Sunday, 28th August 2022
Ps Kathy Poon
The biggest danger is to be in the danger but not knowing it; the biggest darkness is to be in the darkness but not knowing it. There are many things happening in our lives that disturb us, but very often we will overlook it and not realise that we live in the danger and in the darkness. As Christians, we must have alertness, through prayers and petitions, receive peace and assurance from God.
1. Repent & Return
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” II Chronicles 7:14-16
King Jehoshaphat was facing crisis, he was being attached by his enemies, but he was determined to seek God, and gathered people to pray with him. We must be persistent to pray, let our Spirit be awaken, and call others to pray together with us. When we face crisis, we must repent, return, and seek the face of God. When we walk astray, God will speak to us and guide us back to the right track, which God has predestined for us to go.
A lot of time when we fall sick, it may be an opportunity for us to humble ourselves, to repent before God for not looking after our own health, and to return to God, let Him help us to live a healthy lifestyle.
2. Praise the Sovereignty of God
“And said: O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, if disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.” II Chronicles 20:6-9
When King Jehoshaphat faced crisis, he did not see the enemies, but he saw the God in heaven full of power and sovereignty. Do not be afraid when we face troubles and challenges, because the God, who is with us, is greater than what is with our enemies. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and if He is with us, then who can be against us? All we need to do is to set our eyes on the Lord, He is the Lord Almighty, He is our Shelter, He is our Rock, and He is with us.
The Bible tells us that the combined military power of all the nations of the world cannot defeat God, because He is the LORD of hosts! Therefore, God’s people, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for those who are with us are more than those who are with the enemy!
3. Remember the Grace of God
“Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?” II Chronicles 20:7
In the prayer of King Jehoshaphat, he remembered what God had done for them in the past. He was standing in the land and declared that it was the land of the Temple of God. He remembered how God had led them this far, throughout the way God blessed them and guided them.
“And they dwell in it and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name.” II Chronicles 20:8
In our prayers, we also must remember God’s hearts for us and for our church. We are the people of God therefore we have the authority to pray for the people of the land. We cannot just pray for our own needs, but also the needs of others, the needs of this land. Do not just pray for the problems but pray that God will lead us into the destiny He has given to us and to our land. If we walk in the destiny of God, then we no longer need to be the fire fighters, who go around putting out the fire, but we will be builders, to construct the blueprint God has given to us.
God gave the people of Israel the Promised Land and made them build the temple to be a house of prayer for all nations, so all the families of the earth shall be blessed. We can take up the authority from Jesus, to proclaim peace on our land and our city, and to rebuke all the crimes, sins, sicknesses, hunger, violence… that is in our land. God puts us in the land of New Zealand, then as Christians, we have a mission to pray for this land. Of course, we should still prayer and intercede for our home nations, but most importantly, we must pray for the land God puts us in.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
We are too comfortable in our status quo, and we cannot see the needs of those around us. When God’s light comes in, darkness will flee, therefore we must be alert, to always seek the Will of God for us and for the land we live in.
4. Believe in the Promises of God
“If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.” II Chronicles 20:9
“No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.” Psalm 33:16-17
We should not look at the outward appearances, because God also does not see the outside, but within our hearts. When we see a person or a situation, pray and seek God, then we will have the supernatural power to see through what is on the outside.
“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:18-20
Let us pray and proclaim the promises of God, when we have the fear in God and when we look upon God, He will look after us and save us from all the troubles. Even when we are facing challenges, God can deliver us and we will not be afraid.
“Thus says the LORD to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. …You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!” II Chronicles 20:15b, 17b
The RPGS Prayer to turn crisis into opportunity:
- Repent
- Promise of God
- Grace of God
- Sovereignty of God
主日讲道记录 – 2022年8月28日
#化危机为转机的祷告
- Kathy 师母
我们在现实生活当中，不管是个人还是周遭听闻的常会遇到危机、突发状况，我们需要的是悔改的心和苏醒的灵。然而，最大的危机是我们在危机里却不知道我们在危机中，最大的黑暗是我们在黑暗中却不知道自己在黑暗中。我们基督徒要有危机意识，当看到危机、或其他弟兄姐妹遇到问题时，我们要迫切祷告、代求，倚靠神，才能看到危机变为转机，而不要以为甩手不理就会没事。今天我们用约沙法王面对三国联合入侵犹大的挑战如何透过祷告化危机为转机的例子，帮助我们学习怎样应对危机。我们在物质界所遇到的挑战、危机，其实就是神要提升我们的时机。
一、自卑祷告寻求主面
经文：历代志下 20:3-4
面对危机，约沙法王“定义寻求耶和华”，并且呼召犹太国民一起祷告。当我们灵魂苏醒的时候，我们就会愿意加入群体的祷告。
经文：历代志下 7:14-16
在危机当中，我们首先要自卑、祷告、寻求主面。我们也许会常常为自己生命中层出不穷的问题祷告，但有时是因为我们偏离了神原本对我们的命定和心意，所以，遇到危机时，我们不要怨天尤人，而是先”自卑”，谦卑省察自身的问题，并认罪悔改。
二、赞美神的大能掌权
经文：历代志下 20:6
约沙法面对危机的时候，他看到的不是三国联军的问题，而是在灵里看到“天上的神…是万邦万国的主宰…手中有大能大力”。因此，在危机中，我们要赞美神的大能掌权！我们在天上有一位神是统管万有的，并且无人能抵挡他，就算全世界的军事力量集合起来也打不赢神。在危机中我们要宣告神是万军之耶和华，神与我们同在，我们就不用惧怕！我们回应的方式就是定睛在万军之耶和华身上！诗篇46篇也提醒我们“神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时的帮助”，要看到神的名就在我们当中；经文也鼓励我们“要休息”，要知道他是神。认识我们的神就不用害怕。
三、回想神给我们的恩典
经文：历代志下 20:7~8
约沙法王站在这里向神祷告，回想当初神怎样在这片土地上不仅让他们安居乐业，还建造圣殿，他带领他们走到今天、一路上有怎样的恩典。神对我们教会的心意是什么？我们是神的百姓，是可以为万民祷告的，地上的万族也要因我们得福。我们的RPG祷告也不要只是为自己层出不穷的问题祷告，要为神能够带领我们进入这片土地的命定祷告。我们若进入命定，一切问题就不再是问题了。我们不是消防员，而要成为建造的人，当我们进入神的命定，神就会为我们抵挡一切，保护我们。我们要明白自己的命定，并与教会连接，明白神对这片土地的命定。我们要拿起神给我们祷告的权柄为这地代求。当神给我们在这片土地的命定被成就时，我们生命中的问题自然就迎刃而解。神今天把我们放在新西兰这片土地，我们对这片土地就有一个使命，所以要为它代求。
经文：诗篇 33:12
对这地的罪恶，我们是不是无感、安逸？我们要为这地的黑暗认罪、代求。当神的光进来的时候，黑暗就要离开。当我们拿起祷告的权柄为这地代求时，我们在地上所捆绑的在天上也捆绑，在地上释放的在天上也释放。
四、相信神的信实应许
经文：历代志下 20:9
这段经文也是呼应历代志下7:14-16 所讲的，当我们自卑、回转向神的时候，神是信实的，必会垂听我们的祷告。
*诗篇 33:16-17 告诉我们，外表的厉害不是我们所看重的，我们要有神的眼光，看到的是内心；18-20节也鼓励我们，要相信并宣告神的应许，我们敬畏、仰望的是什么？神看顾那些敬畏他、仰望他的人，也必能让饥荒中的我们存活。
*代下20:15a,17b 当约沙法做对的回应，就看到神实行拯救！