2 Kings 19 (1) Bible Study (Isaiah Reassures Hezekiah/Sennacherib Defies the Lord) | Daniel Batarseh

Let's turn to our bibles now in second Kings chapter 19. And as you turn there, I wanna ask you, what do you do when you're caught in a dilemma that seems to have no way out? When you are confronted with a circumstance that does not provide any visible door to escape. Does the word of God provide any kind of counsel, wisdom for the most righteous, Christ honoring, and profitable outcome for suffocating threats or dead end situations? I'm here to tell you from the beginning, it does.

And what we have before us in this chapter is a blueprint given to us by the Holy Spirit through the example of Hezekiah that shows us how each of us in this place can receive divine intervention. I'm talking about heavenly invasions in our lives for a variety of predicaments that are outside of our control. And so being here tonight, I can guarantee you this, that you will have your faith built up. That your heart will be prepared for those cloudy days. That you will hopefully know what to do when you are surprised by an attack.

And if we remember hopefully from last week, we concluded with Hezekiah's three representatives returning to the king with torn clothes and the awful report of a serious blasphemous intimidation. And Hezekiah, in this new chapter, is going to give us a play by play of how we can respond to things that overwhelm us. Not things that we've created for ourselves necessarily, though this still works for such situations. But for anything, but for really anything, especially those things that we did not expect. And this obstacle, though it is unique to this man, provides principles that are timeless.

Hezekiah's actions are driven by convictions that you and I can share and possess and live by. And with that, expect the same kind of results if we implement them by faith. And so we're not going to complete this chapter, but I want us to look at second Kings 19 verses one to 13, but we'll read in one sitting the first seven verses. Let's do that. As soon as king Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord.

And he sent Eliakim who was over the household and Shebna the secretary and the senior priest covered with sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos. They said to him, thus says Hezekiah, this day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace. Children have come to the point of birth and there is no strength to bring them forth. It may be that the Lord your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.

When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, say to your master, thus says the Lord, do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land. O righteous father, we believe with all of our hearts that we are handling the very oracles of God. We tremble at your word. This is your book.

We believe that. But we need your help to understand it. And we need your help for it to burn in our hearts. And so Lord, the same grace that you gave to your disciples in Luke 24 where you open their minds to understand the scriptures, We pray that your sweet guidance would be felt tonight as we look at every verse with intentionality and great hunger. So Lord, we submit every faculty of our beings, and we trust that you will reward us in your word.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. It's no surprise that Hezekiah imitates the grief and the sorrow of his servants concerning the ordeal that surrounds them. And we can take comfort to know that we have liberty to feel the weight of such things, of a situation that may overwhelm us with honesty and in integrity. However, Hezekiah in this moment teaches us something very vital, that we should never allow our emotions to dictate or to paralyze us for making the necessary steps to discovering a solution.

So although he runs his garments here, he does not stay in that state. He actually picks himself up and as a reflex almost, instinctively, he makes his way toward the house of the Lord. Now it would be wrong to assume that Hezekiah, in his desperation, went into the holy place or the most holy place. Those areas were designated for the priests alone. What he did do though, was enter into the courts.

The courts of the temple that were available for any worshiper. And here's the wisdom of Hezekiah's initial steps in response to this news that was devastating, life threatening. He planted himself in an atmosphere of faith when his faith was challenged. He planted himself in an atmosphere of faith. And that place is so obvious, the house of God.

Even in the old covenant, we learn that something powerful happens within the walls of God's dwelling place. And what we see over and over again by way of promise and example, is that when we enter and when we participate in the corporate gathering, we receive either an awakening or a strengthening for our faith. And I wonder when I was reading this the other day, I wonder if the words of the psalmist Asaph came through in Hezekiah's mind. Because Asaph's Psalm, Psalm 73 presents his own personal crisis of faith, but it also tells us the turnaround. Where it went from misery to revelation of hope and something that's offering to you and me.

Look at Psalm seventy three sixteen and seventeen. This is very famous, very well known to us. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task until I went into the sanctuary of God. Then I discerned their end. That precious word until.

Something happened to Asaph's faith the moment he stepped foot into the courts of God. And the same thing happens with Hezekiah. Understand this, both in the old and in the new covenant, the Lord designed his dwelling place to be a channel of clarity and confidence for his struggling people. Listen. Where you are sitting tonight carries the power for doubts to dissolve.

Where you are tonight and where you go every Sunday has so much potency, so much promise for things that try to sabotage our hope and our vigor and our joy, and to reverse it, and to place our feet on a solid rock within a a small time frame of just being exposed to where God calls us to be as his people can do wonders. So I want you to tuck this truth deep in your soul for times like this, like Hezekiah, though yes, again, his predicaments are very peculiar. But the idea being surrounded as we just saying, Do not discount for a moment the rich remedy of standing with God's people and singing the truths of God. Of sitting under the washing of God's word as it is expounded and as it is preached and as it is taught, even when it is read. Do not dismiss what can take place as you park your weary soul in the midst of the sweet fellowship of spirit filled believers.

It absolutely breaks my heart when I look at Christians who do not consider the gift of the church for the hurting. Now, we study the Old Testament in in great detail, I believe. There are a lot of differences between the tabernacle and the temple. Does anybody remember the names of the two pillars that were placed at the porch of the Temple of Solomon? Because we studied this in first Kings.

If you know it, you can say it out loud. Two names for these two pillars. One was you can say it louder. Oh, I know. People whisper because they're worried.

Well, let's turn there. First king seven twenty one. Because this is what Hezekiah would have been confronted with when he entered the courts of God. First Kings seven twenty one. He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple.

He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin. And he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. And on the tops of the pillars were lily work, thus the work of the pillars was finished. So we have Jacob and Boaz. Jacob means he will establish.

And most believe that Boaz implies in him is strength. And so this is designed by God. These pillars are testifying of God's faithfulness in one establishing his house and sustaining the temple, along with the dynasty of David. That's what the people would have been confronted with as they walked in the shadows of those pillars. God is faithful.

He created this place. He will maintain this place and he will be faithful. But I believe there's a personal application that as these worshipers made their way into this place, they would have also understood that true fortification comes from God. Experience in God within the house of God. There's a level of impartation that can only be realized there.

You know, as I was just speaking from my heart to the Lord before the bible study, another passage came to mind. And again, it's another famous one, but sometimes with these familiar Psalms, we we miss the the application. So, you don't have to turn there, but listen. Psalm 92 and verse twelve and thirteen, we read about the righteous flourishing. Flourishing like a palm tree and growing like the cedar of Lebanon and flourishing in the courts of God.

So in Psalm ninety two twelve and thirteen, you have the word flourish appearing twice, but there's something in between. If we're gonna flourish, we have to be planted in the house of the Lord. That's what it says in those two verses. The righteous will flourish like the palm tree. The righteous will flourish in the courts of our God.

But in between the flourishing, there is the requirement of us being planted where God calls us to be planted. I'm afraid people do not know great heights in their faith because they don't have the discipline or the conviction to live in God's house. Being planted mean, that's where your roots are. That that's where you get life. That's where you get your nutrients.

And so for those who have a light attitude towards God God's house, they will not know the fragrance and the flourishing that can come from there alone. Well, let's now come back to our main text and look at verse two because this is not the only thing that Hezekiah did. This particular trial would require more spiritual reinforcement. So in verse two, it says that he sent Eliakim, who was over the household and Shebna the secretary and the senior priest covered with sackcloth to the prophet Isaiah. So the next thing that this man does is he sends a message to this noble man of God.

And while gathering publicly with the priest and fellow worshipers was valuable, having a personal confident was just as essential. Now, you hear that and you think that's common sense. Unfortunately, it's not so common. Unfortunately, many believers lack the wisdom of choosing the right counselors in their lives. They often gravitate towards ill informed advisors, but not Hezekiah.

Hezekiah makes the choice to go to a man who walked with God. Here's my question for you. Was this was this something that Hezekiah did immediately when learning that he was surrounded by Assyria? Or is this an afterthought? Any idea?

Think about last week's study. Did Hezekiah have a lapse of faith in second Kings 18? He did. One, we know that he entertained partnership with the nation of Egypt, which went against what Isaiah preached about in his very book. Woe to those who go down to Egypt.

Secondly, what did what did Hezekiah do to try to appease Assyria? Anybody remember? It had to do with the house of God. He didn't go to the house of God to see God. He stripped the gold from the doors.

He took the treasures from God's house and he laid it at the feet of this enemy of God. Better late than never. Sure. But before we read Hezekiah humbling himself and coming to this man who had a special relationship with the Lord. That's why he says in his inquiry, it may be that the Lord your God.

He's not saying that Isaiah's God is not his God. He's just acknowledging that Isaiah has a special relationship with God. But before he does this, he trusted in the flesh. Before he does this, who knows what kind of advice he received from others? And it makes us wonder, it raises the question, how many problems could this man have avoided if he had gone to Isaiah first?

And here's my question for you. Can you identify someone, a man or a woman, who clearly walks with the Lord offering sound counsel because their life overflows with the wisdom of God? And if you can identify such a person, let me ask you this. Is your relationship to them something that is reliant upon you getting yourself in trouble? Do you seek counsel and correction and instruction after, only after you find yourself in a mess?

Or is it a preemptive conviction? Is this something that you look for before you make any significant decisions? Learn from this man's example. Yes. It's better late than never, but he could have avoided many issues if he had just believed that in the in the council of many there is safety.

So now, he reaches out to the prophet, but what does he ask of the prophet? Look at verse four, at the end of it. Therefore, lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. There are times in life where the most needed thing is biblically grounded practical advice. There are some people who just need to be told what to do and not have to really pray about it.

There are some people who pray to a degree where they disobey. Prayer does not replace practical obedience. But there are also other times where a situation demands something of you, where the only thing and the only thing you can do is pray. This is one of those situations. But Hezekiah was not just a man who prayed, he was a man who believed in the power of others praying for him.

Do we? I've learned something in my study of God's word that righteous men and woman of God not only pray, they covet the prayers of others. You see it here with Hezekiah. He asked Isaiah to partner with him in this way, and you see it throughout the New Testament, notably with the apostle Paul. In second Corinthians one eleven, he tells the Corinthian church, of all the churches come on.

The Corinthian church. So you must also help us by prayer. Then he goes on to say, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. It is generally agreed upon that the Corinthian church is one of the most troubled assemblies in Paul's day. They had a lot of problems.

I actually think if any of us walked into the Corinthian church today, we would think, you guys aren't believers. There there's no way. Imagine imagine a majority of a church that doubted the resurrection. That's what we're talking about here. And that's just one slice of the problem that was going on in this congregation.

But listen, as imperfect as they were, the apostle still asked them to intercede on his behalf. That's staggering to me. Because he he's not just saying this to be courteous. He's not he's not saying this to seem humble. He actually believed that even with struggling Christians who genuinely pray, they can touch God.

Think about this. Be moved with this. That you have one of the greatest Christians who've ever lived. A giant in the faith requesting a bunch of troubled Christians to help him in prayer. Sincerely believing that through their prayers, heaven will send help.

And so so many things come to my mind when I meditate on this. God will honor even the prayers of such weak saints who just take the time to bend the knee, call out to him and ask, Lord you must do something for our brother Paul. You must do something for our church. Paul had this understanding and he shares it with us so that we can believe the same thing. But listen, you cannot arrive to this conviction unless you're first convinced of something deeper.

Do you know why so many people don't pray? Can I tell you why? I'm talking about Christians, never mind the world. Do you know why so many Christians don't pray? Because they don't believe how weak they are.

They don't understand just how needy they are. If there's gonna be anything lasting and genuine to come through in their lives or in their situations or in their ministries or whatever it may be. We see it with Hezekiah. Did we miss it? Go back to second Kings 19 and look at the end of verse three.

Let's just read the whole verse. They said to him, thus says Hezekiah, this day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace. Children have come to the point of birth and there is no strength to bring them forth. That's just a parabolic way of saying we're at our wits end. There is nothing left within ourselves to produce any good results, anything valuable, anything that will deliver us from this crisis.

We have no more strength. We need something outside of ourselves to bring a solution. Weak people pray and I'm not talking about weakness in in terms of falling into sin. No. A revelation of your absolute dependency on a good and powerful God.

And this mighty man of God understood that. And so he asked this prophet to pray. And what I find so glorious about this truth is that this appeal is not strictly about his own preservation. Look at verse four again. He mentions God three times.

Does he not? It may be that the Lord your God, then scroll down, the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God. And again, and will rebuke the words that the Lord, your God. What does this man consume with? The glory of God.

The glory of God. Isaiah, I'm asking you to part with me in prayer because God's name is at stake here. And not just God's glory, but look at the last part of verse four, therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. This is how this verse convicted me. How much of my praying is motivated for God's glory and the good of others?

That's what I thought. There is nothing wrong in asking God to come through for us personally, but we gotta broaden our understanding of what prayer can do. We gotta understand what it is, what are the ingredients that invites greater testimonies of answered prayer in our lives. And one of them certainly is for the glory of God. And surely the Lord will honor a person who has enough love for a precious saint to say, God, I'm praying for the remaining remnant.

Hezekiah inspires me. And so, yes, he goes to the house of God, but he also goes to a man of God, a friend. And he believes that as they both pray, God will do something. Now look at this. Hezekiah is immediately rewarded for his faith.

In verse five, when the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, say to your master, thus says the Lord, do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. So Isaiah was ready with a a prophecy. That's not to say that he disregards the call to prayer. Next week, we're gonna see that both Isaiah and Hezekiah are gonna pray. They're gonna pray.

But the the purpose of this section is to show how God wanted to provide immediate relief to his servant. And he does so on the basis of his word. He he wields and presents them his precious word, thus says the Lord. Yes, I'm aware that this is a personalized declaration, but there's something about this peculiar prophecy that can comfort us as well. I understand that this is unique to the story and to this man, but what's the essence of the message?

What is Isaiah saying to Hezekiah? The main thing is, God is fully aware of the evils committed by your enemies. In fact, if you read back, Hezekiah admits that he's doubting. Look again. Look at verse four.

It may be that the Lord your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh. So what was the concern of Hezekiah? I hope God really heard what we heard. Isn't it freeing to know that you can come into God's presence stumbling in doubt? With imperfect faith and he'll still answer you.

Because the very approach, the very act of prayer is a demonstration of faith in itself. So God will honor that. So here Imagine, here's here's Hezekiah saying, it may be that God heard. I'm hoping that God heard. I'm hoping he saw what we saw.

And the Lord reassures him, I did hear it. I heard the words of the servants of the king of Syria, the words that reviled me. What's the takeaway from this? I believe one main takeaway is that there is a flood of peace awaiting those who believe that God sees and knows absolutely everything taking place in your life, especially the source of your pain and turmoil. In fact, that is one of the introductory revelations of the nature and character of God that the scripture provides us.

Do we remember what Hagar called the name of the Lord when she was visited by the angel of the Lord in the wilderness? The God who sees. But there's something deeper in that message. Go to Genesis 16. When I was looking at this, it made me so excited to do a study in the book of Genesis.

We will do so very very soon, I think. Genesis 16, look at verse 13. This is when Hagar was mistreated by Sarai. And she flees into the wilderness and the angel of the Lord, a preincarnate manifestation of Christ, comforts her with a promise and this is how she reacts. In Genesis 16 verse 13, so she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, you are a God of seeing.

For she said, truly here I have seen him who looks after me. Therefore, the well was called Bir Lachai Roi. It lies between Kadesh and Bered. And before I say anything, I find it so encouraging that the first theophany, which is a manifestation of God in a very tangible way, the first manifestation of God for a woman in the Bible is here. This is the first time a woman experiences God in such a way and why that should move us is because who Hagar is.

She's a servant. She she is not in direct covenant with God like Abraham and his wife were. In fact, they were mistreated by those who had this covenant with God. And yet the Lord honors Hagar with a special experience and a promise. Even though in our estimation she is unworthy, she she's not a likely candidate to know this, to experience this.

And this so moved this woman that there's a well where it happened and she names it. She she she creates this monumental thing. And she calls it Bir Lahoy, Roi, meaning what? It means you are a God of seeing. And this was not just a personal reference for her.

It was a public testimony so that if anybody would come to this well and realize its name, it would be associated with a refreshment of a deep well filled with crisp water. You are a God of seeing. And this monument for public testimony worked. Does anybody know the next time that this name, the name of this well appears in the Bible? It only appears a total of three times.

This is the first one. Any idea when it appears next? It's in Genesis. Somebody said it, I think. Isaac.

Go to Genesis in chapter 24. This is when the servant of Abraham looks for a wife for his master's son, Isaac, and Rebekah is on her way to her new husband. And we read this in Genesis twenty four sixty one and sixty two. Then Rebekah and her young woman arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.

Now Isaac had returned from Beer Lachai Roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. Why do we need to know that Isaac was at this well? Now, we don't have concrete evidence. Can I tell you what I believe? I believe he wanted to plant himself by the revelation that God is the one who sees.

Why did he need to find comfort in that truth? I think you find the answer in verse 67. Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah, his mother, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. This man was struggling with the loss of his mother.

And I believe that he was at the well that was named you are the God of seeing, To just receive that truth for his own hurt, his own grief. Isn't it amazing that where Hagar names us well, God provides an answer beforehand and mending her heart. How did he do it? He appeared to her in a very real and powerful supernatural way. Now fast forward, the next time this well is brought up you have Isaac and we learned that he was struggling with the loss of his mother.

And could it be that the Lord who saw comforted Isaac, not with a theophany, but with a wife, a companion, a new relationship. Now let me give you the third time it is mentioned. It's also with Isaac, very nearby. Come to Genesis 25 verse 11. After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son, and Isaac settled at Bir Lecha Roi.

So why does he go back to the well again? Because now he loses his dad. And I believe Isaac needed to return to that truth. You are the God of seeing. So collecting these these three unique references, is it coincidental that each time the name you are the God who sees, you are the God of seeing appears in in relation to relational pain.

With Hagar, it was the hurt and betrayal of those that brought her into their home. And and and because of their lack of faith, set her up only for her to experience the brunt and the rejection of the whole thing. Abandoned. And then you come to Isaac and the loss of both his parents is in connection with this well that carries this revelation. The peace that comes with the knowledge God sees me.

And he doesn't look upon me with indifference, with with just, it's not just his omniscience that's in operation here. He he sees with his heart. He sees with the preparation of bringing a solution. To bring some kind of relief to you. So how much do you believe that?

That as you're trying to manage the suffering, God sees. And he doesn't leave us there. He's ready to do something to rescue us, to bring us some kind of level of hope and insanity. That's what we see with Isaiah's message to Hezekiah. God knows.

You're not in this thing alone. He is aware. And not not just aware, he is your partner and he is gonna bring a solution. That's what he says in verse seven of our main text. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he shall hear a room and return to his own land and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.

We'll see that next week. But let's complete the study together with the last five verses here. Once Hezekiah received this promise of victory, everything began to shift in a new direction. Look at verse eight. Let's read it down to verse 13.

The Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he heard that the king had left Lahish. Now the king heard concerning Tir Hakka, king of Cush. Behold, he set out to fight against you. So he sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying, thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah. Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands devoting them to destruction and shall you be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them? The nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozen, Haran, Rezef and the people of Eden who are in Telesar? Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena or the king of Iva. So what's happening here?

This is so important to to note. We read that the Rabshakeh returns. He's reunited with the king of Assyria because of a new scrimmage that takes place at Libnah. So this is another city of Judah. Right?

Originally, they were there at Lahish and now something happens at a new city so they go there and the Rabshakeh, the spokesperson for the kingdom of Assyria joins the king. And at the same time, they receive news that the king of Kush, a foreign enemy, is approaching the Assyrians ready to fight them. So the Ravshakya now, in desperation, as a last ditch effort, sends a message to Hezekiah in Jerusalem saying, it's time to surrender. It's this final attack to try to get them to give up. But here's what's different.

The Rav Shukai is not nearby to speak with his voice. He sends a letter. How do we know that? Look at the beginning of verse 14. Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it.

So now it comes in the mail. And there are a couple of important insights regarding this that can help us understand how the enemy operates. Remember last week, we looked at how the enemy wars against our minds and and the seven lies, at least seven of the lies of the father of lies that we should expect. So we're we're here again, we're looking at how Satan works. And one way that we know he works is that if he can't keep you from being exposed to God's word, like you are here tonight, if he can't keep you from receiving God's word, he is ready to assault you after you receive it.

Notice the timing of Sennacherib's threats. It came shortly after the comforting ministry of the prophet Isaiah. The message of victory that was guaranteed. And almost immediately, Hezekiah receives another voice saying, don't believe it. It's not gonna happen.

Come on. Look at look at this and look at that. And so he is revisited with the same lies that we looked at last week. And here's what you have to understand. I see so many Christians, they miss this.

In the same way that the king of Assyria did not easily give up to discourage, and lie to the servant of God. You and I should be ready always for the same kind of approach, and at the same time, the same relentlessness to stand up against those lies. So people who struggle, they come, they're like, you know, I barely have any strength to even show my face anywhere, but I'll do it. So they come to the house of God. And they walk out and go, well, that didn't really do much for me.

They call the man of God. They call a friend who's a woman of God. And they and they receive prayer and nothing seems to change right away. So what do they do? They just give in.

They just surrender. They just wallow. Is that what we see Hezekiah doing? Even though there's a second attempt from the king of Assyria? No.

Look again at verse 14. Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. Almost a copy paste of what we read earlier. So he is attacked again and what does he do? Alright.

Fine. I'm going I'm going to the house of the Lord again. He's assaulted again. His faith is being challenged again. What does he do?

I'm gonna pray again. I'm gonna keep my head in the word. I'm gonna I'm gonna still fellowship with the saints. I'm not just gonna give up. This is a war.

Scripture tells us we're wrestling against these things. And so be reminded that Satan will not give up. Why do you give up so easily? This man's a wonderful example not to give up. Here's the second thing.

Although the goal of Sennacherib was the same, his method slightly changed. Remember? The first time, he amplified his voice and he spoke in the language of the citizens of Jerusalem. The people of Judah. I'm here for you.

You're all coming with me to Syria. Now he's at a distance so he sends a letter. The enemy is very creative and he has different methods of messing with us. Different avenues, different means, different servants. And so there are times where Satan will inspire and implant a lie directly into your heart.

Do you know do I know how I know he can do that? I may not explain be able to explain how that works. All I know is that it happens. Let me give you a new testament example. Look at John 13 verse two.

This is in the upper room discourse, at least in preparation for it. In John thirteen two, what do we read? During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Now, you read later on this chapter that Satan entered into Judas. So this is not the devil working in Judas's heart because he abided in Judas.

No. That would come later. This, I believe, is evidence that Satan can put things in our hearts. And the way we make room for that is through sin, disobedience, sometimes fear, unbelief. There are footholds that we can give to Satan.

Isn't that what we read in Ephesians? That we should not go to bed before the sun comes down in our anger, lest we give a foothold to the devil? So one of the ways in which Satan can meddle with us is directly. The mechanics of that, I may not be able to explain. I just see that it's possible.

Sometimes Satan can lie to us and discourage us through other people. People that we know and people that we don't know. Can anybody provide evidence for that in the New Testament? Good. I heard it.

Peter and Jesus. Matthew sixteen twenty three. Get behind me, what? Satan. And why was Peter in that moment a tool for Satan?

Because his mind was set on the things of men and not on the things of God. His thinking was not in alignment with the truth so Satan could take advantage of that. And how was Satan going to try to get to the Son of God? Through one of his closest friends. I wouldn't use this as an excuse for you to call people Satan, by the way.

Be very slow to do that. Satan can also use seemingly innocent, even charming things to persuade us. I think of Genesis three one. The serpent being the craftiest of all the animals approached Eve. There are so many Christians who lack discernment.

They don't even understand how the things that they entertain, the things that they keep as pets, and I'm not talking about actual pets, Entertainment. Things that they allow here and in here. And they are being discipled into unbelief. They are being aroused to sin. Failing to understand that the prince of the power of the air is in charge of this evil world.

And he is clever enough to use clever things to clutch us and to create fogginess in our thinking and to weaken us in our fight against his lies. Despite all the weapons that the enemy may wield, we possess one weapon that defends against them all, the written word of the living God. And even in this very battle, what do we see? A clash of two messages. One message from God who says, I'm going to give you victory, Hezekiah, and a message from the enemy who says, don't believe him.

Which one will Hezekiah believe? That is really the essence of spiritual warfare, by the way. Every single day, you and I have to muster up the strength and the strength is really given by God if we receive it from him humbly, but we try to find the strength in God to believe him. It really boils down to that. Right?

Why do people sin? Because they believe the lie of that temptation. Why do people sin? Because in that moment where they give in to that temptation, they don't believe God. They believe this will satisfy me where God says, no, this will hurt you.

They believe that this will prosper me when God says, no, this will poison you. They believe that this will bring purpose to me when God says, no, this will deform you. And so the essence of spiritual warfare on a daily basis is choosing to believe God. That's how we know victory. And when you and I say no to lies, whether it's in the form of a temptation for a lust or to fear.

When we choose to believe God, that's one step of victory. One step closer to knowing all that God has for us and to being the ones who have Satan underneath our feet. Well, I think this is a good place to pause before we continue. Will we choose to believe god? Is there anything in your life where you are not trusting God?

Lay your unbelief. Lay the lies that have bombarded you all week, all month, maybe even all year. Lay them at the feet of the Lord as you now find yourself in the house of the Lord. Spread it before God. And even if your faith is not complete, trust that your very act of surrender is enough to move God to move on your behalf.

Finally, let's ask God to help us believe that he sees everything. We tend to believe that for our accountability. No. Let's believe that for our good. Believe it for your comfort.

Believe it for your future. Believe it for your pain. Lord, tonight we've heard your voice so loud and clear. Help us believe every part of it. We pray for any discouragement, any overpowering temptation, any recurring lie that seems to never be able to go away.

We ask by your divine intervention that today would be the turning point and that the struggling one tonight would have the same testimony as Asaph. Until I went to the sanctuary of God and discerned their end. Lastly, lord, we ask for Maranatha Bible Church that whenever these doors are opened and people choose to come in, they would know greater clarity and confidence, and that we would have your perspective imparted for our predicaments. And it's it's very possible, Lord, that as we even walk out of here, the enemy is waiting to cause us to doubt. So even though we may not feel the inspiration that we sense in this very moment tonight or even tomorrow morning, help us not give up and go to war and show up here on Sunday, and stay on our knees, and make those phone calls until we overcome.

We worship you tonight, and we say thank you for this Bible study. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's stand. Let's worship the living God together.

He sees us. He knows us. Wanna offer you maybe a tip to recalibrate your prayer life, a tip that's helped me since I first came to Christ. We've all been there where you try to be intentional to pray and you're instead visited by a mental reminder of your laundry and the things that you gotta do and maybe situations. And instead of praying about them, you're just thinking about them.

In those times, I I stop. And I I sometimes even will say this out loud. I am talking to Jesus Christ of Nazareth who walked this earth two thousand years ago, died, was buried, rose from the grave, and is seated at the right hand of God, and promised me that if I ask anything in his name, he not only hears me, but will answer me. Jesus Christ sees me in this very moment, and it never fails to help me get back into real praying. And I can tell you over a cup of coffee about the times we're leaving that kind of a room, that kind of a moment in my car or a long walk where he showed me, I I heard you and I see you.

And it's no different for you. So we're gonna end this time tonight. But after hearing all that, I would be remiss not to make an invitation. If you need a miracle from God, if you need somebody to partner with you in prayer for anything, I'm here. Nothing spectacular, no spectacle, just simple prayer between two siblings in Christ to believe in all powerful God to help you where you might feel surrounded.

Amen? Lord, we thank you for this study. We thank you that we don't just study these truths, we can live and experience them. We pray that we would be a people of the book, not just in knowledge, but with testimonies of how what we've studied, we can also experience and say it's true. It's true.

It's true. Lord, go with us. We set you before us and you're our our right hand, therefore, we will not be shaken. And we pray for your protection over every baptism candidate for this Sunday. We pray for your name to be exalted this upcoming Sunday, and that there would be great praise and honor for your name.

We love you, and we we are privileged to serve you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.