SPREAD IT OUT BEFORE THE LORD

READING: Isaiah 36: 1-5 and 37:14
"Hezekiah ... went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD."

INTRODUCTION:

Compare development Nazi Germany to Assyrian empire.
Question: What do we do when faced by the Devil?
Answer: Spread it out before the Lord!

A/ LIES!

(Isaiah 36:4-10)

• Hope is in Egypt (v 4-6)
• God will not help (v 7)
• God told Assyria to (v 10)

Have you stood face to face with the devil?

Your hope based on unreliable book / lost your salvation / committed unpardonable sin / failure / cannot know saved / God never forgive you ...
But they are lies - cunning, wicked, damnable lies!

B/ FEAR!

(Isaiah 36:11-22)

Rabshakeh's strategy -

• create panic in ranks (v 4-6)
• undermine confidence in King (v 7)
• destroy faith in God (v 10)

Did you know we are in a spiritual war?

Weapons are faith vs. fear. Bible says "fear not" 366 times.

"Say to those with fearful hearts, Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." (Isaiah 35:4)

Answer: Spread it out before the Lord!

C/ FAITH!

(Isaiah 37:1-20)

Faith is not a formula / mystical force / gift that ordinary people cannot do.
Hezekiah simply said it how it was - humbly - honestly.

How can we exercise faith when our distress is too great and our faith too small?

It is true ... cannot cope this crisis / save this marriage / pay this debt / overcome this weakness / do this task ...

Answer: Spread it out before the Lord!

CONCLUSION

Isaiah 37:36-37