Open Heaven 24 April 2023 TOPIC: More Than Victory

MEMORISE: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” – Romans 8:37 (KJV)

1 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.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 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.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,

6 And 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 none is able to withstand thee?

7 Art 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?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or 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.

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 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.

13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation;

15 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.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 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; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

18 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.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

MESSAGE: Open Heaven 24 April 2023 TOPIC: More Than Victory

God is so generous that when He wants to give you victory, He makes you more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). He doesn’t just give you victory, He gives it abundantly. David said in Psalm 23:5 that God did not only give him victory over his enemies, He also prepared a table for him right in their presence. Now that is a different level of victory.

In our Bible reading for today, three kings came against Jehoshaphat, but God used them to destroy one another and then all their wealth was transferred to Jehoshaphat. Without fighting at all, Jehoshaphat and his people enjoyed victory and gained so much spoil that it took three days to transport it all to their country. This is in line with God’s promise in Deuteronomy 28:7:

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

The Almighty God says that because He has decided to help you, those who are incensed against you shall perish and become as nothing (Isaiah 41:10-13). The Lord says He shall fight for you while you just hold your peace (Exodus 14:14). He says further in Colossians 2:14-15:

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

You should be rejoicing if you are truly a child of God. Those who don’t know Jesus Christ don’t know what they are missing. The One inside you is greater than he that is in the world. To qualify as one of those who God loves and abides with, simply obey Him (John 14:23). If you want to experience victory over your enemies without a fight, obey all His commandments. Open Heaven 24 April 2023 TOPIC: More Than Victory

Father, please give me the grace to obey all Your commandments, in Jesus’ name.

HYMN 10: In Christ Alone

1 In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when striving cease,

My Comforter, my All in All,

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

2 In Christ alone who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless Babe

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save

‘Til on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied,

For every sin on Him was laid,

Here in the death of Christ I live.

3 There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day,

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory,

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His and He is mine,

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

4 No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Could ever pluck me from His hand,

‘Til He returns or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I stand.