Ditches In Dry Places (2 Kin. 3:4-20) (Part 5)

Observations:

• The best time to inquire of God is before you settle on your plans (Prov. 16:9).
• When you don't consult God before you start, you will wander into a thirsty, desperate situation.
• What desperation and despair could have been avoided had the kings consulted God first.
• Oh, how much trouble we cause ourselves when we don't consult God on the front end!
• It is never too late to invite God's perspective into your situation.
• “Better late than never.”
• Though the three kings should have consulted God before launching their military plans, the fact is that they did seek Him later.
• If you failed to consult God about your plans from the beginning, then the next best time to seek Him is right now.
• The word you need from God won't just “come to you.”
• You must ask for it and seek it (Jer. 33:3; Mt. 7:8).
• Seeking requires humility, effort and time.
• Are you willing to pay the price to hear what God has to say?
• When the word of God comes, that is, when God's perspective and intention become clear, it will require obedience on your part.
• Be a doer of His word, not a mere listener (Jam. 1:22).
• Don't wait to obey until you understand every detail.
• Act upon what you already know.
• One act of obedience often helps to clarify the next step.
• God sent the promise of water, but the soldiers had to dig the trenches.
• Get out your shovel. Be willing to put in the effort.
• What might “dig a trench” look like?
• Attend corporate prayer meetings and develop a personal prayer life.
• Make an appointment with the pastor or one of the deacons.
• Let other people speak into your life.  Be careful – Don't allow just anyone access. Be wise.
• Fast for a day and get alone with God.
• Have a consistent Bible reading plan and follow it. 
• God speaks through His Word.
• Prov. 3:5-6

Ditches In Dry Places (2 Kin. 3:4-20) (Part 4)

Where do you need to “dig a trench?”

• Start with this question: “What is it you need God to do for you?”
• Example: "Lord, I need a financial blessing from You.”
• Continue with this question: “What is your part in making that happen?”
• (If God answered Your prayer right now, what would He expect from You?)
• He would expect you to tithe. He can't bless a thief.
• He would expect you to be generous. He can't bless stinginess.
• He would expect you to operate from a budget and stick to it.
• God can't bless a financial mess that you don't really want to fix because you have no self-control.
• He would expect you to humble yourself and seek advice from people who do have success in their finances.
• He would expect you to learn the difference between greed and need.
• He would expect you to learn the fine art of delayed gratification.

Ditches In Dry Places (2 Kin. 3:4-20) (Part3)

The kings, their armies and animals were running out of time. Could anything be done? Was their any way out of this trouble?

• The story took a turn for the better.
• Yes, something could be done!
• King Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of the Lord anywhere.
• If they could find a man of God, Jehoshaphat knew he could get a word from God.
• Of course we're all thinking, “Why didn't they consult God right from the start?”
• The important thing is that they were interested now.
• The benefit of trouble is that it usually draws people toward God.

As Jehoshaphat hoped, the kings got a word from God. It came through God's mouthpiece, Elisha.

• Notice their initiative.
• The three kings went to Elisha, instead of summoning him to come to them.
• Notice their humility.
• The three kings welcomed God's word as delivered, instead of predetermining what its content should be.
• Notice their obedience.
• They did exactly as God said.

God said, “Make this valley full of trenches” (2 Kin. 3:16).

• In other words God said, “I'm sending water, so stop asking and start digging!”
• God's business was to speak, their business is to obey.
• God's business was to provide, their business was to prepare for and preserve His provision.
• To “dig a trench” is to be firmly convinced God's word to you is truth.
• If God answered the prayer of your wildest imagination, would you be ready to handle it?
• God scripted-in the kings and their armies.
• If they wouldn't dig trenches, there would be no water to drink.
• If they wouldn't make the effort to dig, there would be no blessing to enjoy.

Ditches In Dry Places (2 Kin. 3:4-20) (Part 2)

What a brilliant plan Jehoram began with.

• He aligned himself with Jehoshaphat, King of Judah.
• By aligning with King Jehoshaphat, Jehoram also aligned himself with the King of Edom, since Judah controlled Edom at that time.
• From this alliance, Moab would be conquered and their required tribute would be reinstated.

After the alliance was formed and the military reconnaissance was over, trouble hit before they could enter Moab.

• After a seven-day recon mission to discover the best route for attack, the alliance discovered there was no water.
• There was no water for the kings.
• There was no water for their soldiers.
• There was no water for their cattle.
• The cattle was their food source.
• There was no water for their beasts.
• The beasts carried military equipment and war supplies.
• In no more than three days, since that's the maximum people can live without water, everyone would die.

Notice what incredible “faith” Jehoram showed when trouble hit.

• “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab” (2 Kin. 3:10).
• Jehoram wasn't what you would call a godly king.
• In time of trouble, however, he knew whose name to invoke.
• Isn't that the way it is today?

Ditches In Dry Places (2 Kin. 3:4-20) (Part 1)

Background:

• Jehoram is the King of Israel (10 northern tribes).
• Jehoshaphat is the King of Judah (2 southern tribes – Judah and Benjamin)
• Mesha is the King of Moab (neighboring territory).
• The King of Edom was a “puppet,” installed by Jehoshaphat.
• The reason Jehoram and Jehoshaphat took the route they did was to include the King of Edom in their expedition.

Introduction:

• Have you seen the Disney movie “Pocahontas?”
• Did things really happen that way?
• In case you're unfamiliar with the movie, this summary by Anarya Andir tells it all.
• “The story in the film: Pocahontas is the feisty daughter of a Native American Chief and is the female protagonist. At the time when ‘White Men’ search for the ‘New World’, she is put face-to-face with the dashing explorer John Smith, and they fall in love. What ensues is a war between the ‘pale faces’ and the Red Indians, but the love of Pocahontas and John Smith makes both sides realize that war is not the answer. In the end, John Smith goes back to England and Pocahontas remains with her people and retains her cultural identity.”¹
• Nice story, but that's not really how it happened.
• “What the real story is: Pocahontas surely was the daughter of a Native American Chief. She met John Smith when she was ten (according to Smith’s accounts). However, recorded history never suggests that they were lovers. John Smith had mentioned that she had saved him during an instance when the natives were trying to kill him, but there are various interpretations in regard to this account of his. Pocahontas later married John Rolfe (not John Smith) and went to England with him and converted to Christianity.”¹
• Would you agree with me that someone forgot to do his history homework?
• A little consultation with the history books would have gone a long way.
• This week's Bible story is about three kings who forgot to do their homework.
• They failed to consult God before embarking on a military mission.
• Their failure to do their homework by consulting God nearly cost them their lives.
• The story is found in Second Kings chapter three, verses three through twenty.

1 http://manishamishra.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/animated-films-that-forgot-to-do-their-history-homework/ (Accessed 1-11-14)