WHAT TO DO WHEN CHALLENGES COME

1. "AND HEZEKIAH RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM THE HAND OF THE MESSENGERS, AND READ IT; AND HEZEKIAH WENT UP TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, AND SPREAD IT BEFORE THE LORD.
2. Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
3. "Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God."
   2 Kings 19:14-16 (NKJV)

• When problems come, WHO do you go to?

• When Hezekiah received the report of Sennacherib, the threatening of the King of Assyria, he took it to God in prayer (2 Kings 19:14-19).
• Then Hezekiah sent his men to Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 37:2-7).
• God later sent a message to him: "Then Isaiah the son of Amos sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'BECAUSE YOU HAVE PRAYED TO ME against Sennacherib King of Assyria, I HAVE HEARD" (2 Kings 19:20).
• Whom you go to at the time of trouble shows where your treasure and heart IS: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).
• When calamity struck, WHO do you go to?

• Where do you go?

• Where or whom you go to, shows the source of your power.
• When sudden thing happens, your mind will first of all go to something or someone for help, that thing or person your mind goes to, is your source.
• If your mind went to your parents, spouse, friend, boss or what have you; it means what or whom your mind went to is taking number one place in your heart; and that is supposed to be reserved for God and God alone.
• You cannot but experience disappointment if you make any man or thing your trust.

1. "Woe to rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who takes counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
2. WHO WALK TO GO DOWN TO EGYPT, AND HAVE NOT ASKED MY ADVICE, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3. THEREFORE THE STRENGTH OF PHARAOH SHALL BE YOUR SHAME, AND TRUST IN THE SHADOW OF EGYPT SHALL BE YOUR HUMILIATION."
   Isaiah 30:1-3 (NKJV)

• God will allow human beings to disappoint you.
  HE will allow what you trusted IN wasted, that you may learn and know to trust in Him and Him alone (Isaiah 31:1-3).
• God will not share His glory, in your life, with any person or anything: "I am the LORD, that is My name; AND MY GLORY I WILL NOT GIVE TO ANOTHER, nor My praise to carved images" (Isaiah 42:8).
• God will not share your affection with any other person or thing.
  HE wants to take all the glory in your Life.
• If someone has promised to do one thing or the other for you, wisdom demands that you let God know that you do not trust in the promise of the person, that if He, God, does want to use the person, He should go ahead and do, however, if He does not, He should have His way.

• When you trusted in man or thing, you lose favour with God—because we serve a jealous God: "for you shall worship no other God, FOR THE LORD, WHOSE NAME IS JEALOUS, IS A JEALOUS GOD" (Exodus 34:14).

• Your trust in someone jeopardizes or endangers the person's life.

1. "WOE TO THOSE WHO GO DOWN TO EGYPT FOR HELP, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, BUT WHO DO NOT LOOK TO THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, NOR SEEK THE LORD!
2. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. WHEN THE LORD STRETCHES OUT HIS HAND, BOTH HE WHO HELPS WILL FALL, AND HE WHO IS HELPED WILL FALL DOWN; THEY ALL WILL PERISH TOGETHER."
   Isaiah 31:1,3 (NKJV)

• If you do not want whomever you put your trust in, to have problems with God, then give to God His rightful place in your heart.
• The person whom you trusted more than God is at risk of problems, calamities, or death.
• God will always want to remove the person or thing you trusted that you may see Him and focus on Him alone.

• The only person that cannot disappoint you is God.

• The truth is: What you have may finish! Whom you trust may die!
  IT is only God that is constant; He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and He changes not (Hebrews 13:8).

1. "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth 🌍, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
2. They will perish, BUT YOU REMAIN; and they will all grow old like a garment;
3. Like a cloak you fold them up, and they will be changed. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT FAIL."
   Hebrews 1:10-12 (NKJV)

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!