What Do You Do When You Don't Know What To Do

Jesus had a quality about him that turned empty situations into surplus. There was something Jesus knew that made it so that anytime he encountered a seemingly barren situation, it turned into plenty. Jesus knew something that we usually forget. Pst. Akin Olumoroti shares more in this teaching.

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We bow in honor of you, Jesus. We give you all the glory because you don't deserve it. Father, in our gathering this morning, glorify yourself. Send your word. Let your word change us. Let it heal us. Let it set us on our feet. In the name of Jesus. We ask, oh God, that you will communicate your counsel to us in a way that we can understand. In the name of Jesus, let us not miss our moment. In the name of Jesus. We give you all the glory and praise. In Jesus' mighty name, we are praying. Amen. Can we put our hands together in honor of Jesus in our gathering this morning? Let's put our hands together and honor Jesus as you have your seat. For a title, you can call it What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do. Let's call it What to Do When You Don't Know What To Do. And if you can put Psalm 34 on the screen, if you can put Psalm 34 on the screen, we are going to read it all together in a chorus. Thank you very much, man. Alright, everybody, want to go? I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make a boast in the Lord. The humble shall fear thereof and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him and were lighted, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth around about them that fear him and delivers them. All test and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusted in him. Oh, fear the Lord, ye saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, you children, ark in unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lives from speaking God. Thank you. Depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. Verse 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his eyes are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them and delivers them out of all their troubles. Verse 18. Verse 19. Not one of them is broken. Verse 21. The Lord redeems the soul of his servant, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. You will not be desolate in Jesus' name. I said you will not be desolate in Jesus' name. How many people are just blessed by the reading of God's word? You see, the reading of God's word is a big blessing. Just reading the reading God's word. It changes your life, changes your outlook, infuses you with grace, infuses you with power. Reading God's word, especially as a congregation. Today we've been looking at how Jesus turned the emptiness of Peter into surplus. We looked at how Jesus turned the emptiness of Peter into surplus. We started talking about that a couple of weeks ago. And for many of us, there is an area in our lives where we want to see God turn a seemingly empty situation into surplus. How many people have such an area in their lives? I do. You want to see God turn an empty situation into surplus. Today, I want to briefly share with us what I believe is one of Jesus's greatest secrets for living a life above lack and above want. A life that never experienced emptiness. The secret of Jesus, for why he lived a life that never experienced emptiness. In fact, when Jesus encounters a situation that seems to be empty, there is something in him, there is something he carries that turns that situation into a situation of surprise. Come somebody say amen to that. See, when Jesus needed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem to fulfill the prophecy that was over his life, there was a donkey readily available. When he needed a place that was big enough to accommodate him and his disciples as they prepared to take the Passover feast, there was a place that was a short plug in town. When Jesus needed money to pay his taxes, even though Jesus did not need to pay taxes because he was a Jew, when Jesus needed money to pay taxes, guess where money came from? Money came from the mouth of a fish. There is something about Jesus that turns a seemingly empty situation into plenty. That is, Jesus had enough to not only meet his basic needs to do the necessary things, but Jesus had enough to do the things that were nice to do. The things that were, you know, nice to have. Jesus had enough to do them. Many people are hearing what I'm saying. You see, many people, especially in America, don't just have enough money to do the necessary things. Jesus had the money to do the luxury. Paying taxes for Jesus was a luxury. He didn't have to do it, he could have argued, he could have done many things, but Jesus had enough money and enough access to resources to do the things that were just beyond you know the necessities. He had enough bandwidth. What was it about Jesus that made it possible that he was never stranded? When he needed God the Father to raise him up by the power of the Holy Spirit, after he died, he was not stranded. There is something about Jesus. What was the quality about Jesus that made him walk in such surplus like he did? What did he know that I don't know or that I often forget? Jesus knew and understood and practiced the mystery of Thanksgiving. Jesus knew he understood and he practiced the mystery of Thanksgiven. You see, um, let me start by saying that you know, Thanksgiving rarely makes it to people's New Year's resolution. Many people, when we are writing our New Year's resolution or new month resolution, being more thankful rarely makes it to the list. Being more grateful really makes it to the list. We don't see it as something that we have to do to get better. And by the way, if you are not paying attention, the year is almost at a midway point. So this is the time you want to begin to check your resolutions, the things you had in mind to do, the things you wanted to do. Where have you been? How have you gone in there? If there are mistakes that have been made, how can you correct them? If there's something you need to add some fire to, this is the time to begin to do it because we are at the midway point already. When we start talking about our you know new US resolution, we rarely think about oh, I'm going to be more thankful to my wife this year, I'm going to be more grateful for my husband this year, I'm going to be more grateful for my children this year, I'm going to be more grateful to my spouse this year. And this um month, I want you to have that resolution that you will be a little more thankful for everything, for your bosses, for your job, for your money. If you are looking for a quick act to improve the quality of your soulish health, that's it right there. If you are looking for a quick act to get rid of that depressive thought that always afflicts you, that's it right there. I just give it a hack. Just being a little more thankful, I will be a little more grateful to God this month. I want to show you in the next few few minutes how important Thanksgiving is. How important Thanksgiving is. For many people, Thanksgiving is something we do at the end. For many people, thanksgiving is what we do at the end. When someone has done something for us, then we give thanks. When someone has made good on a promise, then we give thanks. That's what we do. When something good has happened, then we give thanks. But I want to show you what I want to show you today is that in this kingdom that you belong to, thanksgiving is something we do at the beginning. Somebody say at the beginning. Yes, thanksgiving is something we do at the beginning. You see, the Bible tells us a very interesting story in John chapter 6. In John chapter 6, which is the feeding of the 5,000. In John chapter 6, the Bible tells us a very interesting story, which is the feeding of the 5,000. Fun fact: the feeding of the 5,000 is one of the only two recorded miracles in the life of Jesus that were recorded in all four gospels. The feeding of the 5,000 is one of the only two things that were recorded in all four gospels. As you know, the death and the resurrection of Jesus, which is the foundation of our faith, was recorded in all four gospels. But even his birth is not recorded in all four gospels. John did not tell us about the birth of Jesus, he just came out and said, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God. You see, so John did not tell us about his birth. So there is something about the feeding of the 5,000 that makes it so important that the Bible makes sure that it was recorded in all four gospels. Somebody say amen. Yes. So there must be a lesson in it that you and I ought to learn. There must be a lesson in it for you and I. John chapter 6. It says, After these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs, which he performed on those who were deceased. So they had seen miracles and they started to follow him. From verse 5 to verse 7 of John chapter 6, it says, Then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? For this, but this he said to test him. Somebody said, Test him. Yes, for he himself knew what he would do. He himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him. He said, 200 denira worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may have a little. He said, We there's so much crowd here, we don't have enough to cater for them. We don't have enough to cater for them. But the Bible tells us that Jesus only asks them this question to test them. I don't know how many of us have those kind of people in our lives, maybe a sibling or a older sibling or an older boss that just keeps testing you, testing your knowledge. They know the answer, but they just ask you anyway. We sometimes do that do that to our children. We just want to test their knowledge. This was what Jesus was doing, and sometimes when Jesus asks you a question, he's trying to teach you a lesson. It's not because he doesn't know the answer to the question. So Jesus asked Philip that question because he wanted to teach them an important lesson in this situation. He only asked for their opinion to test them. The disciples had a challenge in front of them. They had a challenge in front of them and they did not know they did not know what to do. There was a multitude in front of them, frustrated, tired, hungry multitude in front of them, and they did not know what to do. But the Bible says that Jesus knew what he should do, what he would do. The disciples did not know what they would do, but Jesus did what he knew what he would do. So there was something, there's something that Jesus knows that he wants to pass across to them in this situation. There is something Jesus knew that he wanted to pass across to them in this situation. For many of us here, we don't know what would what to do. You have a business idea, you have a longing in your heart, you don't know what to do. You have you have the prophecy over your life, you don't know how to start doing it. You have, you know, you have a you have the prophecy over your life that you will live a life of surplus and a life of plenty, but you don't know how to start going about it. You have a medical diagnosis, but you don't know what to do. This was the predicament that the disciples found themselves: a multitude in front of them, hungry, tired, frustrated, irritated, and they did not know how to feed them. What do you do when you don't know what to do? The Bible says Jesus knew what he would do. So from Jesus' action, we can learn what to do when we are faced with a seeming want. From Jesus' action, you can learn what we should do when we are faced with what a seeming want. You don't have the capital to run that business. What should you do? Many people think that we have to wait until we see something good. They think we have to wait until we see something good. But no, thanksgiving is a law of multiplication. Thanksgiving is what it's a law of somebody say a law of multiplication. Yes, thanksgiving is a law of multiplication. It's a law of multiplication. Jeremiah chapter 30, verse 19. Let's put that on the screen and let's look at this very powerful scripture, Jeremiah 30, verse 19. Look at what it says. It says, Then out of them, out of them, this is talking about you, it's talking about me, it's talking about the people of God. It says, Out of them shall proceed thanksgiving, and the voice of those who make merry. I will multiply them and they shall not diminish. I will also glorify them and they shall not be small. If I look at it in the KJV translation, it says, And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving. Out of you and I shall proceed what? Thanksgiving, and the voice of them that make merry, and I will multiply them and they shall not be few. I will also glorify them and they shall not be small. Somebody say, I will not be small. Somebody say, I will not be few. Somebody say, We will not be few. Yes, I will not be small in the name of Jesus. The problem with some of us is that we are waiting for the money to be complete. That was what Philip was angering towards. Waiting until they could see the proof that we have the ability to feed the multitude. Waiting until we could see the proof that we have what it takes to embark on this journey. Waiting until we see the proof until that we have the capacity to start this project. You're waiting, you're waiting. Guess what? If you keep waiting, you're gonna wait for long. You are going to have to wait for long. Waiting for the perfect condition before you start. You're waiting until you feel like you have gotten yourself together. You're waiting until you get yourself together before you start. No, you're gonna wait for long. You're gonna take this as a prophetic instruction. Take this as a prophetic instruction to you. Thank God and move on. Thank God and do what? Move forward. Thank God and do what? Move forward. Yes, you don't wait until everything looks perfect before you start. No, it says, I will multiply them and they shall not be filled. Why? Because the voice of thanksgiving proceeds from them. The voice of thanksgiven proceeds from them. The they they they they evoke or they employ or they they align themselves with this law of thanksgiving. This law of multiplication, thanks given is simply the simplest law for creative miracles. I have it here. If you want the little in your hands, if you want the seemingly inadequate in your hands to turn into much, if you want the inadequate in your hands to multiply, you start praising about it. You start praising God for it. You've been grumping, you've been grumbling for too long. Start praising. You've been grumbling for too long, start praising. I want to share two things with us this morning. And the first is refuse to complain. Somebody say, I will refuse to complain. Say, I will refuse to complain. Yes, refuse to complain, refuse to complain. Abolish complaining in your life. You see, abolish it. Many of us have had this idea of culture shock. You know, you've had this idea of culture shock. You know, many of us when we came to the US, we we experienced culture shock. One of my biggest culture shocks when I came to the US um in the year 9011. When I came to the US, one of the biggest culture shocks was how, you know, when myself and my Nigerian colleagues are speaking in the hallway in our school, our head of department, he would look at us down from the hallway and say, Is everything okay? Because we are raising our voice, we're shouting, and be like, Are you guys fighting? Stop fighting, stop fighting, stop fighting. We're like, we're not fighting, we're just talking, we're just having a conversation. We're just, you know, our American um head of department be like, Aki and Bulu, stop fighting. We're not fighting, we're just talking. We're talking. This is us Nigerians talking. We are so loud, we're disturbing the old place. And so that was a culture shock. How low, you know, people are people are so mellow, people are not as vibe, as as boosters as we have, as Nigerians. That was a culture shock for me. You know, the culture shock is that the way you do something where you are from, when you get to another place, is very different from the way they do it. It's very different from the way they do it. You see, when I was when I was young in our house, um, the youngest person usually washes the dishes. The youngest person does, and guess who was the youngest? I was the youngest. So I was the one that was banished. I was I was banished to the task of always doing dishes. Sometimes I would get up here and there, but it was the youngest that does the dishes. Guess my shock when we have when we had a a family friend who are who are a little more tush, you know, than us, came to our house and they were surprised that you pile up the plates for one person to do. He said, In our house, the person that uses the plate washes it. When you finish using your plate, you wash it. And so in my mind, I was like, I knew it. I knew what you were doing in this house as is not wrong. This idea of parking the plate and having one person do it. I I knew that it's not the right thing. So I so it was a culture shock to them when they came to our house. And for me, too, when I heard that it confirmed my suspicion that I was being I was being subjected to something that that was not right, you know. So, culture shock, you know, guess what? There are some things that are natural. To grumble in the natural plane is natural, to grumble naturally is is is okay. But from the kingdom that you belong to, from the kingdom I belong to, from where we are from, it's a culture shock when they hear you grumbling. I do hear you. I said it's a culture shock when angels hear you grumbling, it is a culture shock to them. They're like, this person doesn't understand where they are. It's a culture shock to angels, it's a culture shock to God when he hears you murmuring, no matter the situation, it's a culture shock to them. They don't want to see it, they don't understand it. And this is very instructive. Let's look at 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 10. It says, nor complain. As some of them also complained and were destroyed by the destroyer. Just as uh you know, gratitude and thanksgiving brings multiplication, murmuring and complaining brings destruction. Just as gratitude and thanksgiving brings multiplication, murmuring and complaining brings what it brings destruction. I'm not saying the things that you are complaining about are not legitimate, I'm not saying the person is not on your nerves, I'm not saying that person is acting the best they should be acting, but just the same way you cannot you cannot defy this law, you can only break yourself against the law. I don't know if somebody gets what I'm saying. You cannot defy this law just as gratitude and thanksgiving brings multiplication, the same way murmuring and complaining brings destruction. No matter how legitimate what you are complaining about is, no matter how legitimate it is, no matter how many excuses you have for it, no matter how many excuses you choose to come up for it, it brings destruction. It brings destruction. I'm not saying what you are complaining about is illegitimate, but I'm presenting to you a superior strategy, I'm presenting to you a superior intelligence for you to advance in your life. Refuse to murmur, refuse to complain, refuse to murmur, refuse to complain. And if you're not going to take my word for it, take the word of the scientists for it. Take the word of the scientists who have found out that those who abstain from murmuring and those who abstain from complaining, they live generally better lives, devoid of ailments, devoid of sicknesses, devoid of diseases. Those who have an optimistic perspective on life, those who have an expectation that things are going to get better. I don't know if you're hearing what I'm saying. Those who have an expectation that they will not remain like this, those who have an expectation that their tomorrow is better than today, those who have an expectation that The power of the just is like the shining light that is shining more and more until the perfect day. Those who know that their expectation is in posture, they live a generally better life. So you're not refusing to complain because everything is working. You are giving thanks because you have decided and you have resolved to work the word. You have resolved to work the word. You have resolved to work a higher, a higher intelligence and a higher strategy. In everything, give thanks. For this is what is the will of God. In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God. I am giving thanks because it's the will of God. In the front of the Red Sea, I will give thanks. After I have crossed over to the other side, I will give thanks. I said, In front of the Jordan, I will give thanks. After I have crossed over the Jordan, I will also give thanks. I give thanks in front of the Red Sea because I know I will cross over to the other side. You cross over to the other side. Thanksgiving is what turns five belly loaves and two fish into something that can feed 5,000. And they even add extra. Refuse to complain. Refuse to murmur. Number two, refuse to compare. Refuse to compare. You see, comparison is never really fair because when we are comparing, we are comparing somebody's best attributes with our own worst or average attributes. When we are comparing, we are comparing somebody's best attributes and especially the their own attributes that they put on display. You see, what we are comparing, we are comparing our own worst attributes, our own average attributes that give us concern, we are comparing it with somebody's advertised attributes, somebody's attributes that they don't mind putting on display. That's what we are comparing to. So it's never really fair. It's never really fair. The Bible says they comparing themselves to one another are not wise. That is, comparison is a foolish thing to do. Comparison is a foolish thing to do. Many of us will come to this country and we begin to compare ourselves with those maybe who have been in this country for 10 years, or we compare ourselves with those who are, you know, Americans that their parents have passed on, you know, maybe 10 generations of wealth and blessings down to them. You know, anytime we are talking about wealth, Christians are so fast to start mentioning Elon Musk and start mentioning Donald Trump. I'm like, wait a minute, why are you comparing yourself with the outliers? You are comparing yourselves with those with people that when we are drawing a bell curve, they are they are not on the bell curve, they are just over, they are not they are not there. Why are you so good to start mentioning names of people that you should not be comparing yourself to? It is a foolish thing to do. You see, those people, a lot of things were handed over to them, and they have a lot to be thankful for. But guess what? If Elon Musk or Donald Trump was dealt the hand you are dealt, they may not survive it. I don't know if you're hearing what I'm saying. I said the people you are comparing yourself to, if they were dealt the same hand that you have been dealt with, they may not survive it. The Bible says he will not allow us to be overcome by any temptation that is that is not that we cannot get out of. That's what the Bible says. So the fact that something has been you've been dealt with a certain hand is because God knows that you are you have the capacity to overcome it and to come out better on the other side. Somebody say amen to that. Yes, you don't compare yourself with other people, you don't compare yourself with other people, you don't compare yourself with other because when you do a re comparative analysis, you are actually already better than them. You are already better than them. The song that should be on your lips every time is see how far you brought me, gone. Lord, I've come to thank you. Lord, I've come to thank you. See how far you have brought me, Lord. I've come to worship, see how far see how far you have brought me. Oh Lord has come to worship. Come on, see how far see how far you've brought me. So listen, when we stop comparing ourselves with others, we will see what God has done for us. When you stop comparing yourself with others, you see the hand of God clearly in your life. The reason you cannot see the hand of God in your life, the reason what God is doing in your life is so foggy, is because you feel you have not started thanking Him for it. The reason you find it difficult to place your hand on two, three, five, ten things that God has done in your life, you can't see the hand of God stretched out over you, stretched out over your finances, stretched out over your children, is because you are still comparing. It's because you are still comparing. So we stop comparing because comparison minimizes the work of God in our life, it minimizes the miracles that God has already done in your life. This one, I urge you, refuse to complain, refuse to compare. Don't get sucked into this comparison culture, don't get sucked into it that is so perversive in our world today. Don't get sucked in the Bible says they that compare themselves with another, they are not wise. Somebody say, I reject foolishness. Say I reject foolishness in Jesus' name. That's a good place to clap our hands for Jesus. Let's clap our hands for Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Second Chronicles, 2nd Chronicles chapter 20, 2nd Chronicles chapter 20, 2nd Chronicles chapter 20. News came to Jehoshaphat. News came to him. Three kings were coming to attack him, three kings, three armies were coming against him. You know, there are some times you face a situation in your life, and you just know that this situation is overwhelming. You just know that naturally speaking, there is no way you can undo this. I don't know how many people have been there. That you are just facing a situation and you know that if God does not help you now, you are done, you are finished. This was what Theoshafat was facing. For second chronicles chapter 20. All natural assessment of the situation, all natural permutations. If I talk to this person, if I go here, if I go there, if I had this, if I take out all the money in my retirement, take out all the money in this bank account, everything cannot fix the problem. It cannot fix it. An overwhelming situation. What do you do when you don't know what to do? You look around your life, you seem surrounded on all sides with issues. It could be financial challenges, maybe it's a debt, maybe it's a project that you don't know how it's going to happen. Jehoshaphat, however, was very smart. When faced with this situation that was so challenging for him, he was very smart. He knew the power of prophecy. He knew the power of prophecy. What did he do? He quickly gathered the people together. He gathered those people together and they began to pray. And as they began to pray, a man named Jazeel stood up and he began to prophesy. Look at what Jazeel said. He said, He said, Listen, all you Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat, 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 Jazah stood up, started to prophesy. He said, Listen, King Jehoshaphat, thus says the Lord to you. The Lord is saying the same thing to someone here today. Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, because of this great challenge, because of this great trouble. For the battle is not yours, but God's God said, In this battle, you shall not need to fight. You and I need to respond the same way Jehoshaphat responded. You and I we need to respond in the same way Jehoshaphat responded. You see, Jehoshaphat had the posture that prophecy was enough for him. Many of us we have we hear a prophecy in church, we have a prophecy, a prophecy spoken over our husband at the beginning of the year, or a man of God speaks a prophecy over you, or the pastor of your church speaks the prophecy over you, how you take it for granted. Ha ha doesn't Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat warred with the prophecy. Jehoshaphat fought with the prophecy. Jehoshaphat did not take the prophecy with levity. He knew that prophecy was enough. The moment God said you will not need to fight. Do you know what he did? Do you know what he did? He laid prostate before God and thanked him. And he stood up. Jehoshaphat stood up and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established. Believe his prophets and you shall prosper. This was Jehoshaphat's attitude towards prophecy. Jehoshaphat's attitude towards prophecy is that this word of God is enough for me. Believe the Lord your God and you shall be established. Believe his prophets, and you shall prosper. As if that was not enough. He began to act on the word of God. Jehoshaphat began to what? Act on the word of God. Listen, I know Jehoshaphat did not make it into the hall of fame of faith in Hebrew chapter 11. Well, he did not make it there by name in Hebrew chapter 11. But if you look through the pages of the scriptures, Jehoshaphat is probably one of the greatest men of faith in the Bible. Because how can a lesser-known prophet stand up and say, Just chase the law, you shall not need to fight? And Jehoshaphat acted on that word. We've been talking about faith that works. And faith that works is acting on the word of God, acting on the proceeding word of God. That's the kind of faith that works. Jehoshaphat heard the word of God and he started to act on it. He started to organize his life to agree with the word. I don't know if somebody's hearing what I'm saying. Jehoshaphat started to organize his life, started to organize his schedule, started to organize his family to agree with the prophecy that has been spoken. That's what he did. If God said we will not have to fight, why are we carrying weapons? That was Jehoshaphat's attitude. If God said I will not have to fight, why am I carrying weapons? Why am I carrying weapons? I know you you know the story that Jehoshaphat elected singers and elected priests to go and fight, but you know that God even gets more remarkable when you read the story and you realize that God never really explicitly told Jehoshaphat not to carry weapons. God never really explicitly told Jehoshaphat not to carry weapons. Why do we need weapons? He was the one that extrapolated the prophecy. You know, some of us when we hear that God is going to help you, you still think about how you can help yourself. You think about okay, if God says I'm not going to fight in this battle, but you know, wisdom is profitable to direct. At least, you know, I have to do this, I have to save this, I have to do that, I have to talk to this person. Yeah, wisdom is profitable to direct. Not Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat took the word literally. You will not have to fight. If I will not have to fight, why do I need weapons? I think it makes sense. Doesn't it make sense? Maybe to the natural man, it doesn't make sense, but it makes spirit. If God says I will not have to fight, why do I need weapons? He just believed the word. He just believed the word. Somebody say, I believe the word. Say it, say I believe the word of God. Say I believe the word of God. Say it, say it, say it. Yes, I believe the word of God. He just believed the word of God. If God said we don't need to fight, we're not going to carry weapons. Let's look at verse 21 of this 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. Let's look at verse 21. I want you to turn your Bible to it very quickly, and I want you to see it for yourself. I want you to see this for yourself. Instead of soldiers, he appointed singers. Look at what verse 21 of chapter 20 of 2nd Chronicles says. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord and who should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army and were saying, Praise the Lord for his mercy endures forever. Praise the Lord for his mercy endures forever. If you look at it in the ESV translation, it will read something like this. And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who are to sing the Lord, who are to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire. Those who are to sing to God and praise him in holy attire as they went before the army and said, Give thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love and does forever. I want you to pay attention to what they are wearing. He appointed people that will praise God in holy attire. That is, Jehoshaphat was so cognizant of the word of prophecy. He said, Okay, the Lord said we're not going to fight, that the battle is his, so we're not going to take our weapons. Not only that, we are going to dress in fancy clothes like the one Adora is wearing. We're going to dress in our party clothes to the war front. This is how literally Joshabart took the word of prophecy. We're not only not going to carry our weapons, we're not going to wear any bulletproof vests. You know, some you know, I was in the army, right? You know, sometimes you just want to say, okay, for you know, just for all, let's just make sure all our T's are crossed and our eyes are dotted. Even right now, they have been asking President Trump if he will start wearing um bulletproof vests because of the all the assassination attempts on his life. That let's just make sure, sir. I know you know it might be an extra 20 pounds, but let's just make sure that you wear some bulletproof vests because wisdom is profitable to the right, because you know, as human beings, we just have to want to, you know, put a little effort of our own into it. Not Jehoshaphat. Yes, I was like, Well, we're not gonna fight, no weapons, but we are not going to wear bulletproof vests, and we're going to dress in our Christmas clothes, those clothes that are at the bottom of our boxes, that's what we're going to wear to the warfront. Only attire, fancy clothes. This is how literally Jehoshaphat took the word of prophecy. They went with beautiful clothes to demonstrate the faithfulness and the beauty of God. That is praising him in the beauty of holiness. Prison him what in the beauty of holiness, praising him in the beauty of holiness. Some of us will almost look like what we are going through. The way we dress alone. Everybody knows that you are carrying all the problem of America on your face. You know? Sometimes you just have to forget those troubles. Sometimes you have to put up some nice makeup, sometimes you have to put on some nice clothes and pretend and tell yourself that what the devil meant for evil, God will turn it around for your good. I thought somebody will say amen to that. Yes, the war-party clothes to the battle. This is why the songwriter said, This is how we win, win, win. This is how we win. The smoke of my worship released upon the earth. How you win the battle of life is not by worrying. How you win the battle of life is not by you know fashioning all your strength. No, you win in the place of rest. You win in the place of rest. Somebody say, I win in the place of rest. Yes, you win in the place of rest. The Bible says they were singing, they were dancing, and something began to happen in the camp of the enemy. Confusion began to set in. Even in the natural. Even in the natural, if you are coming to harass somebody and they are not threatened, they look at you and they are smiling, you you'll become you'll be discomfort, you'll be discomfobulated. Even in the natural, you know, sometimes you're I'm trying to threaten the children, I'm trying to, you know, put up a strong face and threaten them, and they're not just looking at you like this and smiling. You know, they're like, don't you know I'm I'm not happy with you right now? They're like, I don't care, but I'm I'm I'm smiling. Even in the natural, when you are coming against somebody and they are smiling at you, you will be and and they are not intimidated by your approach, they look happy, you will be confused, and that's what I want you to do to your enemy. I want you to confuse the enemy this year. I want you to confuse the enemy this month. That after all they have thrown at you, after all they have thrown at you, after all the rubbish that they have said about you, they thought you will be depressed, they thought you will give up, they thought you will be downcast. I want you to confuse the enemy, they thought you will be sad, but no, you are going to wear a smile on your face. Yes, you are going to wear a smile on your face, you are going to put the devil to shame. Yes, you are going to be confident in the goodness of God this month in the name of Jesus. No more moodiness. Tell your neighbor, say no more moodiness. Yes, no more moodiness. This month, you dress your best, you you smell your best. Yes, dress your best, you smell your best, you smile your best, you serve your best because you serve a God that can never fail. Don't worry about those that don't believe in you, don't worry about those that don't believe in your dreams, don't worry about those that are doubting you. Let God let God be your confidence this month. This morning, I see us, we're all dressed well, we are all dressed for a party, and that's that's great. I want you to praise God in the beauty of his holiness. I want you to praise him in the beauty of his holiness. We're gonna do that for five minutes at least. We're gonna praise him. You're gonna get on your feet and you're gonna praise God with a heart of gratitude. You're gonna praise him with a with a song of praise. You're gonna praise him, and you're gonna watch things turn around for your good in the name of Jesus. This month, I see you having miracles without numbers in Jesus' name. I said, This month, I see you having miracles without numbers in Jesus' name. You said the Bible says we have a God that does wonders without numbers. This month, I see you having miracles without numbers in Jesus' name. I said, somebody will resume to good news tomorrow at work in Jesus' name. I said, as you go to your mailbox this evening, you are going to be going with good news in the name of Jesus. You are going to receive good news as you come back from your mailbox. As you take your email this day, you will see good news in that email. In the name of Jesus, you will resume to good news in the name of Jesus. Come on, let's burn our feet and let's praise him. Let's burn our feet, let's praise him, let's praise him. Let's better feed, let's take a song, take a song of praise and worship him, take a song of praise and worship him by yourself. Let's give him praise, let's give him praise, and then we're gonna thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Take a song and give him praise, take a song and worship him, take a song and appreciate him, take a song and worship him. Father, we give you praise, father. We worship you. Thank you, thank you, Lord. Praise him. We're gonna praise him with our hands lifted, praise him leaning down, praise him with a song in your heart, praise him in the beauty of holiness, Father. I praise you in the beauty of holiness, thank you, Lord, because I don't need an armor, I don't need a bullet proof vest. Thank you because the battle is the Lord's. Thank you, Lord. We give you praise, we give you glory. We give you praise, we give you glory. Come on, praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him in the name of Jesus, Father. We praise you.