9.4.16 Youth Sermon

Empowered by the Hand of God

Ezra 8:21-32

Fasting and Prayer for Protection21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.
Priests to Guard Offerings24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them. 25 And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king and his counselors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered. 26 I weighed out into their hand 650 talents[a] of silver, and silver vessels worth 200 talents,[b] and 100 talents of gold, 27 20 bowls of gold worth 1,000 darics,[c] and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, andthe vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 29 Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers' houses in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30 So the priests and the Levites took over the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
31 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way. 32 We came to Jerusalem, and there we remained three days.
Here are three things that we can do when we face urgent and desperate situations in our lives.
1) Don't get drowned in worry, but humble yourself in prayer
Instead of focusing upon the problem, readjust your focus upon God by petition, fasting, and prayer. Realize that God is bigger than your problem.

2) Rely upon God, not man
Don't lunge for the first solution available, but wait for God's solution to your problem.

3) Respond in action, trusting in God's help
Faith is an action that is stirred by an overwhelming trust in God's help.