1. Pray. Ask the Lord to open your eyes, that you might behold wondrous things out of his Law (Ps. 119:18). 

2. Read Sunday's passage. Feel free to read it more than once, or in another translation.

3. Review the sermon outline. Try to see how the points came out of the text.

4. Answer the questions below. Focus on personal application.

5. Pray. Praise and thank the Lord, then ask him to work in mighty ways. 

Remember, we live not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4).

This is a lengthy passage, so let me encourage you to read it in a physical Bible. Or if you read it online here. 

Intro: We pause our series in John to consider the remarkable story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. He and the nation of Judah are facing a national crisis: the invasion of three enemy armies. How will they respond, and what can we learn from it?  

I. The story of Jehoshaphat shows us who God is, and how God saves (v. 1–30). As we follow the narrative from The Report (v. 1–2,) to The Reaction (v. 3–4), to The Request (v. 5–12), to The Revelation (v. 13–17), to The Reverance (v. 18–19), to The Rout (v. 20–23), to The Rest (v. 24–30), what does this passage teach the people of God? (A) It shows them who he is! He is the sovereign God who rules over kingdoms and nations. While the invasion of Judah is a crisis to them, it's not a crisis to him. He is totally in charge. (B) It also shows them how he saves. They won't have to fight, for the battle belongs to him. They simply need to trust him, and see the salvation of the Lord. This is how God saves his people.

II. The story points us to Christ. Old Testament stories like this one prefigure how God would eventually save his people through Jesus Christ. Like Judah, all of humanity is facing three devastating enemies: sin, Satan, and death. Against these enemies, we are powerless. But thank God that he is powerful! Christ came, took our sin, disarmed the rulers and authorities, and overcame the grave, so that all who trust in him would receive salvation. 

III. The story shows us the posture of prayer. While the ultimate battle has been won, and we can rest in Christ, we will face other battles in this life. When we do, we should follow Jehoshaphat's example, humbling ourselves before God, and seeking him in prayer. We know this is an example to follow because it is what the early church did in the book of Acts. We, too, must be people of prayer in challenging times. 

Conclusion:  Come to Christ in faith, and receive the victory he won for us on the cross. Then keep coming to him in prayer for help to face the challenges in your life. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on the Lord, for salvation is from him. 

1. God is sovereign, and he saves his people by his power.

- How do you tend to react when you receive bad news?  

- Are you more tempted to panic, surrender, flee, or figure it out on your own? 

- What can we learn from how Jehoshaphat responded?

- What stands out to you about God from this passage? 

- How is God inviting you to trust him right now? 

2. See the salvation of the Lord. 

- How does this story point us forward to Jesus Christ? What similiaries do you see? 

- Why must salvation be by grace, through faith, and not by our works? 

- While we know that salvation is by grace through faith, why do we still act sometimes as if it were by our works? 

- Have you truly believed that Jesus did everything necessary for your salvation? What would be different if you did? 

3. The Posture of Prayer. 

- What might Jehoshaphat have learned from his previous war (with King Ahab), and his earlier rebuke from Jehu the seer (see ch. 19)?

- How can you cultivate a posture of prayer in your own life? 

- Who could encourage you to seek the Lord in prayer first, and pray with you? 

- What do you need to bring to the Lord in prayer right now? 

1. Praise God for being the sovereign Lord who rules over kingdoms and nations. 

2. Thank him for saving us from sin, Satan, and death, through the victorious work of Jesus Christ.  

3. Ask God to help you adopt the posture of prayer whenever challenges come your way.

4. Pray now for whatever challenges you are facing, admitting to God that "we don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you." 

5. Ask him for the rest which Christ won for us, and live in that rest!

Thanks for reading the Bible Study Guide! I pray it helps us "continue to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Eph. 4:15).

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor