Claim Your Divine Inheritance IN Christ, #3, 20220206
One of the most outstanding examples in the Bible of claiming our inheritance is that of King Jehoshaphat. While it is a very familiar story to all of us, yet more than any other example in the entire Bible, it shows us the practical way to claim and get our inheritance.
You will recall that three hostile nations came against him to rob him of everything he had--in just the same way that Satan always comes to a true Christian to rob them of everything that the precious Blood of the Lamb of GOD has bequeathed us. However, notice how King Jehoshaphat met it. While it is true that he was filled with doubt and fear at first, yet he went before GOD at once and claimed his inheritance which, he said, was given to Abraham and his seed forever.
King Jehoshaphat knew his rights and claimed them before Jehovah GOD; reminding Him of His promise. When we know our divine rights and all the things we have inherited through our union with the LORD Jesus Christ we, too, will stand up for them in the same way when Satan comes to attack and rob us. When we take that attitude, by GOD’s Grace and Power, all our troubles will disappear at once.
King Jehoshaphat immediately reminded GOD of his inheritance. He said:
Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2 Chronicles 20:7)
King Jehoshaphat meant we have a right to this land; we inherited it from Father Abraham. Then he added:
And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; 11 behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. 12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. (2 Chronicles 20:10-12)
Now you will notice that the moment Jehoshaphat refused to give up their inheritance, GOD at once began to move in their behalf. Almost as soon as he finished praying, GOD inspired the prophet Jahaziel to tell them:
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but GOD’s? (2 Chronicles 20:15)
Also notice that GOD, first of all, delivered them from their fears:
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. (2 Chronicles 20:17)
What did they do after receiving GOD’s promises? Did they doubt it? Did they wait to see and feel their deliverance before they believed that they had it? No! It says that King Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise GOD for the victory BEFORE they ever saw or felt anything, and right in the face of a hostile army that, naturally speaking, meant certain death.
Similarly, we too, will always be able to take that attitude when we go before GOD to claim the deliverances and victories that we inherited through our LORD Jesus Christ. That attitude always brings a real confidence in GOD. When we rise from our knees, we, like Jehoshaphat, will find that we have a confidence such as we have never had before. When we claim our inheritance through the LORD Jesus’ Atoning Blood, GOD is responsible to move and He will move at once in our behalf.
As King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah started out the next morning, he reminded them of GOD’s promise, to hold on to that WORD, and believe the Almighty GOD.
As the people of Judah went out to that battle, they proved the Truth of GOD’s promises that:
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer;
and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)
And that:
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west,
and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19).
Instead of being robbed and losing their lives, GOD gave them a great deliverance, by having those three armies to fight against themselves until the last man was dead. It took Judah three days to carry away the spoil.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.