Lifted Up in the Ways of the Lord
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 17:3–6
“And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah,” 2 Chronicles 17:6.
Lifted Up in the Ways of the Lord
Father God, I thank you for the privilege of proclaiming your Word in my generation. I pray that your Word will come through to your people for you are the life that we need, the one who is in charge. We ask that you take total control of our bodies, souls, and spirits. Take control of our emotions, too.
Give us the grace to be grounded in you, to be found in you always, to walk with you, and to be lifted up in your ways.
Second Chronicles 17:3–5 says, “And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David and sought not unto Baalim; but sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents, and he had riches and honor in abundance.”
The Lord is affirming here that He was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David and sought not after false gods. God is always with the person who focuses on God. Many of us think today that Baal is an idol of ancient times, but there are current Baals of which we have to be careful. It is possible to say we are serving God but to be seeking after Baal. When we do that, it is clear that the Lord walks away because He is only with those who focus on Him. Jehoshaphat sought not after the doings of Israel. The doings of Israel at that time are the doings of the world today. We are challenged with whether to walk according to the world or the Word of God. When we walk according to the world, we are following the doings of Israel. When we walk according to the Word, we are walking in the Lord, and when we walk with Him, He will be found in us. Are you walking in the world, or are you walking in the Word?
Jehoshaphat made a choice. The Bible says because he walked in the commandments of the Lord, the Lord established the kingdom in his hands. Many of us are seeking to be established pastors, professionals, or ministers, but instead of following the Word, we are following the world and expecting the Word to honor us. Life does not work that way. If we follow the Word, the Lord Himself will honor us. The Bible says that after the Lord established the kingdom in his hands, all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents. If you follow God, you will become His representative. We all say we are ambassadors, but there are certain people who walk with God on such a level that when people meet them, they honor them with presents because the presence of God is so apparent.
People acknowledge that they are before God’s representative and they feel compelled to bring presents. That is what happened to Jehoshaphat.
Most of the things we are seeking in the world today, money, recognition, resources, positions, acknowledgments, promotions, houses, and cars, could be classified as riches and honor. The things you are looking for in the world are actually in the Word. For when you walk with the Lord and follow His commandments, God will cause people to begin to bring you presents. When man blesses you it will bring wealth. I pray that God will give us the grace to recognize that what we are seeking in the world is actually in the Word.
Jehoshaphat was wise. He followed the commandments of God and received riches in abundance. His heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord. When you have riches and honor in abundance from God, you will not owe anything to man, and your heart will be lifted up in the ways of God. In the ways of the Lord, your heart gets so lifted up that your total meditation will be of God; you will now become a Kingdom personality. I pray that in the name of Jesus, God will give us the grace to take a stand for His Kingdom and His commandments, that we will become Kingdom personalities. God is the only one who can assign this status as you walk with Him and He is found in you.
Father, we pray today that you will do that work in us, that you will be found in us. We pray that you will give us the grace to ignore the world and follow the Word, that you will make us Kingdom personalities. We pray that we will have in abundance riches and honor to the glory of your holy name, and our hearts will be lifted up not in the ways of the world but in the ways of the Lord in the name of Jesus.
Prayer Points:
This is only possible if you are born again. If you have never given your life to Jesus, pray with me now, “Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Give me the grace to obey your commandments so that I will also, like Jehoshaphat, receive riches and honor in abundance to the glory of your name, and my heart will be lifted up in the ways of the Lord in the name of Jesus.” Amen.