living to praise Thee. And we just ask Thee, Lord, that Thou wouldst bless our fellowship together this morning. Lord, as we sing the hymns of Zion together, as Thy servant would come and read Thy word and preach its truth, we pray, Lord, that he might know a fresh anointing of the Spirit of God. We thank Thee for him, for his life, for his ministry, We pray, Lord, that you'll bless him today as he ministers thy word. Fill him with the Holy Ghost, we pray, and grant, Lord, that you'll bless thy word to every waiting heart. Bless every child of God by now in your presence. Lord, thou hast said, my God shall supply all your need. according to his riches and glory in Christ. And we ask thee, Lord, to meet each one of us today at the point of our need. Lord, thou knowest those who are downcast and discouraged. We pray, Lord, that like the psalmist, they might realize that when I am cast down, thou, O God, art the lifter up of my head. O God, cause them afresh to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith. Remember those who have lost loved ones in recent days and their Hearts are tender, Lord, draw near to them, we pray. Give them the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and beauty for ashes. Remember those who need thy touch to be upon them physically and bodily, Lord, we thank thee that thou art the great physician, and we just commend them to thee and to the word of thy grace, and we ask thee, Lord, that thou wast blessed. Remember those in our gathering, remember those watching online still outside of Christ. Our Father, we pray that even this day, they may come to know our Saviour, the Lord Jesus, as their own and personal Saviour too. Lord, bless each and every one of our sister congregations today at home and abroad. Bless thy servants who minister thy word. Fill them with thy Spirit. And Lord, what we pray for our own denomination today, we pray for every church or assembly of thy people, where the word of God is faithfully preached. We just pray, Lord, in the wicked of this, in the midst of this wicked and crooked and perverse generation in which we're living, Lord, that the glorious gospel of Christ may triumph in hearts and lives, and that many will come to know the Savior, that backsliders will be restored, that God's people will be revived. Lord, we need a touch from thee. We need that reviving touch. We cry like the psalmist, Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee? Lord, revive us this morning. Bless thy servant. Speak to every winning heart. And our Father, may we leave the house of God saying, truly, it was good to be here, for here we have met with thee. Bless us now, Lord, as we continue on in thy presence, for we ask all these things in the Savior's name and for God's eternal glory. Amen. Thank you very much indeed, Brother Greenfield. We're going to continue on in the worship of the Lord and we're singing the hymn 557. When you feel weakest and danger surrounds, subtle temptations, troubles abound, nothing seems hopeful, nothing seems glad, all is despairing, even times sad, keep on believing. Jesus is near. So let us enter into the spirit of praise and let us stand and sing this hymn together, please. Let's all together sing the words of the Savior. Amen. Jesus is here! Keep on believing! There's nothing to fear! Keep on believing! This is for Him! If all were rising, if all were flying Where would the cross be? Where would the flag fly? We walk with faith, there's nothing to fear. We walk with faith, this is the way. Faith within our hearts will last through the day. I Keep on behaving, there's a time to prepare Keep on behaving, this is the way Jesus. Amen. Praise the Lord. going to read some verses from God's precious word now in the book of 2nd Chronicles and the chapter number 20. 2nd Chronicles chapter 20 let's follow the reading of God's precious and God's holy and infallible word. 2nd Chronicles chapter 20 verse 1 and it came to pass that after this also that the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and with them other beside the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on the side Syria, and, behold, they be in Hazazon Tamar, which is in Gedai. And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord. Even out of all the cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court and said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven, and rulest not thou over the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art thou, or not thou, our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein, for thy name's sake, saying, If when evil cometh upon us as the sword in judgment of pestilence or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, for thy name is in this house, and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. And now behold the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom thou wouldst not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and destroyed them not. Behold, I say, how they reward us to come to cast us out of thy possessions, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. And all Judas stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children. Then upon Jehaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeal, the son of Madaniah, a Levite of the sons of Esau, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation. And he said, hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you. Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go ye down against them. Behold, they come up by the cliff of Sid, and ye shall find them at the end of the brook and before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you. O Judah and Jerusalem, fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you.' And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. and all Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. Amen. And we know that God will add his blessing to the reading of his precious and his holy word, for his name's sake. Amen. I'm going to ask our brother to come and make the necessary announcements at this time, please. We do give everyone a very warm welcome. If you're joining with us in the service here or you're at home listening online, we do pray that we will know the blessing of God even as we meet together today. We're glad to see our sister and brother Phyllis and Bill Kitchen over with us, our sister Phyllis playing on the piano. her brother Bill down there, and we're glad to see them over again with us at this time. We do give a special welcome to our preacher today, Dr. William McRae, and Mrs. McRae is in the service as well. They had a nice leisurely drive up the road this morning, enjoying the sunshine, and we're glad to have them with us today. He will be preaching tonight at the evening service and bringing messages in song as well. So we do give him a very warm welcome, no stranger to us, we've had him before and we've always enjoyed his ministry and we trust that that will be the same today, that there will be a word in season. for each one of us from the pages of Holy Scripture today. Do remember the evening service, the prayer meeting beforehand, 6.30 in the prayer room upstairs. Do come early. Plan to attend. Surely we need in these days to seek God, to seek God's face and to pray down the blessing of God. We trust that you remember that this evening. The offering baskets are at the exit doors as you leave this morning. for your tithes and offerings. On Tuesday evening, the prayer meeting and Bible study in our church hall at eight o'clock, and the speaker this Tuesday evening will be Mr. Andrew Irwin, a first-year student for the ministry in the college. Everyone is welcome and do plan to come and attend, please. Next Lord's Day, May the 15th, 10 a.m., the Sunday school, 11.30 a.m. family worship, 7 p.m. the gospel evening service. And the preacher at both services will be Dr. Greenfield. He'll be along to minister the word. I don't know whether he's going to sing. No, he's not, because the soloist, just checking, brother, to see whether you were awake or not. The soloist will be Mr. Stephen Patterson. He's been along before. We've enjoyed his ministry, and I trust that you will remember those services. The prayer meetings prior to the meetings, 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m., and at both services next Lord's Day, along with our normal offerings, Missionary Council offerings, will be taken up as you leave the service. This week, this incoming week in our Lisbon, Free Presbyterian Church. There is a special week of missionary meetings under the title Mission Revision. In connection with our mission board, some missionaries are home There are speakers every night, right through today and Monday through to Saturday, where there's a special interactive meeting on the Saturday. And if you're available to go pick up one of those leaflets and you'll see every night who is there, the subject and the message that is being preached. They're on the tables as you leave. Just a couple of other announcements as well. There's still some of Sam Houston's CDs, DVDs. He was here a few weeks ago. If you want one of those, we'd like to get that tidied up and the money in. So if you could look, if you see me for that after the service, the Vision magazines have also arrived. They're on the bench there in the corridor. If you haven't already picked up your copy, your names are on them, they're labelled. and you can pick that up today. One other thing, just with our own minister, being on holiday, the Reverend Nathan McVie is available in any emergency that may arise among the families of the congregation. And if you do need a minister, do contact myself or any of the elders and we will organise that for you. Thank you very much. That's all the announcements. that we have. I'm going to hand the meeting over to the Reverend McRae. Thank you. Thank you, brother. And it's certainly a joy to be back again. It's lovely to be fellowshipping again with you. And we pray that God will bless our meeting this morning. And we know he will for his promise where two or three are gathered together in his name. and there's certainly more than that, but there am I in the midst, and that's what's more important that the Lord's with us. We're turning to another hymn, 537, Am I a Soldier of the Cross, a Follower of the Lamb? And we're gonna stand to sing the words of this hymn together. Let's worship God as we sing. ♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. ♪ The Lord is with thee ♪ I divine the way, in which thy prairies flow. Let's set our hearts in the presence of the Lord and seek the peace of God in prayer this morning. Let's pray together. Eternal God and Heavenly Father, we come together around thy precious word now and We thank Thee, we praise Thee, the entrance of Thy word giveth light. And we live in a darkened day, age, in a darkened world because of sin. But we thank Thee that unto the righteous there ariseth light in the darkness. We thank Thee, our God, our Heavenly Father, for the words of the hymn that we've been singing. Am I a soldier of the cross? In the name, the precious name of Him who died for me. O God, we thank Thee that through grace will win the promised crown. O God, I pray that you'll bless everyone that's bowed before thee, thou knowest every situation, thou knowest every heart, and I pray in Jesus' precious name, that Lord, like the road to Emmaus, that the Lord Jesus himself will draw near and minister to our hearts this day. We ask this for Jesus' sake and for his glory. Amen and amen. As we gather around God's precious word today and you look in the world in which you're living in and the province that we're living in, I know it's very easy for many of God's people to be discouraged, many of God's people to be downhearted by what they see and by what they've heard. But it's always good to go back to the foundation, go back to the anchor of the Word of God. Because we sing the words of the hymn, in times like these, we need a saviour. In times like these, we need an anchor. I'm very sure, thank God I'm sure, my anchor holds and grips the solid rock. And so today, I haven't come with a message to discourage the people of God, but I believe that we find in the Word of God much to encourage us, even in a dark day, in an evil day, in a day of apostasy. Now we're turning this morning to the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles. Now, in the study of God's precious word, you'll find that the book of 2 Chronicles covers the period that is also covered by 1 and 2 Kings. So you can read those books, as it were, together. But we find that they both describe, 1 and 2 Kings and also 2 Chronicles, they describe the period from the reign of Solomon to the Babylonian captivity. When you say, well, why are the three books, whenever they're covering the same period of time, why could it not have been just a book of Kings and a book of Chronicles or just one of them? Well, whenever you study these books, you find that they are written from different viewpoints. The former is written from the viewpoint of the human viewpoint or the human standpoint. and the latter is from the divine viewpoint, or the divine standpoint. And let me just simply show you exactly, just in a little way, what I mean. In 1 Kings, in the chapter 14, in the verse number 20, it speaks about a king upon the throne, and it says this, verse 20, and the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and 20 years, and he slept with his fathers, and neither the son reigned in his stead." It just said that he slept with his fathers. Now that's from the human standpoint. he slept with his fathers. But whenever you read about this in the book of Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, and the chapter 13, in the verse number 20, this is what it says, neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah, and the Lord struck him, and he died. Now you'll notice it wasn't just simply that he died, but as far as God was concerned from the divine viewpoint here, it was God struck him and God removed him and he died. Now, whenever you come to 2 Chronicles, you'll find that Solomon sent to Hiram, who was the king of Tyre at that time, and he asked him for help to build the temple of the Lord in supplying materials and also in supplying workmen that were skilled in that work. And whenever the house of the Lord was finished, he gathered all the elders of Israel to bring the ark of the Lord out of Zion, the city of David, into Jerusalem and the glory of the Lord, the Bible tells us, filled the house. And we find after that in the scriptures that Solomon prayed a prayer of dedication of the temple and then he entered into a covenant with God. You know, you say that is wonderful, but you know the sad reality is this. At the end of Solomon's reign, we find disaster because we find a divided kingdom. We find indeed that the ten tribes, they went their way and the two went their way. And we have then Israel, the ten tribes, and Judah. And so therefore we find a divided kingdom. Solomon's son did not reign over the tent, right, but rather over just the two. His name was Rehoboam. And in chapter 12 of 2 Chronicles, the Bible says this in verse 1, and it came to pass when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. There was a time of apostasy. There was a going away from God, friend. And whenever he had strengthened himself, not in the Lord. The Bible says that David strengthened himself in the Lord. In his day of testing, he strengthened himself in the Lord. But no, the Bible says whenever Rehoboam had established the kingdom and he strengthened himself, then he thought, He didn't need God, but rather it said he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. And I fear, friends, that is what has happened, our wee province, over these past years. There's been a forsaking of the law of the Lord. And you know, man has come to the place that somehow he believes that he can do it himself, that somehow, that man is the answer to the need of the hour. And our people have turned away from looking to the Lord. Because it is the Lord Jehovah is our refuge and our strength, that very present help in trouble. And whenever he turned away from the Lord, friend, judgment followed. Because the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took the treasure out of the house of the Lord. And this beautiful temple that Solomon had raised, it's now in desolation. And during that time of departure from the Lord, You know, God's judgment fell. But whenever you read the story of Judah, you find that there were kings that rose up that did take a stand for God and for his worship. In 2 Chronicles, in chapter number 15, In the verse 8 it tells us, and when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and put away the abominable idols out of the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from Mount Aphraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord that was before the porch of the Lord. Thank God there was a stirring, there was a reviving again. He took courage. And he put away the abominable idols out of the land. And I believe that we have got to return. That's what he did. He returned to the Lord. And I believe that God's saying that to us today. That you cannot do this for the stability of our nation or our country. We cannot do it in our own strength. And when we forsake the law of our God, then my friend, then we rely upon the strength of man and we fail. We feel. But whenever they returned onto the Lord and put away the idols, God blessed them again. And then after Asa the king, there was his son rose up, his name was Jehoshaphat. And in chapter 17 of the book of 2nd Chronicles, in the verse number nine, it says, and they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the Lord with them. Yes, they've got back to the book. And friend, that's what we need to do. We need to get back to the book. We need to get back to the ways of God. We need to turn away from the arm of flesh because the arm of flesh will fail you. You dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor and watching unto prayer where Judah calls her danger, be never wanting there. And we find that they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the Lord with them. And they went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people. Taught them what, friend? The law of the Lord. And you and I must never be ashamed of who we are in Christ. You and I must never be ashamed of what we stand for. Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. And so we find that there was a stirring and there was a reviving under the King Jehoshaphat. But remember this, the best of men are only men at best. And this Jehoshaphat, who sent the teachers throughout all the land of Judah to teach them the word and the law of the Lord, we find that he joined affinity to Ahab, wicked Ahab. And as you read the 18th chapter of Chronicles, you find it's only the grace of God that his life was spared. He could have lost his life by disobeying the Lord. and joining up here with the enemy of God. And the Bible says in chapter 19 in verse 2, that the man of God, Jehu, the son of Hanani, the seer, went out to meet him and said to the king, Jehoshaphat, shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord? But you go on down to verse number four. Through that challenge, it says this, and Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back unto the Lord God of their fathers." Wouldn't that be great? If the leadership of our nation would call back the people to the God of their fathers. That led them back onto the Lord God. And there came a time of blessing and a time of peace. But you know, whenever you're in the midst of that time of blessing, friend, the old devil doesn't like that. The old devil doesn't like when God's people are worshiping and praising God and the stirring of God is going on and now the old devil will come in and seek to come in like a flood. And that's what happens when you come to chapter 20. The Bible says in verse number one, it came to pass after this also that the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and with them other beside the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle. And here's the calamity. We find the three nations from the east, they joined together. to fight Jehoshaphat and Judah. Now, these were the ancestral enemies of Judah, and they come to fight against that nation. You know, they're just about 25 miles from Jerusalem, and they're encamped there near the Dead Sea in Gedda. It's sad to say that the ten northern tribes, they turned to Baal worship, and here's a little band of people down in Judah, and they returned on to the Lord, and there are separate people on to God, friend. And now they're facing a mighty foe. The war clouds are covering the sky. There cometh a great multitude. That was the news. there cometh a great multitude, verse two, against thee. And when we are living in a world in this wee province of ours and those that stand for the gospel and those that stand by this book and the law of God and are unashamed of who we are in Jesus Christ, there cometh a great multitude against us. Make no mistake about it. The enemy will seek to come in like a flood. Now there will be those that came, I have no doubt whatsoever, whenever that news came to Jehoshaphat, there were those that came to Jehoshaphat and said to him, listen, you better compromise, you better conform, you even have got to capitulate. That was the situation that they found themselves in. But tell me, what did he do? Well, go to verse 3. Here we see not only the calamity, we see the cry. And Jehoshaphat feared. Well, that's a natural thing, isn't it? When there's a great multitude coming against you. And the old devil, you know, would say to you, you know, you'll never make it through. You'll never be able to overcome this crowd. There's such a crowd against you. And all of these other things you ought to do. Yes, he feared, and then it says this, and he set himself to seek the Lord. And he brought his burden to God in prayer. Now friend, let me tell you, you just said, here was a moment that there was a need for a call to arms. And yet what does man, what does this king of Judah do? The first thing he does, he sets himself to seek the Lord and he proclaims a fast throughout all Judah. He's not relying upon the arm of flesh. Neither is he trying to build up the arm of flesh. Listen, he falls on his face before God. And that shows me the confidence that he had in the midst of despair. And I want you to notice the reason for his confidence. Because it says in verse four, and Judah gathered themselves together. Thank God they listened to the leadership of the man of God. And they asked help of the Lord. They didn't get their eyes on man. They asked help of the Lord. Even out of all the cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord. Now why was this king so confident, even though there was a great multitude coming against him? Because friend, listen, first of all, he believed in a sovereign God. Look at verse six. He said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that there is none able to withstand thee? Here he believed in the sovereignty of God. Friend, let me tell you, I believe in that today. I believe that God's sovereign. And everything that is happening and has happened, let me tell you this, whilst man, humanly speaking, it's all disaster, God's still in the throne. God is still sovereign today as he was yesterday. God's still the same God as he was in our father's day when God sent a mighty heaven-sent Holy Ghost revival and the nation in this wee province of ours, listen, in a very short period of time, 100,000 people were swept into the kingdom and God saved multitudes. Lives were changed, homes were changed, families were changed, countrysides were changed. In reality, Ulster was changed. What if God were to do that again for you? Do you say to me, Obraham of Crete, that's not going to happen? Who told you that? Who said that? God didn't say that. God says, if my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and seek my face and pray and turn from their ways. Listen, God says, I'll hear from heaven and forgive their sin. God says, and I'll heal their land. God's able. Have you forgotten who God is? Let me tell you, my friend. You see this old world that we are living in, and it seems to be as if it's falling apart at the seams. And man says to me, listen, you know, we're living, the disaster after disaster after disaster. Tell me, have you ever read this book? See what's happening today? It's already here. In the last days perilous time shall come. Men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Not the age we're living in. The Bible says the Lord Jesus himself as he sat there on the mount he told his disciples that indeed there would be wars and there would be rumors of wars and there would be pestilences and there would be famine. Nations shall rise against nation. Kingdom against kingdom. My friend let me tell you God hasn't lost control. And do you know what he says? He says, and when you see these things come to pass, he says, look up. And you know, the truth is this. Many of God's people today, when you're talking to them, listen, there is downhearted, their bellies still on the ground. Because they think everything's lost. Everything's gone! There's no hope for the future. I want to tell you, Jesus says, and when you see these things come to pass, look up! Look up, brother! Your redemption draweth nigh. Say, look, God, you're on the victory side today. No matter what man says. We're not in the losing team. Praise God, we're on the victory side. Because Jehoshaphat believed in a sovereign God. He said, art not thou God in heaven? And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And he says, I'm the Lord and I change not. He's still ruling over all the kingdoms. And you see all these leaders of the world They're walking on and off the stage of time, friend, listen, and they think they're pushing the whole scene and they're in control. I want to tell you they're not. Because they're fulfilling God's plan and God's purpose. And God's already written the last chapter. And thank God we win. Brother, sister, are you overcome with discouragement today? Are you downhearted and depressed at what you look around you? He believed not only in a sovereign God friend. Look at verse number seven. Art not thou our God. He believed in a personal relationship with God. You see, he's not only the God of heaven, but he's our God. This God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even unto death. That's the God that Jehoshaphat believed in. Tell me, have you a personal relationship with God today? Can you honestly say, I'm a child of God? I'm washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm a joint heir with Jesus Christ. He believed in a sovereign God. He believed in a personal relationship with God. This is our God. Listen, he believed in the promises of God. Look at verse seven again. Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel? God, this is what you did in the past. This is what you did in the past, Lord. You drove out the inhabitants of the land before thy people Israel and gave us it to the seed of Abram thy friend. Listen, forever. God, there's your promise. You gave our Father this land forever. So the enemy's not going to drive us out, because God gave us this land. And they look back to past deliverances, when the days were dark, when it seemed as if there was no hope, that there was no way through the dark valley experiences, that our forefathers came through, because remember this, in Ulster, read the history, it wasn't easy in the past. You know sometimes we sing, but we don't believe it. Oh God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal hope. Do you believe that this morning? And Jehoshaphat looked back and he remembered past deliverance and then he goes back to the promise that God gave to Abraham. Thy friend. I think that's a lovely title. For God to say about any man Abram, my friend. What an honor to be able to sing with the words of the hymn writer. What a friend we have in Jesus. The friend that sticketh closer than a brother, who's nearer than hands or feet. But here we find a man called Abram, and he was the friend of God. Tell me, are you? Are you in that living, loving, lasting relationship with God today, my friend? That's not being disrespectful. God called Abram. My friend. And here we find that Jehoshaphat the king looks back and he said, listen, God, thou gavest it to the seed of Abram, thy friend. And God, you promised him. Thy seed, thy friend, forever. And then go down to verse number nine. He believed. and a God who answered prayer. If when evil cometh upon us as the sword, judgment, pestilence, and famine, we stand before this house and in thy presence, for thy name is in this house, and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou will hear. the God who answers prayer. But listen, friend, let's be honest. There's not much brokenness among the people of God today. There are not many tears shed over the condition of our nation or the condition of our province away from God. And in the prayer meetings, when was the last time that you heard a child of God break down in tears and cry unto God, O God, with no help but Thee? O God, hear and help. Do you know why? Because we're still looking to man. We're still looking to the arm of flesh. We're still looking to somebody else to bring the deliverance that only God can really bring. You know what God does? God has got to humble you. And God's got to bring you to your knees. And I'm talking about me too. And God has got to bring us to our knees when we cry out, we have no help. But the Lord, God is our refuge, God is our hiding place, God is our strength. He's the only help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the mountains shaken by trouble, there's chaos. all going around us, yet therefore not we fear. Why? Because we know that God is our hiding place. God is still sovereign. You remember they used to say, where was God in 9-11? Who said that? Quite a number of the world, I think, friend, that didn't even believe in God. But they mock God, they say, where's your God in 9-11? I'll tell you where he is today, as he was in 9-11. He's on his throne. And God's working out his sovereign plan. The old days said, Romans 8, 28, and it's as true this morning as it was last week. All things work together for good. To them that love God. To them who are the called according to his purpose. And there's the cry. Very quickly go to verse 12. Here's the confession. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us. Neither know we what to do. but our eyes are upon thee. He confessed his own weakness. He confessed his inability. Friend, we have got to come before God today, and we've got to fall before his feet and acknowledge, oh God, the arm of flesh will not overcome this great enemy. Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit self, the Lord of Hosts. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Oh, we have tried that. And it's failed. But thank God they're mighty. They're mighty through God. And there he stands as the king of the nation, and he gathers the people together. And look at verse 13, and all Judah stood before the Lord. Oh, that God would stir the people of Ulster again. Fill up the seats in the Bible-preaching churches. They feed apostasy. and Romanism and every falsism that there is. And they would stand before the Lord, listen, with their little ones, their wives and their children. Listen, this is for the family's sake, the nation. There's nobody left out here. The king's there, the men's there, the elders are there, the little ones are there, the wives are there. The children are there and they're standing before God acknowledging where can we go but to the Lord. And it was then, friend, when they humbled themselves in prayer. that God stepped in. Look at verse 13, quickly. It says, or verse 14 in the end of it says, came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation. And he said, hearken ye all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, thus saith the Lord unto you. There's a message from God. Oh, thank God. In the darkness, there's a message from God. And that's what we need to hear today. What is God saying? Thus saith the Lord unto you, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude. The Lord didn't try to minimize the opposition, friend. Yes, he said, remember the first news, there's a great multitude coming against you. God's saying here, there's a great multitude. Yes, there's a great enemy. And friend, there is a great enemy against us today. and the people of God today. There's a great host against us. But God says, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. And friend, the battle that we're in today is a spiritual battle going on. And it's a great battle and the enemies of hell are seeking to destroy the people of God and to discourage the people of God. But here we find there was a word of comfort. Be not afraid, be not dismayed. Why? For the battle is not yours, but it's God. It's good to be in the Lord's battle, isn't it? Standing. for the crown rights of King Jesus. What happened? Well, verse 17, or tomorrow it says, verse 16, tomorrow go ye down against them. Behold, they come up by the cliffs. Verse 17, you shall not need to fight in this battle. In reality, they were going to be bystanders. Why? Because God took the faith. Oh, that we bring God into this all. Oh, that we'd get back to God, friend. Oh, that we'd cry out to God with brokenness of heart. Oh, God, we need a stirring again. They'll stir. The honest before God, the ground is hard. The ground is dry. There's little happening. Oh, God, send us revival. Oh, God, send us stirring again. Oh, that the spirit of the Lord would come into the midst. And God says, listen, yes, go down. You've gotta go down against them. But stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord. Oh, Jerusalem, or Judah and Jerusalem, fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord will be with you. Praise God. God says, I'm going with you, but I'm fighting for you. And do you know what happened? It says, verse 18, Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. Here's the king giving leadership, honoring the Lord, and he fell down. Yes, he bowed his head with his face to the ground, and he fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And they rose early in the morning and says, Hear me, O Judah, verse 20, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the Lord your God. So shall ye be established, believe as prophets, so shall ye prosper. Listen. God says this, I will build my church. You think it's lost? You think it's over? You think we're finished? Jesus says I will, not I might. He says I will build my church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Friend, that's not the world attacking the church, no. That's the church on the march against the world, the flesh and the devil. It's God's people on the march. That's their going forward. And the gates of hell shall not be able to hold out against them. That God is going to do a work again. And he fell down. And verse 19 says he stood up And then verse 20 says, he went forth. Oh, that we would humble ourselves, fall down before God, friend, cry it onto him, because there are only hopes in the Lord. And then we've got to stand up. Take our stand, and then go forth. March forward. So many people have given up. So many of God's people are tired, discouraged, and they've given up on the battle. Friend, we can't give up. We've got to march forward. We've got to go forth to take ground in Jesus' name. And you know what they did as they went forth? And we're practically finished. It says in verse 21, and when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that they should praise the beauty of holiness. And as they went out before the army, and to say, praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever. They were going against a great army, but the singers went in front. Brother Greenfield and I, I remember in the early days, we used to go around the places with our cordions in our back, and we went forth praising the Lord. Do you know what else we need back in our churches? We need the spirit of joy. Praising God. Oh, that when the old devil comes in like a flood, oh, that God would give us a spirit of praise again. And they went forward. And the last thought, notice the contentment, verse 27. And they returned every man of Judah and Jerusalem and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. Verse 29, and the fear of God was on the kingdoms of those countries when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel, so the reign of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest." Roundabout. They said, it's no use, Jehoshaphat. There's a great company coming against you. It's all over, it's finished. But what did Jehoshaphat do? He humbled himself before God. And instead of relying upon the arm of flesh, he put his trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord, ye people. Trust in the Lord at all times, ye people. Pour out your heart before him. For God is a refuge for us. God is still. the throne. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy precious word today. We thank Thee, Lord, that Thou has promised never to leave us, never to forsake us, no matter what we have to face, no matter how dark the day and how great the battle and how stern the conflict. We thank thee, O God, that you said, I'll never leave you and I'll never forsake you. Lo, I'm with you, always, even unto the end. Bless your people, strengthen them, encourage them for the battle, and help us to fall down before thy face in worship. And help us to stand up in Jesus' name. And help us to go forth, claiming victory Through Christ, we pray for Jesus' sake. Amen. Amen. May God bless His word to your heart today. And brother, sister, in Jesus' name, remember this. Trust in the Lord and don't despair. He is a friend, so true. No matter what your problems are, Jesus will see. You three.