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What Are You Looking At? 2 Chronicles 20:12, August 23rd, Bethlehem Temple MB Church.

Pastor Jeffery L. Smith

What Are You Looking At?

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Editorial summary · introduction

The essence of the introduction

Pastor Jeffery L. Smith opens with Jehoshaphat’s confession in 2 Chronicles 20:12 and turns it into a searching question: “What are you looking at?”

Through the lens of defensive driving, he presents distraction as dangerous because it pulls attention away from what matters. He extends that warning to educational, entrepreneurial, and spiritual pursuits, including the disappointments that can interrupt commitment to church and ministry.

The introduction then frames “our eyes are upon You” as reliance on God: when circumstances and distractions compete for attention, faith and focus are to be centered on God.

“What Are You Looking At?”

Editorial summary

Pastor Jeffery L. Smith uses Jehoshaphat’s response to crisis to expose the danger of distraction. Rather than allowing the situation to determine his vision, Jehoshaphat’s declaration directs faith, focus, and attention to God.

  1. 1:00:42“We have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us, nor do we know what to do; but our eyes are upon You.”
  2. 1:01:22“What are you looking at?”
  3. 1:05:14“When they are distracted, they become dangerous.”
  4. 1:06:55“What you look at can distract you, and it’ll cause you to lose focus on what you should be focused on.”
  5. 1:11:06“Where is your focus? How are you seeing your situation?”
  6. 1:12:29“Our eyes are on You.”
  7. 1:12:57“Our faith and focus is in God.”
  8. 1:13:21“Your faith and your focus ought to be centered on God and not your distractions.”
  9. 1:14:09“We must keep our focus and mind on God.”

“Turning Panic Into Prayer”

Editorial summary

Panic is answered with an active turn toward prayer: seeking God, fasting, and keeping regular spiritual disciplines. The section calls listeners to pray from what God has said and done, so that prayer—not fear—shapes their response before a crisis arrives.

  1. 1:14:31“Turning panic into prayer.”
  2. 1:14:44“The more you pray, the less you’ll panic.”
  3. 1:14:53“When you find yourself panicking, the thing you ought to start doing is praying.”
  4. 1:15:48“I’m gonna seek the Lord and declare a fast.”
  5. 1:16:13“He got the people together to ask the Lord for help.”
  6. 1:16:17“You gotta have spiritual disciplines in your life.”
  7. 1:16:30“You gotta have a regular schedule to pray.”
  8. 1:16:33“You gotta have a regular schedule to read your Word.”
  9. 1:16:35“You ought to regularly be in Bible class.”
  10. 1:16:37“You ought to regularly be in church.”
  11. 1:18:17“Don’t let your panic remain panic, but turn your panic into prayer.”
  12. 1:19:17“Don’t wait for a situation to proclaim a fast.”
  13. 1:19:23“Stay ready; you won’t have to get ready.”
  14. 1:20:10“You gotta say who He is.”
  15. 1:20:20“You ought to acknowledge what He does.”
  16. 1:20:42“You gotta acknowledge what He has.”
  17. 1:20:59“Nobody can stand against You.”
  18. 1:22:16“Pray what God said in His Word.”
  19. 1:22:22“No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
  20. 1:22:33“I am more than a conqueror through Him that loved me.”
  21. 1:22:41“All things work together for good.”

“Listen to the Master’s Messenger”

Editorial summary

Fasting and prayer prepare the people to receive God’s message. Pastor Jeffery L. Smith calls the congregation to hear that message, trust God rather than human resources, and wait for God’s direction before moving.

  1. 1:23:25“Listen to the Master’s messenger.”
  2. 1:23:56“The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel.”
  3. 1:24:12“The Spirit of the Lord came after fasting and prayer.”
  4. 1:25:14“We got to create an atmosphere for the Master’s messenger to proclaim.”
  5. 1:25:56“Some of us are the distraction.”
  6. 1:26:18“Focus on the Father.”
  7. 1:27:08“The battle is not yours.”
  8. 1:27:53“Focus on who you can count on, not what you can count.”
  9. 1:28:50“Jehoshaphat didn’t trust in his own manpower.”
  10. 1:29:05“He trusted in hearing from the Lord.”
  11. 1:29:13“Don’t move until you hear from the Lord.”
  12. 1:29:24“Listen to the Master’s messenger who will give us the Master’s message.”
  13. 1:29:39“Listen to the Master’s messenger with the Master’s message.”

“Worship Is Our Warfare”

Editorial summary

Worship is presented as active warfare and a response the whole community shares before victory is visible. As praise is offered, God works against the enemy; distraction is answered with worship rather than surrender.

  1. 1:30:16“Worship is our warfare.”
  2. 1:30:40“Jehoshaphat bowed himself in worship.”
  3. 1:31:50“Everybody did something.”
  4. 1:32:11“Everybody in here ought to do something.”
  5. 1:33:51“You got to learn how to worship before victory is visible.”
  6. 1:34:21“He appointed those to sing and praise.”
  7. 1:35:17“Worship before the victory is visible.”
  8. 1:35:46“While you’re worshiping God, God is working on your behalf.”
  9. 1:36:32“While they were worshiping God, God was attacking the enemy.”
  10. 1:37:06“When it looks like the devil is winning, you ought to worship God.”
  11. 1:37:50“Worship is our warfare.”
  12. 1:38:19“Let’s go to war right now.”
  13. 1:39:39“If you want to defeat your distraction, I dare you to praise Him.”
  14. 1:40:12“You ain’t gotta do the same thing, but you better do something.”
  15. 1:40:53“The enemy was defeated because the people opened their mouth in worship.”
  16. 1:41:37“When you see the enemy, worship is your warfare.”
  17. 1:42:39“Do I have five folk in here that know how to make the devil run?”

“You ain’t gotta do the same thing, but you better do something.”

1:40:12