FIGHTING BATTLES WITH SACRIFICE

2 Kings 3:25-27

And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.  And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.  Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

2 Kings 3:25-27 (KJV)

Then Israel tore down the cities, each man throwing rocks on every good field until it was covered. They sealed every well and cut down every good tree. Only the stones {in the walls} of Kir Hareseth were left. Soldiers surrounded Kir Hareseth and attacked it with slings and stones.  When the king of Moab saw he was losing the battle, he took 700 swordsmen to try to break through to the king of Edom. But they couldn’t do it.  Then he took his firstborn son, who would have succeeded him as king, and “sacrificed” him on “the wall” as a burnt offering. There was bitter anger against the Israelites. So they went home to their own country.

2 Kings 3:26-27 GWT

INTRODUCTION
If we are to make good progress and achieve greater success this year, we must learn to make sacrifice.
There are battles in life that cannot be won by prayers alone. We must back up our prayers by offering sacrifices to God.

For instance a man needs a contract of 250.000,000. He is told by a native doctor to bring a virgin of 16 years, kolanuts, other items for sacrifices. A Christian will not offer anything but only pray and say it is well. Even to dig well cost money. Who eventually will get the contract?

God usually responds to sacrifice with speed.
The place of sacrifice is usually God’s choice.

Wherever sacrifice is offered, God is attracted.
The altar of sacrifice is a permanent God’s dwelling place.

God can’t say no to sacrifice especially when it is offered with a pure heart.

It is a smell that attracts Him all the time – Phil.4:15-19

It is the sacrifice you make today that will determine where you will be tomorrow. You must invest into your future. There cannot be a rise without a price.

2 Samuel 24:24 (KJV) And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Even God had to sacrifice Jesus in order to get you and me as children.

Romans 3:25 (NIV) God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

Sacrifice is giving up a pleasure to get a treasure. If you do not give up the pleasure to gain the required treasure, you will soon come under pressure. Every man that must be the best must make sacrifice based on where he wants to be and what he wants in life. Many people want to be the best but are not ready to make any sacrifice.

Until you forego something, you will never go up. There are certain pleasures you have to let go now to gain the treasures of tomorrow. Be willing to sacrifice and not to compromise. In the race of life, only those that are willing to pay the price, get the prize.

Philippians 3:8, 14 (KJV) 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Sacrifice is the greatest secret of great men. No man can be the best without sacrifice. There is time for sacrifice and time for enjoyment. Sacrifice is not for once but should be a lifestyle. Sacrifice continually and consistently.

BACKGROUND  2Kings 3:25-27.
☆ Through the mighty hand of Jehovah, Mesha the King of Moab, has been made subject to the nation of Israel and as a result pays tribute to the Northern Kingdom of Israel which used to be led by Ahab and Jezebel.  Now, one of their sons Jehoram is on the throne.  Jehoram is an ungodly king ruling over God’s people.  King Mesha decides to stop paying the tribute, which causes Jehoram to join forces with Jehoshaphat and the King of Edom to restore the tribute (money).

● Jehoram, although he’s successful in getting the King of Judah and the King of Edom to join him, is full of ungodly fear II Kings 3:10.

☆  Since King Jehoram is so afraid, King Jehoshaphat suggests going to inquire of Elisha, the set prophet in Israel at the time.  Although Elisha has a serious issue with King Jehoram, he agrees to inquire of the Lord on the behalf of Jehoshaphat.  God confirms Himself by revealing to Elisha the fear in the heart of King Jehoram.  In addition, God tells them that He has given Moab into their hands.  II Kings 3:11-17

They have the Word of the Lord and seemingly they have unity.  So what happened?…

The battle started out as expected.  Armed with the Word of the Lord and unity, the three kings proceed to prevail and win the battle against Mesha the King of Moab.  That is, until they come to the Wall of Kir Haraseth.  The wall was the best stronghold the Moabites had ever erected.  The wall was built high on a mountain and was impenetrable.
 The scripture records the fact that the slingers, or those using catapults and other devices began to do serious damage to the stronghold, which caused Mesha to become desperate and summon the powers of darkness to stop Israel and Edom from destroying the last and most impenetrable stronghold that stood between the fulfillment of the prophetic word from God by the mouth the Prophet Elisha concerning the defeat of Moab.

This is the focus of this message.  Unfortunately, since satan was created, anointed and empowered by God Himself, he understands the technology that governs all that God created better than most of God’s people.  Satan understands the POWER OF SACRIFICE!

The scripture records that when Mesha saw the Moabites could not prevent Israel and Edom from prevailing against their last defense stronghold, he resorted to an extraordinary measure.  He took his oldest son, the apparent heir to the throne in Moab, and sacrificed him on the very wall that the Israelites and Edomites were well on their way to conquering.  After performing this act of demonic worship to the Moabite false God Chemosh, the scripture tells us that Great Indignation or great wrath and anger was released against Israel and Edom.  This demonic sacrifice released demonic power which sent Israel and Edom retreating from the battle, even though they had a Word from the God that rules in the kingdom of men.  So what happened here?  This is the question every spirit filled believer should be asking her of himself?

THE POWER OF AN EVIL SACRIFICE

Here’s what happened.  The wall that Mesha sacrificed his son on was a wall dedicated in witchcraft to the false god Chemosh.  If you ever have time, look up the Moabite Stone here (​http://www.bible-history.com/resource/ff_mesha.htm​).  You’ll find that the testimony found on the stone reveals that the demonic power that ruled over the humans in Moab spoke to them and commanded them to perform these acts of demonic worship in order to keep other kingdoms from prevailing against them in battle.

The King of Moab understood the principle that sacrifice releases power!  Whether evil or good, the principle stands no matter what.  It’s similar to the power of giving, it’ll work for whoever is willing to honor the principle.

THE POWER OF A HOLY SACRIFICE

There is power released when humans are willing to sacrifice that which is important to them.  Consider the following examples:

1.  God establishes the pattern of sacrifice that would mark the Adamic race in Genesis.  By sacrificing an animal, Adam and Eve were allowed to live and power was released so that the following generations would begin to call upon the name of the Lord again.

2.  God calls Abraham from the Moabite tradition of human sacrifice.  By the way, this one is a freebie, did you know that Lot’s son was the father of the Moabites?  You remember Lot, the crazy cousin that caused Abraham so much trouble.  However, in order to test Abraham, God asks him to sacrifice the most important thing God ever gave him.  Once Abraham demonstrates that he feared God enough to obey Him at all levels of sacrifice, power was released to transform Abraham from an idol worshiper to the father of faith.

3. God calls Moses to sacrifice the riches, wealth and honor of Egypt in order to release the power necessary to transform Moses into a deliverer.

4.  Finally, the greatest demonstration of sacrifice of all, the lamb that was slain.  Jesus willingly sacrifices His own life so that “ALL” power would be given to Him and in turn given to us to prevail against the enemy of our souls.

Examples of people who fought battles with sacrifice
1. Jepthah made a rash vow to sacrifice anything that comes out of his house first. He won the battle and had to part with his daughter.

2. At Ebenezer, the Israelites were to be defeated by the philistines. Samuel offered a sacrifice and the battle turned and God gave the Israelites the victory.

3. David said he will not give to God that which cost him nothing. He offered burnt offerings and the plague stopped.

4.  King Solomon: He offered a thousand burnt offerings unto God, God blessed him, and he became the richest and wisest king of his time. God gave him wealth, and all nations then were subject to him. Solomon throughout his life never fought any battle. His sacrifices spoke for him throughout his lifetime.

5,. Abraham: He was instructed by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, (Genesis 22:2). He obeyed God and was willing to sacrifice his son until God stopped him. In return, Abraham got a generational blessing, which we are enjoying today (Genesis 22:15-18). From Abraham's seed came the lineage of our LORD, Jesus Christ through whom we are all blessed today.

6. The Woman with the Alabaster Box (Mark 14:3-5): She sacrificed her precious ointment that was worth more than a year's wages unto the LORD. She was criticised for wasting the ointment by others who considered such sacrifice to be too much to anoint the LORD's feet. She got a generational blessing in form of remembrance (Mark 14:6-8).

7.  Noah: He sacrificed clean beasts and got a covenant from God.

8.. Hannah: She waited on the LORD for the fruit of the womb and was tormented by Peninnah. When God answered her prayers, she sacrificed Samuel unto the LORD, and God blessed her with five more children.

9 The Widow of Zarephath: She gave her last meal to Elijah when he requested for it, and from that day she never lacked. She won the battle over starvation by sacrifice.

Principles of Sacrifice

1. Some sacrifices are no sacrifice. When you give inconsequential offerings or service to the LORD, it is not a sacrifice (Malachi 1:7-8). Your sacrifice must cost you something (1 Chronicles 21:24).

2. God only wants one thing – your everything. Your motive for serving God must be your total and undiluted love. You must put all that you are and all that you have on the altar of sacrifice (Luke 14:26). Let go of things that will prevent you from offering your all to God.

3. There is really no such thing as sacrifice. You have nothing to give up in the first place because everything you own belongs to God. You are only a treasurer or caretaker holding possessions in trust for God, and whenever the Owner needs it, you must let go (Psalm 50:12). Every worldly possession or privilege you give up is nothing compared to Heavenly realities (Philippians 3:7-8).

4. It is not possible to avoid sacrifice. Whatever you refuse to sacrifice, you are likely to lose to through the deception of the devil.

5. Sacrifice is the key to success and blessings. The Bible tells us that if you give priority to seeking God's Kingdom, all other things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33, Psalm 37:4). What you receive on earth for your sacrifice could be a hundredfold but at the end, you would also gain eternal life.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Sacrifice does not have to do with money only. Other areas are involved.

1.  Reading/Studying the Word of God –
Your willingness to study the Word of God on your own time, not just while in Church, will cause the power of God to be released into your life.  In this age of “Mass Distraction“, your decision to sacrifice entertainment for spiritual growth will be honored by God.

2. Tithing –
This is a willing sacrifice of the reward you get for expending the most precious asset you’ve been given by God, time!  The tithe (no matter what you want to call it) is Holy and your decision to give it faithfully will cause the power of God to be released into your life.  II Timothy 3:1-4 tells us that the days we live in will be marked by unprecedented selfishness and covetousness.  Your willingness to give despite the cultural norms will cause the power of God to be released on your behalf.

3. Serving Others –
Isn’t it amazing, our Lord said He did not come to be served but to serve.  However, the culture in America has deceived many into believing that the more you are served the more successful you are.  Your willingness to serve others despite your own needs will cause the power of God to flow into your life.

4. Serving the Kingdom of God With Your Talents –
The Church needs technical people that know how to repair computers.  The Church needs mathematical people that know how to do accounting.  The Church needs people trained in the academic sciences of human behavior.  The Church needs people gifted in the area of organization and administration.  The Church needs people gifted at plumbing and HVAC services.  Your willingness to yield your talents to the Church, WITHOUT EXPECTING COMPENSATION, will cause the power of God to be released into your life, your family, your community, your business. etc.

5. Sacrificial Giving.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, do you find it difficult to sacrifice? Have you made sacrifices and have not seen the results? God will grant you the grace to lay it down and He will reward you.