2 Chronicles 13 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 2 Chronicles 13.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/13/1/s_380001

Meditate on verses 13-15.

 

But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come

from the rear, so that Israel was in front of

 Judah and the ambush was behind them. 

When Judah turned around, behold, they

were attacked both front and rear, so they

cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets.

 Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and

when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it

was that God routed Jeroboam and

 all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

 

Picture the scene: the armies of Judah surrounded by the armies of Israel.  Being attacked from behind and before, the priests blasted their trumpets and the men shouted to God with a war-cry.  When God heard their cry, He struck King Jeroboam and his army, thus conquering Judah’s enemies.

 

What and who is surrounding you and your loved ones, hoping to destroy you?  Cry out to the LORD using the words from 2 Chronicles 13:10-12, 15, 18, and 20 as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, You are _________ and my God, and we have

not forsaken You.  We are ministering

to You, LORD, attending to Your work.  We are

keeping Your charge; we have not forsaken You. 

God, You are with us.  Make __________ stop

 fighting against You, LORD God, for they will not succeed.

 We raise a war cry!  God, route Your enemies! 

Subdue Your enemies!  Let us conquer because

we trust in You, LORD our God!  Let those who fight

against You never again recover strength.

Strike them in Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

2 Chronicles 12 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 2 Chronicles 12.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/12/1/s_379001

Meditate on verse 1.

 

When the kingdom of Rehoboam was

established and strong, he and all Israel with

him forsook the law of the LORD.

 

Ugh, as soon as I read 2 Chronicles 12:1, I wrote, “No, LORD!!!!!” in my Bible next to the verse in bright red ink with bright red stars at the beginning and end of the verse.  “Oh, LORD, why is it our sinful, prideful tendency to forsake You when things start going well?  LORD, help us!”

 

Well, the life lessons in this chapter are obvious, and the text is full of verses to pray, so let’s get started.  Use the words from 2 Chronicles 12:1-2, 5-9, and 12-14 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, when You establish and make __________ and me

strong, do not allow us to forsake You and Your law. 

Do not let us be unfaithful to You.  Do not let us

forsake You, so that You forsake us to our enemies.

 LORD, we humble ourselves and say, ‘LORD, You

are righteous.’  LORD, keep us humble so You do not

have to destroy us.  Grant us deliverance and do

 not pour out Your wrath on us.  Let us learn, without

having to become slaves to the world, the difference

between Your service and the service of the

kingdoms of the countries.  LORD, please do not take Your

shield of protection from us.  As we humble ourselves,

let Your anger be turned away from us, so as not to

destroy us completely.  Please let conditions be good in

our family.  We will strengthen ourselves in You, LORD.

 Do not let us do evil.  Let us set our hearts to seek You, LORD.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Chronicles 11 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 2 Chronicles 11.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/11/1/s_378001

Meditate on verses 14-16.

 

For the Levites left their pasture lands

and their property and came to

 Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and

his sons had excluded them from serving as

priests to the LORD.  He set up priests

of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for

 the calves which he had made.  Those from all

the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the

LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice

to the LORD God of their fathers.

 

God made Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam, king of the 10 northern tribes of Israel because of Solomon’s idolatrous rebellion (1 Kings 11:4-11).  Jeroboam should have learned from the mistakes of his master and devoted himself to the LORD who had elevated him from servant to king.  However, Jeroboam proved himself foolish, building high places, satyrs, and calves for the people to worship.  He forbade the Levites from serving as priests, instead appointing his own priests to serve in his high places.  Jeroboam’s sinful choices put the northern kingdom of Israel on a path of destruction; all of Israel’s kings were evil, and the nation was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

 

Allow God’s Word to search your heart for Jeroboam tendencies.  When the LORD elevates you, do not get full of yourself and succumb to self-reliant idolatry.  Set your heart to seek the LORD and walk in His ways.

 

Pray 2 Chronicles 11:16-17 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, let _________ and me set our hearts on

seeking You, God.  We will follow You and sacrifice to

You, LORD our God.  Let us work to strengthen Your

 Kingdom and to support those who serve You.

Let us walk in Your ways and Your name, LORD Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

2 Chronicles 10 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 2 Chronicles 10.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/10/1/s_377001

Meditate on verse 15.

 

So, the king did not listen to the

people, for it was a turn of

events from God that the LORD might

establish His word, which He

 spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite

 to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

 

What was this word that God established?  It is recorded in 1 Kings 11.

 

It came about at that time, when Jeroboam

 went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet

Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road.  

Now Ahijah had clothed himself with a

new cloak; and both of them were alone in

the field.  Then Ahijah took hold of the

new cloak which was on him and tore it

into twelve pieces.  He said to Jeroboam,

"Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says

the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will

 tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon

and give you ten tribes (but he will have

one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and

 for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which

 I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), because

 they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth

 the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh

the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons

 of Ammon; and they have not walked in My

ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing

My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did.’” 

—1 Kings 11:29-33

 

How tragic!  Israel became a divided kingdom because of disobedience and idolatry. 

 

Ask the LORD to make you aware of idols in your life because they will divide your allegiance to Him.  As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), use the words from 2 Chronicles 10:19 to pray for yourself and those you love not to rebel against God.

 

“LORD, help _________ and me not be in rebellion against You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Chronicles 9 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Chronicles 9.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/9/1/s_376001

Meditate on verse 4b.

She was breathless.

 

Why was Queen Sheba breathless in the presence of King Solomon?  It wasn’t his livestock, gold, and precious stones; she had plenty of that (v. 1).  What left Sheba breathless was Solomon’s incredible wisdom.

 

Then she said to the king, "It was a true report

which I heard in my own land about your words and

your wisdom.  Nevertheless, I did not believe

their reports until I came and my eyes had seen it.

 And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom

 was not told me.  You surpass the report that I heard.

 How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants

who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom.”

—2 Chronicles 9:5-7

 

Recall God gave Solomon His wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10), and in Jesus, you have His wisdom, too:

 

By His doing, you are in Christ Jesus, who became

 to us wisdom from God.  We have the mind of Christ.

—1 Corinthians 1:30a; 2:16b

 

Because of Jesus Christ, you are as wise as King Solomon.  Let that truth leave you breathless as you pray 2 Chronicles 9:2-3 and 5-8 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, please let nothing be hidden from _________ and

me as we explain Your truths. May others see Your wisdom in us.

 Let people hear about Your Words and Your wisdom. 

Let them come and see with their own eyes the

greatness of Your wisdom.  May they be blessed as they continually

 hear Your wisdom.  LORD our God, delight in us, love us,

and establish us forever to do justice and righteousness.

Because You are our wisdom, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Chronicles 8 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 2 Chronicles 8.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/8/1/s_375001

Meditate on verse 16.

 

Thus, all the work of Solomon was carried out

from the day of the foundation of the house

 of the LORD, and until it was finished.

So, the house of the LORD was completed.

 

As you meditate on 2 Chronicles 8:16, think about these verses:

 

According to the grace of God which was given to

 me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,

and another is building on it.  But each man must be

careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation

other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold,

 silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work

will become evident; for the day will show it because it is

to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test

 the quality of each man's work.  If any man's work which

 he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.  If any

 man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he

himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.  Do you

 not know that you are a temple of God and

that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

—1 Corinthians 3:10-16

 

With God’s Spirit inside of you and Jesus Christ as the firm foundation, the LORD is building you and fellow believers into His holy temple.  You are a participant in this building process as you walk in the good works God has prepared for you (Ephesians 2:10).  Solomon’s temple is a beautiful picture of what God is doing in your life and the lives of those you love.  Pray for God to complete the work, using the words from 2 Chronicles 8:16 as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, let all Your work be carried out in _________ and

me to be Your house,  from the day You lay the

foundation until all Your work is finished.

Complete us in Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

2 Chronicles 7 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 2 Chronicles 7.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ch/7/1/s_374001

Meditate on verse 12a.

 

Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and

 said to him, "I have heard your prayer.”

 

What a comfort to discover verses in the Bible reassuring us God hears prayer!  After Solomon prayed, dedicating the temple to the LORD, God heard his prayer and filled the temple with His glory (2 Chronicles 6:14-7:2).  Pray for God to fill you and those you love with His glory.  Then pray the many treasure verses found in this chapter as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).  Pray 2 Chronicles 7:2-3, 10-12, and 14-17.

 

“LORD, please fill __________ and me with Your glory!  

We worship and give praise to You. 

Truly You are good; truly Your lovingkindness

 is everlasting.  Let us rejoice and be happy of heart

because of the goodness You have shown to us. 

Let us successfully complete all that You have planned

 for us to do.  LORD, hear our prayer.  We are

 called by Your name.  We humble ourselves

 and pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways. 

LORD, please hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal

our land.  Let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive

 to our prayers.  LORD, choose and consecrate ___________ that

Your name may be in them forever, so Your eyes and Your

 heart will be with them perpetually.  Let us walk before You to

 do according to all that You have commanded.

In Your name, LORD our God, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell