2020-02-19
2 Chronicles 20:3 NKJV
Third, take your problems to the Lord. In the midst of his crisis, Jehoshaphat “set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast.” Prayer is often the last thing we think of. Why? Because we want to work our problems out on our own. A deacon approached the pastor one day and said, “Pastor, we’ve got a problem we can’t solve. We’ve tried everything and nothing works.” The pastor said, “Well, I guess all we can do is pray about it.” The deacon replied, “Pastor, has it really come to that?” When you’re facing life’s battles, prayer should be your first resort, not your last! And sometimes when the problem doesn’t yield to prayer alone, God leads you to add a second element: fasting. Ever tried it? Fasting isn’t something mystical and mysterious; it’s about focus! It’s saying: “Lord, I can do without food and other things, but I can’t solve this problem without You. So instead of eating, I’m going to spend time seeking Your face until I have an answer.” Cornelius, a Gentile, fasted and prayed for four days, asking God for direction. As a result, God sent Peter to his house to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and in the process changed the course of history (See Acts 10). In order to know whom to appoint to leadership positions, the New Testament church fasted, prayed, and asked God for guidance. And as a result, one of the most dynamic evangelistic teams of all time, Paul and Barnabas, was born (See Acts 13:2-3). When you get serious enough to fast and pray about your problem, God will show you the solution.
Soul food: Rom 15-16; Matt 15:15-28; Ps 28; Prov 5:3-6
2 Kronieke 20:3 NLV
Derdens, neem jou probleme na die Here toe. Gebed is dikwels die laaste uitweg waaraan ons dink. Hoekom is dit so? Omdat ons ons probleme self wil oplos. ‘n Diaken het een dag vir die pastoor gesê: ‘Pastoor, ons het ‘n probleem wat ons nie kan oplos nie. Ons het alles probeer en niks werk nie.’ Die pastoor het gesê: ‘Wel, al wat ons dan kan doen is om daaroor te bid.’ Die diaken het geantwoord: ‘Pastoor, is dit wraggies ons laaste opsie?’ Wanneer jy voor die lewe se gevegte te staan kom, moet gebed jou eerste uitweg wees, nie jou laaste nie! Soms wanneer die probleem nie net deur gebed opgelos kan word nie, lei God jou na ‘n tweede element toe: om te vas. Het jy dit al probeer? Om te vas is nie iets mistiek of geheimsinning nie; dit gaan oor fokus! Dis om te sê: ‘Here, ek kan sonder kos en ander dinge gaan, maar ek kan nie hierdie probleem sonder U oplos nie. Dus, in plaas daarvan om te eet, gaan ek U aangesig soek totdat ek ‘n antwoord het.’ Kornelius, ‘n nie-Jood, het vir vier dae gevas en gebid en God vir leiding gevra. God het toe vir Petrus na sy huis toe gestuur om die evangelie met die nie-Jode te deel en in die proses die verloop van die geskiedenis verander (sien Handelinge 10). Die Nuwe Testamentiese kerk het gevas, gebid en God vir leiding gevra om te weet wie om in leierskapsposisies aan te stel. So is een van die mees dinamiese evangelistiese spanne van alle tye, Paulus en Barnabas, gebore (sien Handelinge 13:2-3). Wanneer jy ernstig genoeg raak om oor jou probleem te vas en te bid, sal God vir jou die oplossing wys.
Sielskos: Rom 15-16; Matt 15:15-28; Ps 28; Spr 5:3-6
2 Chronicles 20:3 NKJV
When we’re facing a battle, one of the most important things we can do is to take our problems to God. In the midst of his crisis, Jehoshaphat ‘set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast.’ Prayer is often the last thing we think of. But when we’re facing a battle, prayer should be our first resort, not our last. When we’re praying, we also need to be listening to God. It can be easy to cry out to God about our situation, but sometimes we forget to take the time to listen to what He wants to say to us about it. Sometimes God can lead us to fast alongside our times of prayer. Fasting isn’t something mystical and mysterious; it’s about focus. It helps us to turn to God and be focused on Him. Maybe we need to give up social media for a while, and use that extra time to pray. Maybe we need to fast from TV or a certain type of food which we go to for comfort. Fasting is a way of acknowledging that we need God’s help to win our battle, rather than seeking help and comfort in other things. It’s a way of focusing on God until He shows us the answer to our problem. In the Bible, Cornelius fasted and prayed for four days, asking God for direction. As a result, God sent Peter to his house to preach the gospel and in the process changed the course of history (have a read of Acts 10). When we turn to God through prayer and fasting, He’ll show us the way we can win our battle.
Rom 15-16; Matt 15:15-28; Ps 28; Prov 5:3-6
2020-02-18
2 Chronicles 20:12 NIV
Second, admit your own inadequacy. The only people God can’t help are those who don’t think they need His help. King Jehoshaphat said, “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Often our eyes are on everything and everyone – except God – the One who can solve our problems. Your circumstances are like a mattress: If you’re on top you can rest easy, but if you’re underneath you can suffocate. Keep your eyes on the Lord and you’ll win out over your circumstances. Remember, it’s “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV). You can’t live the Christian life in your own strength because you have a power shortage. You need the power that comes from letting God’s Spirit live through you. Try to imagine a glove. On its own, it is limp and powerless. But once a hand fills that glove it becomes useful and effective. Jesus said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8 NKJV). Jesus often spoke of the Holy Spirit as “the Helper,” so when you don’t know what to do, stand on His promise: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26 NKJV). If you fight in your own strength, you’ll lose. But when you draw on the power of God’s Spirit that’s within you, you’ll win.
Soul food: Rom 12-14; Matt 15:1-14; Ps 5; Prov 5:1-2
2 Kronieke 20:12 NLV
Tweedens, erken jou eie ontoereikenheid. Die enigste mense wie God nie kan help nie, is diegene wat dink dat hulle nie sy hulp nodig het nie. Koning Josafat het gesê: ‘…Ons is magteloos teen hierdie groot leër wat op die punt is om ons aan te val. Ons weet nie wat om te doen nie, maar ons kyk op na U vir hulp.’ Ons oë is gereeld op alles en almal – behalwe God – die Een wat ons probleme kan oplos, gevestig. Hou jou oë op die Here en jy sal bo jou omstandighede uitstyg. Onthou, dis ‘…Nie met mag of krag nie, maar deur my Gees, sê die Here die Almagtige’ (Sagaria 4:6 NLV). Jy kan nie die Christelike lewe in jou eie krag leef nie, want jy het ‘n tekort aan krag. Jy het die krag nodig wat jy ontvang wanneer jy God se Gees toelaat om deur jou te lewe. Dink aan ‘n handskoen. Op sy eie, is dit slap en magteloos. Wanneer ‘n hand egter die handskoen vul, word dit bruikbaar en effektief. Jesus het gesê: ‘Maar wanneer die Heilige Gees oor julle kom, sal julle krag ontvang…’ (Handelinge 1:8 NLV). Jesus het dikwels na die Heilige Gees as ‘die Raadgewer’ verwys, so wanneer jy nie weet wat om te doen nie, staan op sy belofte: ‘en wanneer die Raadgewer, die Heilige Gees, kom wat die Vader in my Naam sal stuur, sal Hy julle in alle opsigte onderrig en julle ook herinner aan alles wat Ek vir julle gesê het’ (Johannes 14:26 NLV). As jy in jou eie krag veg, sal jy verloor. Wanneer jy egter krag uit God se Gees wat in jou leef put, sal jy wen.
Sielskos: Rom 12-14; Matt 15:1-14; Ps 5; Spr 5:1-2
